Investing in the Future: Economic Growth Proposal
Unit 4 · Lesson 4.7 · Last updated June 2026
A 45-minute assessment lesson where students propose a local spending project to promote economic growth, applying what they've learned about institutions, human capital, infrastructure, and technology to a real community context.
Overview
Students demonstrate what they've learned about economic development by proposing a local spending project designed to promote economic growth and an improved standard of living. They also complete the first part of an Assessment Wrapper that, when revisited upon receiving scored work, promotes metacognition and effective assessment preparation strategies. Note: This lesson assumes students have learned about the roles that effective institutions, human capital, infrastructure, and technology play in generating national wealth (Lessons 4.1–4.6). Consider customizing the Introduction section of the Economic Growth Proposal to reference your local community for added relevance.
Learning Objectives
- Identify and explain factors that promote national wealth.
- Analyze the costs and benefits of investing in education, infrastructure, technology, and/or public health.
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Materials
- Instruction Slides (display during class period)
- Unit 4 Overview (previously distributed in Lesson 4.2)
- Economic Growth Proposal pp. 4–6 (1 copy per student)
- Assessment Wrapper p. 7 (1 copy per student)
Optional
- Exemplar p. 8 (1 copy for educator reference — note: students may reasonably propose any number of projects not shown in the example; score based on economic reasoning)
Lesson Sequence
Slides 2–3
- Display Slide 2. Instruct students to locate Unit 4 Overview (previously distributed in Lesson 4.2) and follow the instructions on the slide. (Additional educator tips and suggested answers are in the notes section throughout Instruction Slides.)
- Proceed to Slide 3. Explain the learning objectives. Note: Students are not likely to address all elements of the second learning objective in their assessment.
Slides 4–15
- Display Slide 4. Tell students that over the next several minutes they will be introduced to the Economic Growth Proposal assessment and will have time to review requirements and the scoring rubric before beginning.
- Advance to Slide 5. Distribute 1 copy of Economic Growth Proposal to each student. Allow approximately 90 seconds to read the "Introduction," "Task," and "Criteria for Success" sections. Encourage students to note any questions as they read.
- Progress through Slides 6–8. Review and clarify the assessment using the no-stakes true/false quiz. Emphasize that students should transfer what they've learned about economic development at a global scale to their local community.
- Proceed to Slide 9. Instruct students to read the rubric on their handout — remind them this is their roadmap to success.
- Display Slide 10. Pause to clarify any remaining questions. Remind students that questions often arise once they begin working, and they may ask questions throughout the assessment.
- Advance to Slide 11. Identify what metacognition is and why it is a beneficial skill.
- Proceed to Slide 12. Distribute 1 copy of Assessment Wrapper to each student. Explain that this is an opportunity to engage in metacognition. Tell students to follow the instructions and pause while they complete questions 1–4.
- Proceed through Slides 13–14. Instruct students to begin working on their assessment. Circulate to supervise and clarify as needed.
- Advance to Slide 15 when 5 minutes remain. Announce that students should begin wrapping up.
- Collect all materials and score assessments using the rubric and optional Exemplar. Scoring note: Students may reasonably propose any project — score based on economic reasoning, not the specific proposal. Be open to unexpected connections.
Slide 17 — integrate into a future lesson
After scoring, allocate approximately 10 minutes at the start or end of a future lesson to return work and orient students to the reflection process.
- Display Slide 17. Instruct students to read the information on the slide as you return scored Economic Growth Proposal and Assessment Wrapper. Remind students that the end-of-unit summative assessment requires similar skills and knowledge. (Additional educator tips are in the notes section.)
- Allow 8 minutes for students to follow the instructions on the slide. Emphasize that thoughtful reflection will improve their performance on the end-of-unit assessment.
Aligned Standards
Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics
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