Throughout the years learners have often created classroom stores or produced goods to sell to others. Much can be learned about economics through simulations. Junior Achievement has created simulations which are used throughout the nation. Teachers can create similar lessons which help learners understand basic concepts related to economics. Curriculum Standards for Social Studies performance expectations include a section about economics. The standards state that "social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services so that the learner can..." work with ideas such as scarcity, decision making, needs and wants, supply and demand, the competitive market system, economic systems, specialization, the effect of values, monetary systems, and deal with economic problems. (pp. 41-42.)

Schneider, D. (1994). Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Washington, D. C. : National Council for the Social Studies.

To prepare a fairly realistic simulation the teacher might do some of the following:

1. Collect news articles about businesses in the town, advertisements for products, and guidelines related to production of goods and provision of services.

2. Note the roles of people involved and make a list of them.

3. Choose a real situation or create a hypothetical situation related to the production of goods and services. Take notes concerning the related jobs. Write job descriptions for each role and later provide these for the learners or have students write their own.

4. Work with the student to define the problem, assign roles, and discuss actions to be taken.

5. Let each person do research to learn more about the job or role of the person assigned.

6. Simulate a situation in which each person takes part.

7. Debrief - discuss and list what was learned from the situation.

1. Job descriptions

2. Ideas that encourage creativity.

3. Descriptions and patterns for some possible products.

4. Charts on which to record research related to the production of specific products.

5. Suggestions for relating the experience to environmental education.

6. A chart for comparing the differences between using purchased or recycled materials.

7. Guidelines for preparing for production.

8. A chart suggesting how to design an advertisement.

9. Ways to use the newspaper during the study of economics.