Video extras | Common Sense Economics

Videos for topics outside of the Common Sense Economics’ core

Economics in the Movies, G. Dirk Mateer, Ph.D. in Economics. Economics in the Movies is unique because it borrows from feature films in a way that enhances core content. Concepts are visualized by utilizing short film scenes.
Izzit.org offers numerous DVDs with instructional value in economics.

The Drew Carey Project – Volume 1 (34 minutes, grades 6 to 12 and survey courses in college economics) Drew Carey hosts four teaching videos that investigate four commonly held assumptions about government interventions and the market system. They include: government intervention is needed to solve traffic problems; today’s middle class is being squeezed and who is to blame; government ordinances are good for business; and jobs are more important than kids.

The Price System (12 minutes, grades 6-10) features Leonard Reed’s, I, Pencil, to teach about the free market systems and prices.

The Ultimate Resource: Pennies a Day – DVD (12 minutes, grades 4 to 12 and survey courses in college economics) describes how one economics teacher, Muhammad Yunus, left his classroom to make loans totaling US$27 to 40 women living in poverty in Bangladesh. Microcredit was born. Today, Professor Muhammad Yunus directs the Grameen Bank. In 2006 they were awarded the Nobel Peace prize for their investment in helping break the cycle of poverty.

Unintended Consequences: Eminent Domain (12 minutes, grades 4 to 12 and survey courses in college economics) features how city officials can use the power of eminent domain to redevelop an area in the hope of creating jobs and increasing tax revenues. Homeowners can resist, arguing that eminent domain power should only be used for public projects like roads and schools. Find out what can happen by examining the 2005 Kelo case in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Teachers of grades 4-12 receive an Izzit.org DVD at no money cost for each year they teach on registration as long as your provide a review of the video each year. To register, visit:http://www.izzit.org/join/index.php DVDs are also available for purchase.

Stossel in the Classroom from John Stossel , current correspondence for FOX Business and FOX News and past co-author of the ABCNews program 20/20. Instructional video clips available. For a sample, see the Stossel Invisible Hand Promotional Clip (Micro) (These DVDs are appropriate for advanced middle school, high school and survey courses in college economics.)

Media Resources for Economists This page showcases many of the most creative ways that media is used in teaching and learning economics. The resources on this page are organized into the following categories: music, news, videos, visualizations, worth a look, and creating your own media. Check out a small example from Weird Al’s “Ebay” here.
Stossel in the Classroom Stossel in the Classroom videos and other teaching and learning resources encourage critical thinking in schools for widely diverse populations. They bring the strengths and weaknesses of government and markets and how they allocate valuable resources in different environments to teachers and students interested in exploring current issues using a wide range of perspectives. Stossel in the Classroom has inspired millions of students and empowered their teachers to expand their perspectives to include free markets and the role of responsible and accountable individuals who act and interact with other respectfully, peacefully, and cooperatively.