This Fall 2001-Spring 2002 newsletter provides resources and information to educators, particularly economics, history, social studies, and business educators, throughout the western district of the Federal Reserve System. The goal of the newsletter is to highlight new Federal Reserve teaching materials and resources, including Web sites,…

Described are numerous activities designed to make students aware of their consumer identities, and to help them evaluate some of the products and services that are available in the marketplace. For each activity, objectives, materials, and discussion questions are included. (KC)

Describes several product-testing projects designed to help students develop the skills they need to make educated purchases and be savvy consumers. The tests involve examining the taste of and ingredients in cold cereals. Other tests involve examining crayons, glue, laundry detergent, oranges, and popcorn. (SM)

This pamphlet provides educators with a consumer's guide to private tutoring services in their communities. It includes a history of the tutoring tradition, methods used by tutoring services to show student progress, procedures for locating a tutor or tutoring service, criteria for selecting a tutoring service, a checklist for assessing tutoring…

The instructional package of student and instructor manuals is intended to provide inservice training for Arkansas professionals serving disabled persons with basic information on assistive technology. The participant material is divided into three goal areas. The section on Goal 1, the development of technology advocacy concepts, covers basic…

The project sought to determine the content and form of materials that would enable parents of children with disabilities to become informed critical consumers of respite services. Project activities included establishment and utilization of a national advisory panel; an indepth review of the literature on family supports, systems change, and…

The theme article of this issue, "Spending Money Wisely," by Donald R. Wentworth, begins with an explanation of basic strategies which aid wise spending. The article goes on to provide an introduction to economic reasoning related to consumer purchases and focusing on the role of incentives, scarcity, and alternatives. Four teaching units follow…

The theme article of this issue provides a conceptual introduction for teachers to the local community as a market. The introduction discusses the scarcity role in forcing decisions, individuals as producers, specialization of human resources, payment of human resources, and how wages reflect market conditions. Four grade-level specific units…

Beginning with a theme article supplying teacher background material on the role of business in the community, this issue focuses on the profit motive, competition, and the use of resources. Four instructional units on this topic are included for young children. The pre-kindergarten unit, "Pancake Producers," has children observe workers cooking…

This issue focuses on an economic understanding of the 1984 Olympiad, held in Los Angeles, California. The theme article provides a conceptual introduction focused on the role of scarcity in the giving of awards, allocation mechanisms, competition, consumption versus investment, and private and external benefits of the Olympics. Four instructional…

This kit, designed for high school classes, considers advertising from both consumers' and manufacturers' perspectives. The role of advertising in relation to free enterprise principles is discussed in chapter 1, while chapter 2 provides a history of U.S. advertising processes and development. Chapter 3 describes advertising's role in bringing a…

Designed for intermediate and junior high level students, the handbook gives 11 lessons using newspaper activities for teaching consumer education. The activities help students (1) define consumer education terms and distinguish between wants and needs; (2) define the term "caveat emptor" and understand the concept of consumer…

Through a series of games, children can be given practice on making change and operating with money. (SD)

Stating that the classroom teacher has primary responsibility for curriculum development in consumer education at the course or unit level, the author presents a framework for teachers in consumer education beliefs, learner needs and activities, unit objectives and content, and learner evaluation. (MF)

Presents two lesson plans for a consumer education unit and the questionnaire used to survey student needs, attitudes, and concerns in consumer education. Lesson objectives were to help students determine their own needs and attitudes toward consumer education and money management and to evaluate a tentative consumer education syllabus. (MF)