HS Economics Reading and Writing Workshop
Unit 5 – Fiscal & Monetary Policy
Using Public Domain Works
This workshop enhances students’ understanding of fiscal policy, monetary policy, the Federal Reserve, and the history of money through critical reading and writing exercises. Students will engage with public domain texts, analyze historical economic thought, and develop argumentative and explanatory writing skills aligned with Common Core standards.
Workshop Objectives:
Common Core Standards:
Unit Breakdown: Readings & Writing Activities
Week 1: Fiscal Policy – The Government’s Role in the Economy
Public Domain Readings:
Week 2: Monetary Policy – Controlling Inflation & Economic Stability
Public Domain Readings:
Week 3: The Federal Reserve – The Central Bank’s Role
Public Domain Readings:
Week 4: The History of Money – From Barter to Digital Currency
Public Domain Readings:
Final Assessment: Policy Analysis Report
Workshop Resources:
This workshop builds critical reading and writing skills while connecting historical economic theories to modern financial policies.
Using Public Domain Works
This workshop enhances students’ understanding of fiscal policy, monetary policy, the Federal Reserve, and the history of money through critical reading and writing exercises. Students will engage with public domain texts, analyze historical economic thought, and develop argumentative and explanatory writing skills aligned with Common Core standards.
Workshop Objectives:
- Analyze primary and secondary sources on economic policy.
- Develop argumentative and explanatory essays based on historical and modern economic debates.
- Synthesize information from multiple sources to evaluate government policies.
- Utilize public domain texts to explore historical perspectives on fiscal and monetary policy.
Common Core Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 – Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 – Determine central ideas of a text and summarize key details.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.1 – Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.4 – Produce clear and coherent writing.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.11-12.7 – Conduct research projects to answer a question or solve a problem.
Unit Breakdown: Readings & Writing Activities
Week 1: Fiscal Policy – The Government’s Role in the Economy
Public Domain Readings:
- Excerpts from The Wealth of Nations (1776) by Adam Smith
- Selected writings from The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936) by John Maynard Keynes
- Prompt: Compare and contrast Adam Smith’s concept of laissez-faire economics with Keynes’ argument for government intervention in economic downturns. Which perspective do you find more compelling?
- Assignment: Write an argumentative essay using textual evidence to support your claim.
Week 2: Monetary Policy – Controlling Inflation & Economic Stability
Public Domain Readings:
- A Tract on Monetary Reform (1923) by John Maynard Keynes
- Excerpts from Currency and Banking (1896) by Bonamy Price
- Prompt: Analyze how Keynes’ views on monetary reform compare to past monetary policies. How do these ideas apply to modern economic issues such as inflation and recession?
- Assignment: Write a short research paper incorporating historical monetary policies and their modern implications.
Week 3: The Federal Reserve – The Central Bank’s Role
Public Domain Readings:
- The History of the Federal Reserve System (1914) – Various Congressional Records
- Excerpts from Lombard Street: A Description of the Money Market (1873) by Walter Bagehot
- Prompt: Explain the role of the Federal Reserve and compare its influence on the U.S. economy today with the ideas in Walter Bagehot’s Lombard Street.
- Assignment: Write an explanatory essay on how the Federal Reserve’s policies align or contrast with past economic theories.
Week 4: The History of Money – From Barter to Digital Currency
Public Domain Readings:
- A History of Money and Banking in the United States (1903) by Alexander Del Mar
- Excerpts from Money and the Mechanism of Exchange (1875) by William Stanley Jevons
- Prompt: Trace the evolution of money from early barter systems to modern digital currency. How have historical perspectives shaped the current financial system?
- Assignment: Write a historical analysis essay using public domain works to support your discussion.
Final Assessment: Policy Analysis Report
- Task: Students will write a policy analysis report on a recent economic event (e.g., 2008 Financial Crisis, COVID-19 economic impact) and argue for a fiscal or monetary policy response.
- Integration: Use AI tools to analyze data and generate policy options while incorporating historical perspectives from public domain sources.
Workshop Resources:
- Public domain economic texts (via Project Gutenberg, Google Books)
- AI tools for data analysis and writing support
- Historical case studies on economic crises
This workshop builds critical reading and writing skills while connecting historical economic theories to modern financial policies.