Economic Education for Arkansas Elementary Schools. Teaching Guide.

The primary objective of this guide is to set forth goals of learning that will contribute to student achievement of economic literacy, suggest activities, and resources. It is a skeletal structure which teachers can incorporate into a continuous social studies curriculum, and other appropriate studies. The main purpose of economic education is to develop the problem-solving ability of children as it relates to personal and social problems. To accomplish this it is necessary to: 1) develop the child's ability to think analytically; 2) to help the child to relate his everyday experiences to the economic world; and, 3) develop sufficient knowledge of the basic structure of the subject so that a frame of reference can be established. A core of developmental concepts has been selected that can be extended through environmental, chronological, and logical sequences in line with grade progression. The topical areas are: the problem of scarcity, the economic goals of the nation, productive resources, the market economy of the United States, financial institutions, the circular flow, resource extenders, interdependence and trade, and economic analysis. Materials already in use in Arkansas have been drawn upon heavily: Parts I and II of the Joint Council's Developmental Economic Education Program (DEEP). (SBE)