KEY
POINTS:
• Trade happens between people, even when they represent
companies or countries
• Trade makes it possible to buy and enjoy many items we
use every day
• Many common consumer goods are imported and exported
• People all over the world are involved in international
trade
• Trade can improve the standards of living in countries
that trade
• In your daily life you are participating in and benefiting
from trade
ACTIVITY 1: What’s in your closet?
Basic Activity (7th grade and higher).
| A. |
Have
students go home and make a list of common household items
and the countries that these items come from. Alternately,
students could look at clothing, contents of their backpacks,
school supplies and so on within the classroom. |
| B. |
Create
a wall chart or other large display and compile a list
of the countries represented. |
| C. |
Then
make a list of countries that are not represented. |
| D. |
Research
the economic conditions, gross domestic product, average
annual wage and standards of living of each country. |
Can
any generalized statements be made about the economic conditions
in countries that we trade with and the ones that we don’t
trade with?
More
Advanced Activity (advanced upper Jr. High and higher).
| A. |
For
more advanced students or to make the assignment more
comprehensive, divide the class into small groups. Using
inventory sheets, each group inventories one area of their
home: their closet, the kitchen, the main living area
or the garage. The inventory sheet lists item, country
of origin, purchase price, quality and value. Quality
and value are subjective: How well is the item made? Did
you pay a fair price for it? For example, some items may
be poorly made but very cheap—these might be a better
value than something that is of average quality but very
expensive. |
The
Student’s Inventory Sheet might look something like this:
|
Item
|
Country
of Origin
|
Purchase
Price
|
Quality
Rate from 1 to 10
10 being highest value
|
Value
Rate from 1 to 10
10 being highest value
|
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| B. |
Each
group (closet, kitchen, main living area or garage) compiles
their results onto a single sheet and presents the results
to the class. |
|
C. |
Can
we draw any conclusions from price, quality and country
of origin?
Are there similar items made in different countries that
have different quality/value ratings? |
| D. |
Make
a list of all countries represented.
What countries or regions are not represented in
the list?
Why are these countries absent?
What do these countries make, and to where do they export
their goods (if they
export anything at all)?
Do we export to these countries, and if so, what?
Why don’t we trade with these countries? |
| E. |
Examine the countries from which we import goods.
What does the U.S. (and perhaps specifically Washington
State) export to those countries?
How do the type of goods traded differ?
How are they similar? |
ACTIVITY
2: The economic impacts of trade. (High School)
| A. |
Using
the list of countries represented in Activity 1, students
or groups select five countries that are not in Western
Europe or North America. Also select five countries that
are not in Western Europe or North America that were not
on the list. |
| B. |
Research
each country’s current GDP and average annual income,
the average annual income/GDP five years ago and ten years
ago. Create a chart, PowerPoint show or other presentation
that will present the findings to the class. |
| C. |
Examine
the role that trade sanctions and other trade barriers
play in the development of trading countries. Look at
some countries that have been or are presently subject
to U.S. trade sanctions (Vietnam and Cuba for example)
and see how trade sanctions have affected them. |
Can
we reach any conclusions about the effect of trade on the
countries that sell exports to us and those that do not?
ACTIVITY
3: Compare the buying power of families in the U.S. vs. families
in other countries. (7th and higher)
| A. |
Using
the ten countries researched in the previous activity,
create a pie chart for each country that shows the total
average annual income for a family of four and a breakdown
of their expenses. For example: How much do they pay for
housing, food, clothing and entertainment? |
| B. |
Create
a pie chart for the average annual income for a family
of four in the U.S. and a breakdown of their expenses.
As much as possible, try to use the same categories as
in step A. |
| C. |
Make
a list of ten items that families and students in the
U.S. and other countries would buy (jeans, a car, a VCR,
lunch in a restaurant, etc.). Research the costs of these
items in other countries on the Internet or by email to
another student in the country you are researching (explore
the web for pen pal sites tailored for students). Try
to limit variables by comparing items with similar quality
and value. Using web links, explore the ideas of Purchase
Power Parity (PPP), and the “Big Mac” index
from The Economist: http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac/Index.cfm |
| D. |
Present
your research findings to the class.
Do families in other countries need as much money
as we do in order to have the same things?
Do they need more?
Do they want the same things as we do?
How do the results compare between countries that have
economies that are heavily involved in trade and those
that trade very little?
What else did you learn? |
Vocabulary
and Concepts
Market Forces (supply and demand,
“what the market will bear,” trends, what’s
“in”)
Choices (need vs. want, practical
vs. fashionable)
Marketing (advertising, packaging,
sales, distribution as variables that affect price and demand)
Local Costs of Living (public
vs. private housing, single-family vs. high density housing,
transportation costs, local food and durable goods production,
imports)
Suggestions
for Assessment
Answer questions in writing, grade for thoughtful, thorough
research, critical thinking and logical connections.
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