HS Economics Reading and Writing Workshop
Economics Unit 4: Reading and Writing Workshop
Using Public Domain Works
This workshop integrates reading and writing skills with historical and economic texts from the public domain to deepen understanding of market equilibrium, pricing, competition, and business structures.
Essential Questions
Public Domain Readings
1. Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations (1776)
Writing Assignments
1. Argumentative Essay
Workshop Goals
Using Public Domain Works
This workshop integrates reading and writing skills with historical and economic texts from the public domain to deepen understanding of market equilibrium, pricing, competition, and business structures.
Essential Questions
- How have historical market trends influenced modern economic theories?
- What role does competition play in shaping economies?
- How do different business structures impact economic growth and entrepreneurship?
Public Domain Readings
1. Adam Smith – The Wealth of Nations (1776)
- Focus: Market equilibrium, the role of prices, and competition
- Reading Activity: Analyze excerpts on the "invisible hand" and free markets.
- Discussion: How does Smith’s theory of competition relate to modern perfect competition?
- Focus: Monopolistic competition, consumer behavior, and branding
- Reading Activity: Examine passages on conspicuous consumption and brand differentiation.
- Discussion: How do companies today use branding to compete beyond price?
- Focus: Monopoly and government regulation
- Reading Activity: Analyze arguments about land monopolies and economic inequality.
- Discussion: Should monopolies be regulated or left to market forces?
- Focus: Entrepreneurship and sole proprietorship
- Reading Activity: Study Washington’s views on self-reliance and small business ownership.
- Discussion: How does entrepreneurship drive economic opportunity?
Writing Assignments
1. Argumentative Essay
- Prompt: Does monopolistic competition help or harm consumers? Use historical and modern examples.
- Sources: Veblen’s The Theory of the Leisure Class and real-world case studies.
- Skills: Claim development, evidence use, counterarguments.
- Prompt: Participate in an AI-based market simulation and write a reflection on price changes and market equilibrium.
- Skills: Data analysis, synthesis, and explanatory writing.
- Prompt: Write a business plan for a sole proprietorship using AI research and insights from Up from Slavery.
- Skills: Persuasive writing, organization, and economic reasoning.
- Prompt: Compare Adam Smith’s free market theories with modern regulations on monopolies.
- Skills: Textual analysis, comparison, and evidence-based reasoning.
Workshop Goals
- Strengthen historical and economic literacy.
- Develop critical reading skills using public domain works.
- Improve argumentative and explanatory writing based on economic principles.
- Encourage real-world connections through AI and public domain analysis.