Browse lesson plans, videos, activities, and more by grade level

Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Historian Finds Positive Side of Economic Downturn

Great Depression historian Robert McElvaine found that economic downturns can cut down on consumption and help people focus on what...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Character, Consumers…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Kenneth Rogoff Discusses U.S. Debt and China

Paul Solman interviews economist Kenneth Rogoff about record U.S. debt and China.

Key Concepts: Balance of Payments, Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Business Cycles…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: German Economic Minister Discusses Strategy

Germany's economic minister speaks with Paul Solman about how Europe's largest economy plans to navigate the global economic downturn.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Economic Institutions, Fiscal Policy…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Where the Bailout Money Comes From

Paul Solman explains how the government will produce the money to fund its economic-rescue measures while trying to keep inflation...

Key Concepts: Economic Institutions, Fiscal Policy, Money

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Elkhart Among Hardest Hit by Rising Unemployment

Paul Solman reports on the view of the economy from Elkhart, Ind., where unemployment has topped 15 percent.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Consumption, Demand…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Some Find Silver Lining in Dark Economic Cloud

Paul Solman reports on the unexpected positive side effects the economic downturn has had for some Americans.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Distribution of Income, Income Distribution…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: The Amazing Adventures of 'Savings Man'

Paul Solman speaks to the founder of an organization funding creative public service ads on saving money.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Budgeting, Business Cycles…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Crises Can Spawn Societal Opportunities

Author Jared Diamond discusses his new book "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed"" with NewsHour business correspondent Paul...

Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Government Failures/Public-Choice Analysis, Incentive…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Paul Solman Explains Good Banks vs. Bad Banks

Business correspondent Paul Solman explores the problem of banks holding toxic assets and explains splitting banks into "good" and "bad"...

Key Concepts: Credit, Economic Institutions, Financial Investments…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Global Trade Freezes Amid Economic Downturn

Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on how the global economic crisis has impacted trade.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Demand, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Yoram Bauman, Standup Economist

Paul Solman plays straight man to "stand-up economist"" Yoram Bauman at the 2009 American Economic Association convention in San Francisco."

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Business Cycles, Consumers…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Economists Place Their Bets With 2009 Predictions

Paul Solman focuses on predictions for the economic year ahead and interviews "stand-up economist"" Yoram Bauman in his second report...

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Business Cycles, Employment and Unemployment…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Hints of Crisis Eluded Many Top Economists

Paul Solman asks economists why few experts connected the dots in time to warn the public about the coming recession.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Choice, Incentive…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Key Infrastructure Repairs May Boost Economy

Paul Solman reports on how infrastructure spending may be a crucial way to resuscitate the economy.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Business Cycles, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Low Consumer Confidence Limits Holiday Spending

Paul Solman looks at the psychological causes and effects of lower consumer confidence through the holiday season.

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Consumers, Credit…

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Grades 9-12

World Trade after World War II: The EU, NAFTA and the WTO | Lesson Demo

This video is a classroom demonstration of Lesson 39: The World Trade After WWII: The EU, NAFTA, and the WTO...

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Benefits of Trade, Employment and Unemployment…

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