September upload 2009

• Economic Issues - What are the current economic conditions in Australia and have they changed in the last five years? [Word file]
• Economic Issues - Each decade is different – the 1950s were different to the 1980s and the 1980s were different to today. [Word file]
• Hypothesis – Computers and the Internet [Word file]
• Cost Benefit – My wool is organic [Word file]
• Economic Costs and Opportunity Cost [Word file]
• Revision Activity – Who is who, what is what? [PDF file]
• Assessment Task – Levels 5 and 6 – FAQ [Word file]
• Assessment Task – Level 5 – Choices and being an informed consumer [Word file]
• Assessment Task – Level 6 – Cartoons on the Internet [Word file]
• Assessment Task – Level 6 – Demand, Supply, Price – but not always! [Word file]
• Let them drink sugar [Word file]
• Google News – what is it and how can I use it in my classroom? [Word file]

June upload 2009
In this upload there are a wide range of activities, most using ICT, covering both the skills of the VELS such as Hypothesis, Data Analysis and Cost Benefit analysis, along with a range of interesting and challenging activities for your classes.

• Economic Issues - Poverty only exists in third world countries. [Word file]
• Economic Issues - Is there a relationship between prices, economic growth and interest rates? [Word file]
• Hypothesis – AFL Success [Word file]
• Cost Benefit – Taking the fizz out of school [zip folder, opening Word doc first]
• Cost Benefit – Populate or Perish [Word file]
• The public sponsorship of a Tiger [Word file]
• Business and the Australian economy [PowerPoint file]
• Aussies fickle shoppers … mostly – Communicating with ICT [Word file]
• Iconic Brand Signs [Word file]
• Shopping Online – Resources to develop a unit of work [Word file]
• Innovation and Enterprise – Australian Stamps [Word file]

April upload 2009

• Economic Issues - Australia’s exports ride on the sheep’s back – or do they? [word file]
• Economic Issues - Our trading partners reflect both our historical ties to the UK and our current place in the Asian economies [word file]
• Testing an Hypothesis– Crime Statistics [word file]
• Cost-Benefit analysis – Scooters are one persons effective economic decision [word file]
• Being an informed consumer – product placement [word file]
• Innovation [word file]
• Water Report – using ICT to report [word file]
• Water Prices – market forces in action [word file]
• Signs – Icons – Phrases – Being an informed consumer – Level 5 [word file]
• Brand Name Takeover Quiz – [word file]

February upload 2009

In this upload there are a number of activities to introduce Level 5 and 6 Humanities – Economics. Two of the skills are testing a hypothesis and undertaking a cost-benefit analysis. In addition, most of the activities use VELS ICT skills.

• Wants and Needs – Flame Perfume – smell like a Big Whopper Burger [Word file]
• Scams Being an Informed Consumer [Word file]
• Scams Case Study [Word file]
• Scams Being an Informed E-consumer [Word file]
• Testing an Hypothesis - Cars – Holdens and Fords [Word file]
• Cost Benefit Analysis – Earth Hour 2009 [Word file]
• Being an Informed consumer – Shop-A-Docket Activity [Word file]
• Unit Pricing – Internet Resources and Activity Ideas [Word file]

Compak supplement, Issue 1

• Future cars: website references [Word] (120K, ECOCIT109_1.doc, Issue 1, February 2009, pages 58-60)

Classroom August 2008

A level 6 Activity – What’s the cost of your Environmental Spending? - Ecological Sustainability - 2. Includes VELS ICT progression points.

A Level 6 “Thinking” Internet Activity And now … a Carbon Tax . Includes VELS ICT progression points.

Dollarsmart units examine six key aspects of financial literacy. Dollarsmart.

A Level 6 Assessment Task covering a Glossary of Economic Words using cartoons by Nicholson from the Australian Newspaper. Economics Glossary using Cartoons. Includes VELS ICT progression points.

A Level 6 Assessment Task based on a newspaper article Food costs are up and there’s more pain in store

The Level 6 Learning Focus states that students research economic problems and argue the validity or otherwise of their own hypotheses. This activity gives students an opportunity to develop this skill.

The Hypothesis to be investigated is “Home prices 20km or more from the city have fallen for the three highlighted reasons in the AGE article.”

Level 5 and 6. This series of activities on Work and Life comes from Queensland Education. The Real Game is presented in five units. During the first three units, the students develop an understanding of the basic concepts and terminology of the game and of the world of work. They are given an occupational role and make lifestyle decisions (e.g. accommodation, transport, and leisure) within the constraints of their income. In the process they learn some of the realities of the adult world. Once they have established a realistic budget, the students make decisions about and plan for a holiday. Click to go to the Real Game

Classroom July 2008

• Putting the Parking into Economics

A level 6 “Thinking” Internet Activity – Putting the Parking into Economics

National Statement

In 2006 all Australian states and territories approved The National Statement for Engaging Young Australians with Asia in Australian Schools through the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) (www.asiaeducation.edu.au/public_html/aef_statement.htm).

The statement identifies the broad knowledge, understandings, values and skills required to engage with Asia and the rationale for developing knowledge and understanding of Asia and Australia’s relationship with Asia. This includes contributing to:

Underpinning these reasons is intercultural understanding and the values and dispositions required to support a harmonious multicultural society.

• Asia and the VELS Resources

The VELS provide opportunities for a strong focus on Asia at all levels of the curriculum from P-10.

Resources can be found at –

VCAA overview
http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/support/crosscurricular/asia_vels.html

Humanities Units of Work (SOSE)
http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/public_html/scope_sequence.htm

Asia in the VELS chart

http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/downloads/supportmaterials/crosscurricular/asia_vels_chart.pdf

• “Thinking” Internet Activity VELS Economics Level 5 with VELS ICT

Click link for Breakfast Cereals activity

VELS Rationale

Economic knowledge and understanding

At Level 5, students explain the nature of the economic problem and how economic choices involve trade-offs that have both immediate and future consequences. They explain key factors that influence the Australian economy, including the quantity and quality of factors involved in production, resource use, ownership and management, and types of businesses.

Economic reasoning and interpretation

At Level 5, students use the inquiry process to plan economics investigations, analyse and interpret data, and form conclusions supported by evidence. They form and express opinions on economic issues that interest and/or impact on them personally, or locally and/or nationally.

http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/essential/discipline/humanities/economics/level5.html

Task
In your group, investigate a mix of three breakfast cereals from the Kellogg’s range, the Uncle Toby’s range, and/or another cereal of your choice.

• Victorian Association for Environmental Education

VAEE is in the process of producing units of work to fit within the VELS framework. These units of work will be published on the webpage below as they become available.

Projects and resources with links with other VELS domain areas

Schools Revegetation Projects 2006 - Greening Australia Victoria

Consuming Planet Earth 2005 - A resource for Teaching and Learning linked to the 14 domains of VELS. Consumer Affairs Victoria

Units of Work

Connexions: Energise me - A Year 9 student community-based program

A unit of work on Energy developed by Bree Moody and Kiersten Quinn (made available by the You Yangs Cluster)

Classroom February 2008

Opportunity Cost - Logging of water catchments

This activity is designed for Year 7 and 8 students (it could also be used in Years 9 and 10) and is an interesting and contemporary approach to investigating the economic concept of Opportunity Cost.

It looks at the economic issue of logging water catchments. A great activity, this exercise takes into account issues relating to the environment, employment in rural communities, regional development, recreation, tourism and forest industries. Issues relating to cultural, indigenous and aesthetic values also can be considered.

Statistics and what to do with them

Through examples of sporting salaries, city sizes and more, this introductory VELS Activity provides students with skills and checklists for using statistics. You may like to complete some or all of the activities on statistics and what to do with them, or redesign the activities to suit your class.

At the end of the activity is a Checklist that is a good tool for students to use before they submit their work. You may also like to build this checklist into their assessment.

Earth Hour
Did you turn off the light? This Thinking Internet Activity for Year 7 and 8 looks at the WWF project – Earth Hour – on March 29 2008. It components of VELS Economics, VELS ICT and VELS Thinking.

VELS resources

Linking Economics with other VELS domains
At Comview in 2007 Anne-Marie Parry and Richard Armitage presented two VELS specific sessions:
• Linking VELS Economics with VELS Thinking. The resource rich webpage for this session is - http://www.springvalesc.vic.edu.au/velsthinking
• Linking VELS Economics with VELS ICT. The resource rich webpage for this session is - http://www.springvalesc.vic.edu.au/velsict

Compak supplements Issue 4, 2008

• Producing an assessment rubric (ECOCIT408_1, issue 4, October 2008) Word or PDF
• Australia and the global economy: student activities (ECOCIT408_2, issue 4, October 2008) Word or PDF
• Consumer Affairs Victoria : a wealth of resources for your VELS courses (ECOCIT408_3, issue 4, October 2008) Word or PDF
• The Melbourne Story: learning about the changing nature of work (ECOCIT408_4A, issue 4, October 2008) Word or PDF
• The Melbourne Story: ‘Making a Quid’ pre-visit activity (ECOCIT408_4B, issue 4, October 2008) PDF

Compak supplements Issue 3, 2008

Counting the cost of climate change – a unit of work: VELS correlation table (Word, 52K, .doc, Issue 3, August 2008, pages 54-59)

Design a flyer or brochure (PDF, 92K, ECOCIT308_1B.pdf, Issue 3, August 2008, pages 54-59)

'The Power and Privilege of Resources’: a unit of work (Word, 260K, ECOCIT308_2.doc, Issue 3, August 2008, pages 63-64)

2006 - 2007 Classroom and Compak resources

Classroom September 2007

My wool is organic
Richard Armitage has added another “Thinking” internet activity to his website. This activity requires the students to explain some key economic terms, using the topic of Wool Production. This is a great task that can be used as an introduction to economics, or as a revision exercise covering some key economic terms.
Select here

Classroom August 2007

Markets
To introduce the concept of markets and demand and supply, why not take your students on an excursion� The Queen Victoria Market provides a great example of a market in operation. This resource complements an excursion through a work sheet for students to complete, as well as some background research into the market. This resource is available by selecting here.

Compak Issue 3 2007 Supplements

Innovative Australia: VELS correlation grid (PDF, 248K, ECOCIT307_1.pdf, Issue 3, August 2007, pages 53-55)
Back to basics: additional strategies (PDF, 248K, ECOCIT307_2.pdf, Issue 3, August 2007, pages 62-65)


Classroom March 2007
Consumer Literacy
Dianne Fabiyanic from Taylors College has been teaching the concept of product placement through the movie 'Josie and the Pussycats'. She has provided us with a series of lessons that requires the students to create their own movie using story boards with the strategic placement of products. You will find this resource in the Economics section.

Resources for Courses
Gary Grach from Shelford Girls Grammar has prepared a list of Internet resources that can be used in Economics classes.

Being an Informed Consumer
Richard Armitage from Springvale Secondary College another "Thinking" Internet Activity. Select here

Thinking Internet Activities
The purpose of these activities is to use ICT and Thinking skills along with introducing students to the concepts and ideas of Economics.

The WebQuests can take five to ten periods to do. You may want to do them from start to finish or just take parts of them to use with your students.

The “Thinking” Internet Activities are shorter – a couple of periods or so – and use material from newspapers and websites, along with statistics.

Select here

Arsenal Bonds Worksheet
Questions and Assessment Planning sheet for this Level 6 Activity by Tony Ward. Select here

Compak 2007 Supplements

'Our Global World': a unit of study - teacher notes (PDF, 248K, ECOCIT207_1.pdf, Issue 2, May 2007, pages 54-59)
Financial literacy worksheets (PDF, 388K, EC107_1.pdf, Issue 1, Compak February 2007, pages 53-56)
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts case study: assessment rubric (PDF, 172K, EC107_2.pdf, Compak Issue 1, February 2007, pages 57-61)
School Entrepreneur of the Year program (PDF, 344K, EC107_4.pdf, Compak Issue 1, February 2007, page 64)

Classroom September 2006

Factors Affecting Demand
This contribution written by Dianne Fabiyanic from Taylors College provides students with a case study that requires them to reflect on their decision to purchase a product and specifically, the various influences on that decision. Dianne has also provided suggested solutions to the case study.

In Our Environment
This grid written by Debbie Gilbert from Bulahdelah Central School provides an extensive unit on the environment for Years 5 - 7. It provides a detailed unit of work, integrating economics through the area of resource allocation and use in the Students look at the effects of mass production and the world demand for resources.

Take Action - Protect our Future
This resource is a matrix incorporating multiple intelligences and blooms taxonomy from Karen Shum. It is an integrated unit on the environment that is directed towards Year 8 students. It provides some excellent ideas for Economics teachers for use as an integrated unit, or to adapt some of the activities to a more streamed approach.

The Sea Water
There are some fabulous references to civics and citizenship and economics in this resource. Using the matrix approach, Barb, Lucy, Megan, Michelle and John from Seaforth Primary School in WA have created an interesting and rich resource that shows teachers how the VELS strands can be interwoven into a unit for students from Years 4 - 7.

Web Quests
An upload from Essential Learning. Economics would not be complete without a webquest from Richard Armitage, Springvale Secondary College. He has created another two titled Energy and Opportunity Cost and Plug me into the Internet.
Energy and Opportunity Cost

With whom do we trade?
Brendan O'Donoghue, Taylors College, has contributed a student worksheet that uses the Department of Foreign Trade website to answer questions on the structure of Australian trade. This worksheet simplifies this area of economics for year 10 students.

Compak Issue 4 2006

Consuming Planet Earth: Buy green, save money (PDF, 4.7MB, ES406_3.pdf, no. 4, October 2006)