Trade + Economic Activity Reading Packet

Product description

From the author

The Trade + Economic Activity Reading Packet is an engaging social studies resource for 4th grade students to build their knowledge of economics. This printable packet contains an informative passage about trade and economic activity that students will read closely. Also included are vocabulary terms related to economics that students will apply as they read. To assess comprehension, graphic organizers and multiple choice questions allow students to demonstrate their learning. Teachers can implement this versatile resource in various ways - as part of a whole group lesson, center work, partner work, or as a homework assignment. The reading passage, vocabulary terms, graphic organizers, and question sets have answer keys included for teacher reference. This reading packet is an excellent no-prep solution to help 4th graders actively build literacy skills while learning key economics concepts.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

Define trade, goods, services and exports using the passage's own wording
Explain why America's trading partner shifted from Britain to France during the Revolutionary War
Write a paragraph defining goods and services and explaining how trade strengthens a country's economy

Teaching tips

The organizer arrives with its main idea and first supporting detail already printed, so it can be modelled in a minute; the three remaining details all sit in a single sentence of the passage's first paragraph.
Point stalled students to the sentence listing "more jobs, different kinds of goods, the prices on goods decrease, and more money gets spent" — those four items are exactly what the organizer wants.
Because the four matching terms are the same four the passage defines, page 3 can be run as a pre-read prediction as well as a post-read check.

Skills covered

Filling a partly completed organizer — the printed idea "Trade between countries promotes economic activity" is given, and three empty detail boxes are filled from the passage.
Domain vocabulary in context — trade, goods, services and exports are defined inside the passage and then matched to their definitions on page 3.
Cause-and-effect reading — questions ask why trade happens and what happens to economic activity when countries trade with one another.

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

How much of the graphic organizer is printed for the student already?

The main idea box and the first supporting detail come pre-printed — "Trade between countries promotes economic activity" and "Creates more jobs". Students supply the remaining three details, all of which appear in one sentence of the passage.

Which historical episode does the packet use to illustrate trade?

The Revolutionary War. The passage explains that most American exports went to Britain and its colonies beforehand, and that America turned to France once the two became enemies and needed to fund the war effort. The table on page 4 asks students to name both partners.

What kind of writing does the packet ask students to produce?

Two open responses on the final student page: a 2–3 sentence explanation of how America found help fighting Britain, and a full paragraph that must define goods and services and explain how trade helps countries. Five and six ruled lines respectively are provided.