Additional Discussion/Assignment Ideas
by EALR Subject Area.

CIVICS

Civics 2.2, Understand the function and effect of law.
How do countries use the rule of law to structure and regulate trade?

Show how the rule of law permits international trade to be conducted. Explore the concepts of assurance of payment, reasonable recourse, guarantees of quality and performance and so on.

How do international traders reconcile differences in rules and laws from one country to the next?

Discuss whether or not one nation has the right to try to impose its rules and laws on another, and the impact that allowing or not allowing this to happen can have on international trade.

Civics 3.1, Understand how the world is organized politically and how nations interact.
Show how international agreements are negotiated.

Show how international agreements on trade can bring nations closer together and move them apart, sometimes at the same time.

Explore how countries resolve trade disputes through organizations such as the WTO.

Civics 4.3, Explain how citizen participation influences public policy
Show how the environmental movement became a mainstream force for change in public policy within the U.S. and Europe. How is this related to the economic stability and strength of these regions? Contrast the growth of the environmental movement in developed countries with those in less developed countries.

ECONOMICS

Economics 1.1 , Comprehend key economic concepts and economic systemsContrast the idea of comparative advantage with absolute advantage. Include the concepts of product cost, product quality, and transportation cost to primary customers. Are there shades of comparative advantage?

In what products does Washington State enjoy a comparative advantage with other countries and with other states. Why do we have a comparative advantage in these products and services?

Who benefits from access to lower-priced goods? Who does not benefit from the presence of lower priced goods in the market?

Economics 1.4, Examine how government policies influence the economy
Explain what non-tariff trade barriers are, and how these barriers can evolve from social and other societal concerns.

What industries does the U.S.protect through non-tariff trade barriers. Should these industries be protected and what would the impact of not protecting them be?

Does Washington State have products which are protected by non-tariff trade barriers and what are they? What are the reasons for these barriers? What would be the impact of increased competition on these industries?

Economics 1.5, Examine the importance of international trade
What percentage of the gross domestic output of the U.S. economy is directly related to trade, and how many jobs are supported by trade (both imports and exports). Compare this to Washington State’s economy. Show the impact of a 5% increase or decrease in the amount of trade in Washington.

What is the growth rate for industries involved in international trade vs. ones that do not trade?

What are the top ten types of items exported from Washington State, and where do they go? What kind of workers make these products and what is their geographic distribution in Washington State?

What jobs in Washington State are related to trade? Are these jobs in industries that are growing and if so, how fast? Project how many jobs will be related to trade in ten years.

What imported items do Washington State businesses compete with?

GEOGRAPHY

Geography 1.1, Use and construct maps, charts and other resources.
Create maps that show the major U.S. trading partners.
Indicate those which are the primary trading partners with Washington State.
Indicate the major Washington State port cities (sea and air), and highlight typical transportation routes between Washington and major trading partners).

Create a map that illustrates the world’s various trading communities and organizations in Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America.

HISTORY

History 1.2, Analyze the historical development of events, people, places and patterns of life in the U.S., world and Washington State history.
What trade issues sparked the founding of the United States?

How important was trade to the development of the United States...
          from 1700-1800?
          from 1800-1900?
          from 1900-2000?

What were the most important trade issues in the U.S. during the centuries listed above?

Trace the diffusion of a concept or idea from one early civilization to another (for example, the Arabic concept of zero, spread of Buddhism from India to China, and so on).

History 1.3, Examine the influence of culture on U.S., world and Washington State history.
Trace the influence on music styles of Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and other Northwest contemporary musicians on the world music scene.

What are the top ten most popular “foreign” bands/performers in the U.S.?
What U.S. bands are most popular in Europe?
What U.S. bands are most popular in Latin America?
What U.S. bands are most popular in Asia?
What U.S. brands are most popular in Africa?

How have various immigrant cultures shaped the development of Washington?