A couple of props I’ll be buying this summer
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I’m using the summer holidays to consider the ‘props’ I have in my classroom and one I know I have to replace this year is my inflatable globe (usually 99p from a well-known auctioning site!)...
I always use the globe in one of my first Economics lessons to provide a visual aid when demonstrating the economic problem as this globe includes all we have in terms of land, labour, capital and enterprise. We haven’t conquered space yet and currently have no opportunity to bring in any of these resources from out there, so we’re stuck with what we’ve got.
Which brings us onto needs and wants and the inflatable globe gets thrown around the room to get all pupils involved; each pupil must name a need/want as you direct and since this is usually a first or second lesson, I also use this to try to learn pupil’s names.
I always find it’s a useful reference prop to keep in your classroom and it can always be re-used to wake up that sleepy Friday afternoon class!
Having run out of another prop (damn those limited resources!) I also need to purchase a new ball of string. Always very useful to keep changing things and try something different when doing monotonous diagram practice/revision so why not move away from pen/paper and mini-whiteboards? String (I’ve seen a colleague use coloured plasticine but I’m a cheapskate!) provides axes and curves so…
Get pupils clustering around whilst you demonstrate or get pupils to create their own micro or macro string diagrams – have one pupil call out a change (increase price of a substitute good / increase in interest rates / increase tax on a demerit good etc…), have the second pupil react and shift the string / re-label etc… and get a third pupil to analyse or evaluate the consequences and effect. Differentiate by role if it would help the process and pupils are answering exam questions whilst having some fun!
If you’re feeling adventurous borrow some rope (if your school does CCF / DoE they might be able to help here), get outside (if allowed) and do it on a grander scale – they’ll certainly remember it. Photos to follow later in year!
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