Teacher, Course & Class Periods: (Kurecki, Economics, R1/R3/R4 & B1/B2)

Grade Level: 12th

Date Used: 03/03/2016 (Red Classes) & 03/04/2016 (Black Classes)
Title of Lesson: Market Structures Demonstration
Length of Lesson: 90 minutes
Essential Question: How does competition affect consumer choices?
Essential Understandings:
• Buyers and sellers interact within the marketplace to set price, and the
type of market determines the power of the buyers and sellers.

Materials:
• Bell-ringer materials
1. PowerPoint to display prompt & lesson intro
• Simulation materials
1. Candy for demonstration (1 full-sized candy bar, bag of Smarties,
Assorted flavor Tootsie Rolls, and regular Tootsie Rolls)
2. Instruction sheet for demonstration
3. Handout/chart for students
4. Labels for 4 market structures to identify groups
• Post-simulation activity materials
1. Poster paper for post-simulation activity
2. Written instructions for poster activity
3. Markers/Crayons for post-simulation activity
4. Print-out of “Market Structure” handout for each group

Brief Summary/Purpose of the Lesson:

In this lesson, students will participate in a simulation that illustrates the 4
different market structures. Each group will represent a market structure, and the
teacher will purchase a good from each firm in a market. At the end of this
simulation, we will define the 4 market structures & use the simulation to describe
each market structure. After the simulation, students will create posters to
visually represent the 4 market structures & examples of each market.

Brief Rationale for the Lesson:

This lesson is designed to teach the students the different market structures
by giving them an opportunity to experience the effects of each market during
the game. The poster activity is designed to allow students to create a visual,
creative representation of each market. This lesson is designed to illustrate to
students that markets are not totally cut & dry, and that there is a lot of variation
in market structure, and that the different market structures affect the
relationships between buyers and sellers in the market.
Standard: Learning Objectives: Assessment:
E.3.3 At the end of this lesson, • Informal checks for
Compare and contrast students will be able to: understanding
the basic characteristics • Describe throughout
of the four market characteristics of simulation
structures: monopoly, monopolies, perfect • Exit slip to assess
oligopoly, monopolistic competition, student
competition, and pure oligopolies, and understanding
competition; explain how monopolistic • Worksheet to
various amounts of competition. evaluate student
competition affect price • Give real-life mastery of material
and quantity. examples of each • Formal summative
type of market assessment at the
structure end of unit
NCSS Thematic Standards: • Explain the
• Production, Distribution, relationship between
Consumption buyers and sellers in
• Individuals, Groups, each market
and Institutions structure

PROCEDURES: Rationale for Teaching Strategy

Bell Ringer:
Students will respond to the following Bell ringer: First Days of School 171.
question, “What is a market structure?
How would you define this phrase, and
what are some examples of market Preview assignments: Bring Learning
structures?” Give students an opportunity Alive 23.
to write down their answers, ask for a few
volunteer answers. Share the definition of
market structure on the PowerPoint

Recall previous learning:

“Who remembers how we determine the Recall previous learning:
equilibrium price in a market?” Allow for Understanding Backwards Design
response and explain that, “Today,

Procedures:
1. Divide students into 4 groups to
represent the 4 market structures
2. Explain to the students that we will
be simulating the 4 different Short, memorable experience to
market types through our activity. help students grasp social studies
 3. [Follow written instructions on concepts: Bring Learning Alive 47.
handout to simulate activity]
4. After completing the activity, as a Simulation: Secrets to Success for
class we will fill out the chart to Social Studies Teachers 132.
describe each market type, based
on our experience with the market
simulation. Graphic organizer: Secrets to
5. Introduce the creative task & pass Success for Social Studies Teachers
out materials. Include written 83.
instructions. Explain to students that
each group will create 2 posters to Written instructions: Bring Learning
represent their market structure: Alive 176.
one is purely visual (with no text
except the name of the market) & Posters (visual-spatial learning):
one will include the written Secrets to Success for Social Studies
characteristics of each market. Teachers 54.
6. Present posters to class.
7. Introduce homework assignment, Group work: Secrets to Success for
and explain that, though the Social Studies Teachers 158.
activity helped illustrate the main
characteristics of the 4 markets,
they will need their textbooks to
answer the homework questions.

Closure:
1. Students will respond to the following Closing activity: Secrets to Success
prompt on a 3x5 notecard: “What do for Social Studies Teachers 135.
you think is the best market structure
for consumers and the best market
structure for producers and why?”

Supports and accommodations for Special Needs:

• For the poster activity, I will provide written instructions for each group, to
supplement verbal instructions. I am specifically doing this so that these
students can better understand the expectations for the assignment. I am
also providing written versions of the PowerPoints to reiterate the main
points from the class activity.
 References:
Bower, B., Lobdell, J. & Owens, S. (2005). Bring learning alive! : the TCI approach
for middle and high school social studies. Palo Alto, Calif: Teachers'
Curriculum Institute.

Kottler, E. & Gallavan, N. (2008). Secrets to success for social studies teachers.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Wong, H. & Wong, R. (2005). The first days of school : how to be an effective
teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.