Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

People's Pie

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

12

Overview

In this interactive game from iCivics, students will learn to control the budget of the federal government. They will choose how federal revenues should be raised and how taxpayers’ money should be spent. They must also decide how to fund programs that are important to them, without setting taxes too high or borrowing too much money. This game can be played when teaching a lesson on the economy for reinforcement or after as an assessment.

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    Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - Economics

    SS10.E.9

    Describe methods used to measure overall economic activity, including the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Consumer Price Index (CPI), inflation, and unemployment.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:SS10.E.9

    Vocabulary

    • GDP
    • CPI
    • cost-push inflation
    • demand-pull inflation
    • hyperinflation
    • unemployment rate
    • Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • cyclical unemployment
    • frictional unemployment
    • structural unemployment
    • full employment
    • recession
    • expansion
    • peak
    • trough

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • The basic economic indicators: GDP, CPI and unemployment.
    • The parts of the business cycle.
    • The characteristics of each part of the business cycle.
    • The different types of inflation.
    • The different types of unemployment.
    • The types of unemployment included in full employment.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Determine the portion of the business cycle represented by certain economic indicators.
    • Identify examples of each type of unemployment.
    • Calculate the unemployment rate.
    • Calculate the inflation rate using the CPI.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • Each of the basic economic indicators change for specific reasons.
    • There are specific causes of the different types of inflation.
    • There are causes of each type of unemployment.
    • There are specific reasons that economic activity changes over time.
    Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - Economics

    SS10.E.11

    Explain how the government uses fiscal policy to promote the economic goals of price stability, full employment, and economic growth.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:SS10.E.11

    Vocabulary

    • fiscal policy
    • Keynesian
    • deficit
    • crowding out effect
    • surplus
    • debt
    • expansionary policy
    • contractionary policy
    • multiplier effect
    • automatic stabilizers

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • The role of Congress and the President in promoting economic stability through the use of discretionary fiscal policy.
    • Government spending and taxes act automatically to help stabilize the economy.
    • The two fiscal policy tools: government spending and taxes.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Determine the specific economic impact of changes in government spending.
    • Determine the specific economic impact of changes in the tax rate.
    • Determine the appropriate fiscal policy to promote employment.
    • Determine the appropriate fiscal policy to combat inflation.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • Taxes and government spending impact the overall economy, both through discretionary fiscal policy and automatic stabilizers.
    • Fiscal policy tools are used to promote employment and economic growth.
    • Fiscal policy tools are used to combat inflation.
    Link to Resource

    CR Resource Type

    Interactive/Game

    Resource Provider

    iCivics
    Accessibility

    Accessibility

    Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles
    Graphics: includes alt tags or long descriptions
    Video resources: includes closed captioning or subtitles
    License

    License Type

    Custom
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