Agricultural Themes Make Economic Lessons Fun for Teachers and Students

Along with traditional subjects such as math and english, elementary school students must learn fundamental concepts of economics to meet fourth and sixth grade proficiency requirements. A new instructional kit that uses agricultural themes will give teachers a useful and interesting tool to share economics lessons that students will enjoy and understand.

The basic economic principles students must gain competency in are the factors of production, producer/consumer decision making, supply, demand and price relationships, and the issues of global resource distribution and the value of international trade.

The Ohio Agriculture Kit uses every-day aspects of the food production and distribution chain to demonstrate real world examples of these principles. For example, to illustrate the concept of supply and demand, students will work through an exercise centered on egg production. They'll review scenarios where domestic egg production climbs, foreign imports increase, a medical study questions the healthfulness of eggs, and scientists discover new uses for eggs. The students will learn to project the supply, demand, and price implications of these events, and will develop useful skills such as chart reading and problem solving.

The kit was designed by a team of professional educational consultants for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. According to Judy Roush, Promotion and Education Specialist with the OFBF. Teachers have indicated that resources to teach economics at the lower grade level are very hard to attain. "With agriculture being the largest segment of Ohio's economy, it only seemed natural to use this important industry to convey some important lessons to our young people."

The economics kit includes a three-ring notebook with four lesson plans and other teaching tools including a video "This is Ohio Agriculture." The kits are available through the County Farm Bureau or the Ohio Farm Bureau. There are some Mahoning County Farm Bureau award grants. Available to schools or by direct purchase of $37.50.