| This thesis investigates methods of teaching economic concepts to middle school and junior high students from the perspective of a student teacher in an eighth grade U.S. History Classroom. It chronicles his experiences during a two-week economics unit, which attempted to relate economic topics to students' lives. The thesis examines the events of the two weeks and looks for evidence of student learning and engagement, while also considering the success or failure of unit objectives. Finally, it asks, "How should economics be integrated into the social studies curriculum?" The author finds that students learn most successfully when the content relates to their everyday lives, but that they often have difficulty applying the knowledge to more abstract situations. |
