This companion to the National Content Standards provides definitions and explanations of key economic concepts as well as scope and sequence guidelines for teaching economics concepts within the K12 curriculum.

This user-friendly guide explains economic concepts and principles in a lively, informative way. Clear and easy-to-understand definitions and explanations, with examples that relate to issues and problems relevant to teenagers, will help students gain a better understanding of economics. In 15 chapters, the guide covers all the basic information students need to understand the basic concepts and principles of economics, including: definition of economics in historical context; how various economics systems work; how prices are set in the U.S. economy; consumer behavior; factors of production; types of businesses; competition in the marketplace; the functions of money; banking and credit; types of investments; the federal budget and taxation; federal monetary and fiscal policies; income distribution in the United States; labor and management issues; international trade. Each chapter explores a key question in economics, is illustrated with graphs and tables, and features the latest economic data. Profiles of the major economic thinkers who influenced thinking on concepts and principles provide historical context. In addition to improving students' conceptual understanding, the guide also encourages critical thinking by investigating controversial issues related to topics as varied as the minimum wage, the decay of our natural environment, poverty, and business ethics of multinational corporations. An extensive glossary of key economic concepts, terms, and institutions is a handy tool. Unlike cut-and-dried, difficult to follow reference works on economics, this guide, designed and written especially for students, will help readers better understand economic information and issues.

This essential guide for curriculum developers, administrators, teachers, and education and economics professors, the standards were developed to provide a framework and benchmarks for the teaching of economics to our nation's children.

Nobody has everything they need, all the time – so how can we make do with what we have? Economics is all about understanding the choices we make to solve this problem. With bright, infographics pictures, this informative book describes why markets are so important, how businesses work out what to sell, and how governments choose how to run a country. Includes Usborne Quicklinks to specially selected websites for more information.