Quick note: This episode is a repost, but it’s a great one to revisit as you plan ways to make economics and free enterprise easier for students to understand.
Welcome to Part 5 of the Social Studies Summer Series!
In this episode, we’re talking all about how to teach economics skills and the free enterprise system in upper elementary. Economics can feel like a big, overwhelming topic at first, but it does not have to be complicated.
With the right approach, you can break down concepts like goods, services, producers, consumers, supply, demand, saving, spending and business into simple, student-friendly lessons.
I’ll share practical ways to make economics more engaging through hands-on activities, visual examples, real-world connections and critical thinking. You’ll also hear ideas for helping students see how economics connects to their everyday lives and the world around them.
Whether you’re teaching economics for the first time or looking for fresh ideas to make it more interactive, this episode will give you simple strategies you can use in your classroom.
Episode Highlights
In this episode, you’ll hear ideas for:
- Starting with the basics of economics
- Making economics more interactive
- Using visual aids to support understanding
- Exploring real-world examples
- Promoting critical thinking
- Connecting economics to current events
- Encouraging collaboration among students
Resources and Links
More Economics-related resources
Economics Daily Passages
Social Studies Daily Passage Bundle
Smart and Simple Social Studies Membership
Join the 2026 Bootcamp Waitlist! - Registration opens July 10th!
Mentioned in this episode:
Grab the Back to School Social Studies Pack!
Get your upper elementary students excited to start the school year using these low-prep back to school social studies getting to know you worksheets! With 20 pages of engaging activities targeting geography, history, and classroom community building, it makes a great back to school resource for the first week or first month of school!
Learn more about the Back to School Social Studies Resource
Teacher Summer Talks and Bootcamp - Double Dose of PD!
The week of July 20th is jam-packed with some exciting PD for teachers!
Sign up for the Teacher Summer Talks audio summit >> https://thesouthernteach--secondstorywindow.thrivecart.com/tst-26-max-pass/
Sign up for the Social Studies Bootcamp >> https://thesouthernteach.com/bootcamp
