Special Project of Economy Connection:

High School Resources

. . . and some for younger students

Here are some reading lists, websites, film lists, documents and other materials that high school teachers and students might find useful. They were collected by teachers and students working  in conjunction with the Union for Radical Political Economics. For more information about URPE, and its speaker/resource bureau Economy Connection, browse through other sections of this website. Economy Connection can provide speakers for your high school class.

Note:  If you have trouble reading pdfs, make sure you have the current version of Acrobat Reader.

Critique of Mainstream Economics Standards

The National Council on Economics Education, a mainstream economics group, has published a list of 20 "standards" for teaching economics. Paddy Quick has written a radical rebuttal. Click here to read it.

Resource Lists & Websites

These websites, and the links you can access through them, contain ideas and resources on economics and other educational topics, mostly from either a progressive or radical perspective. Some sites involve economics directly. Some will need searching. Others contain resources that can be imaginatively used to illustrate economics lessons. The best way to use these sites is to search and click through the links you find to pick out what works for your educational setting.

Resource List from URPE's Economy Connection (to be updated, but still useful)

Reviews of Economics Films by Geoff Schneider and Charles Sackrey (rev. 2000)

Rethinking Schools, an Urban Educational Journal with articles on topics of concern to teachers. The site includes many books with lesson ideas.

Teaching for Change, Network of Educators on the Americas

Zinn Education Project, a project of Rethinking Schools and Teaching for Change.

Dollars and Sense has a website featuring their magazine which publishes many easy-to-understand articles. Look for their compilations in book form, organized by topic, for classroom use.

Center for Popular Economics organizes training institutes, provides economists to lead workshops in various locations, and presents short economics pieces on their website.

United for a Fair Economy provides much clear material on inequality.

Educators for Social Responsibility, organization with a conflict resolution theme

Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, NY Metro Branch of ESR

TeachableMoment.org is the resource section of the Morningside Center (grades K-12)

Southern Poverty Law Center has a section called "Teaching Tolerance."

Highlander Center provides online resources for organizing, including youth organizing

Monthly Review Press publishes some books at the high school level, such as "Put to Work," by Nancy Rose, about job programs during the 1930s.

"Teaching Economics as if People Mattered" is a book with lesson plans on various economic topics, with a focus on inequality. There is a corresponding website with a few animated lesson plans.

Children's Music Network provides children's songs to match many topics in economics and social justice teaching.

Reach and Teach is a store that creates and distributes social justice themed learning products focused on civil rights, economic justice, global issues, and non-violence. They carry games and books for young children.

Teachers for Social Justice is a network with many links to local teachers organizations, books, lesson plans, resources, etc.

Planning to Change the World: A Plan Book for Social Justice Teachers 2011-2012
Published by NYCoRE and the Education for Liberation Network
This book is in calendar format and comes in print format or as a searchable online version with many links to teaching resources.

Education for Liberation Network has economics resources here.

Radical Math is a social justice website with many links to charts, resources, lesson plans, etc.

IndyKids is a radical newspaper founded with the help of the New York City Independent Media Center, by a group of independent journalists, students, parents, teachers and activists. Some stories are written by kids. Includes games, puzzles, etc.

War Resisters League Bombs and Budgets curriculum for popular education workshop

Teaching Guide for High School Teachers

Introducing Economics: A Critical Guide for Teaching
Mark H. Maier and Julia A. Nelson, 2007

IntroducingEconomics.org
Website that accompanies the book.

2008 Video Project of Demos and American Prospect

Economic Hardships Facing Young People
"Political Economy and Election 2008."
Some links don't work, but much useful information on economic problems of youth.