Connections Across Units: Part 1
Unit 2 · Lesson 2.18 · Last updated June 2026
A 45-minute lesson where students choose an economic issue, read a curated source, and identify connections to Unit 1 and Unit 2 learning objectives, big ideas, and essential questions — preparing for the summative assessment in Lesson 2.19.
Overview
Students review concepts from Units 1 and 2 (Economic Foundations and Microeconomics) by linking them to an economic issue of their choice. This prepares them for the upcoming summative assessment and helps them identify concepts they need to review. Work begun in this lesson continues in Lesson 2.19.
Learning Objective
- Think like an economist to analyze connections between current issues and economic concepts.
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Materials
- Instruction Slides (display during class period)
- Student Handout pp. 3–4 (1 copy per student)
- Environment Source pp. 5–7 (enough for half the class to have their own copy)
- Income Inequality Source pp. 8–10 (enough for half the class to have their own copy)
- Labor Markets Source pp. 11–13 (enough for half the class to have their own copy)
- Unit 1 Overview: Economic Foundations p. 14 (previously distributed in Lesson 1.3)
- Unit 2 Overview: Microeconomics p. 15 (previously distributed in Lesson 2.1)
Optional
- Additional Sources (not included in the lesson plan due to length)
Lesson Sequence
Slides 2–3
- Display Slide 2 and have students follow the instructions shown. If students have misplaced either overview document, provide a new copy or have them reference a classmate's. (Additional educator tips and suggested answers are in the notes section throughout Instruction Slides.)
- Proceed to Slide 3 and introduce the learning objective for the lesson.
Slides 4–9
- Progress through Slides 4–5. Distribute 1 copy of Student Handout to each student. Inform students that they will have two lessons to complete the tasks outlined on Student Handout — today they will work mostly on Steps 1 and 2.
- Advance to Slide 6. Explain the activity's goals. Read aloud the introduction, instructions, and criteria for success on Student Handout, pausing between sections to allow for questions. Clarify that sources for each issue will be provided — students do not need to find their own.
- Display Slide 7. Provide a brief overview of each source to help students make an informed choice (see the notes section of the slide). Allow a moment for students to consider their choice and indicate their response with their fingers.
- Organize each of the three sources (Environment, Labor Markets, and Income Inequality) in a separate pile accessible to students. Direct students to retrieve the source for their chosen issue and return to their seats.
- Advance to Slides 8–9. Tell students they have the next 30 minutes to read and annotate their source in order to identify connections described on Student Handout. Pro Tip: Do not allow students to work together on this task. By working individually, there will likely be a greater variety of connections between a single issue and the big ideas, essential questions, and learning objectives — which will be beneficial during student presentations in Lesson 2.19.
- Circulate while students work to answer questions and clarify as needed.
Slides 10–12
- Progress through Slides 10–11. Tell students to discuss the prompts on Slide 11 with a peer near them.
- Display Slide 12. Students follow the instructions on the slide and discuss their answers to the question with the same peer.
Aligned Standards
Relevant standards will vary based on student issue selection and identified connections. Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics
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