Economics: International Trade

This teacher guide explains how you can use Gapminder World to lecture about global development from 1800 until today.

Use this quiz to introduce subjects such as global health, the effects of HIV, population growth and carbon dioxide emissions, or as starting point to discuss what development is. What do the indicators in these quizzes say about the world?

Students will consider the effects of globalization on modern culture in "developed" countries and on indigenous cultures. They will use the Internet to get information on this topic, and list the ways in which globalization has affected various cultures. Students will conclude by writing paragraphs assessing whether globalization is positive, negative, or a combination of positive and negative. 

Students investigate the impact of tariffs on businesses and consumers during the 1880s by looking at a political cartoon, solving a short math problem, and comparing protectionism in the 1980s to protectionism in the 1880s. They then generalize about the impact incentives have on encouraging special interest legislation in a democratic government. 

Series of lessons, notes, interactive activities from reffonomics.com

In this lesson, students will learn about the gains from trade. Students will participate in a trading game that will demonstrate that trade can make everyone better off.

Students read and discuss a narrative about international trade that focuses on opportunity cost and the principle of comparative advantage. Then the class is divided into four groups, each representing a different country. They engage in a simulation that assesses the skills available within their countries, and each country decides on an area of specialization.

The aim of the game is for students to familiarise themselves with some of the key concepts involved in exchange rates. The aim for the student is quite simple - turn the initial sum given into as big an amount as possible in the time given!