Can teachers promote true economic understanding among students by adding a dose of psychology? Fans of behavioral economics, with its unique blend of psychology and economics, think so. Blending a bit of behavioral economics into social studies lessons provides answers to the ever-present questions that permeate every classroom,"What does this have to do with me?" and "When will I ever use this?" Teachers can help students understand behavior in the world that surrounds us by moving them from a rote understanding of economic theory to a richer approach that brings in elements of psychology. Students exposed to behavioral economics find it appealing because it allows them to go beyond traditional economic models. In the traditional economic approach, frequently referred to as rational choice theory, basic assumptions about human behavior are used to simplify the model of how an economy works. In contrast, behavioral economics uses assumptions that are more closely aligned with how people actually behave. The authenticity of behavioral economics resonates well with the current generation and helps students see how economic analysis, augmented with psychological insights, can provide genuine solutions to real world problems. In this article, the authors introduce behavioral economics and consider how actual people differ from those modeled in a standard economics textbook as a way of thinking about behavioral economics. They go on to discuss cognitive biases and using behavioral economics in the real world while providing examples that highlight the wide range of insight that behavioral economics offers into everyday human behavior. Integrating these brief lessons and facilitating an open and active discussion will help spark curiosity into this emerging area of study and improve the relevance of economics for students.