Economics Academy 101

Interdependence/Mercantilism

Overview
In this lesson, students conduct research to determine the ways that different U.S. colonies had to obtain goods from other countries and colonies. They then create a poster to share information about their colony with the class.

Outcome
Students will understand that colonies could only survive and grow through trade.

Standard Addressed

Grade 8
Social Studies — Economics, Benchmark B
02. Discuss how mercantilism and the establishment of colonies led to increased global trading during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Materials

Interdependence/Mercantilism student handout
Poster board
Markers
Old magazines for pictures
Tape or glue

Procedure

Divide the class into pairs or groups of three. It would be ideal to have enough groups so that there was one group for each colony.
Assign a colony to each group: New England (Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire), Middle (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey) or Southern (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia — later to include Vermont and Maine).
Using poster board, the students create a poster for their colony as described on the Interdependence/Mercantilism student handout.
Students cut out pictures, draw pictures or write words that describe the different aspects of the colony.
Following are the areas to be described for each colony:

a. Description of the colony (land, people, jobs, location, etc.).
b. Resources (farmland/crops, rivers, ocean/fishing, etc).
c. Needs (ships, household supplies, different crops, etc.).
d. Trading partners (West Indies, Britain, other colonies, etc.).

Students will display their posters and make a presentation to the rest of the class.

Evaluation

Category	10 - Above Standard	9 - Meets Standard	8 - Approaching Standard	7 - Below Standard	6 - Unacceptable
Content — Accuracy (score x 2)	All facts displayed on the poster are accurate.	All facts but one or two displayed on the poster are accurate.	All facts but three or four displayed on the poster are accurate.	Most of the facts displayed on the poster are accurate.	Information is incorrect and distracts from the finished product.
Graphics — Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand.	All graphics relate to the topic, but do not help in the understanding.	Few graphics relate to the topic.	The graphics do not relate to the topic.
Knowledge Gained	Student can answer all questions related to facts in the poster and can describe process used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the poster and can describe processes used to create the poster.	Student can only accurately answer about 75 percent of questions related to facts in the poster and can describe processes used to create the poster.	Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts or processes used in the poster.	Student cannot demonstrate any knowledge learned.
Required Elements	The poster includes more than just the required elements.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but one of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements are missing.	Most required elements are missing.
Attractiveness	The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness.	The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness.	The poster is acceptably attractive, though it may be a bit messy.	The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed.	The poster appears to have been thrown together with little thought.