Global Economics & International Trade Simulation | 2-Week Interactive Unit

Transform your high school economics classroom into a dynamic **global marketplace** with this **Global Economics & International Trade 2-Week Simulation Unit**!

This low-prep resource lets students experience international trade, comparative advantage, trade barriers, currency exchange, and macroeconomic policy through an immersive simulation. Students take on the role of economic ministers for **8 fictional countries**, negotiate trade agreements, calculate opportunity costs, respond to tariff shocks, and navigate currency fluctuations.

### 📦 WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS 2-WEEK UNIT

### 📖 10 Detailed Lesson Plans — 90-Minute Blocks

Step-by-step instructions for facilitating the simulation.

Topics include:

* Resource Endowments * Comparative Advantage * Free Trade * Tariffs * Currency / Exchange Rates * Trade Wars

Each lesson includes **daily warm-ups, direct instruction outlines, simulation activities, and closures**.

### 🌍 8 Country Resource Allocation Cards

Students represent eight fictional countries:

**Agraria** **Industria** **Balancia** **Horticultia** **Mechanica** **Islandia** **Techton** **Fertilia**

The country cards include **pre-calculated production capabilities and opportunity costs** to support the trade simulation.

### 🤝 Trade Negotiation Protocol

A structured three-phase process keeps negotiations organized:

**Phase 1 — Preparation** **Phase 2 — Negotiation** **Phase 3 — Contract / Verification**

### 🛑 Tariff & Trade War Scenario Cards

Includes **6 scenario cards** introducing economic shocks, including:

**Industrial Shield** **Food Security** **Anti-Dumping** **Retaliation** **Global Protectionism**

### 📝 Student Handouts & Logbooks

**Production Planning Sheet** — calculating worker allocation

**Trade Log** — tracking imports, exports, and tariff payments

**Currency Conversion Sheet** — calculating exchange rates using a **Global Reserve Unit**

### 📰 News-Journal Writing Activity

Includes **3 targeted writing prompts** focused on:

* Free Trade * Tariffs * Currency Crises

Students are required to use economic vocabulary and information from their Trade Logs.

### 🗣️ Debrief Discussion Guide

Structured discussion questions help students connect the simulation experience to the underlying economic concepts and theory.

### ✍️ Student Reflection Assessment & Teacher Rubric

A **40-point assessment** featuring:

* Multiple-choice questions * Opportunity-cost calculations * Terms-of-trade calculations * Tariff calculations * Exchange-rate calculations * Reflective essay

Includes a **complete answer key** and a **3-criteria grading rubric**.

### 💡 REAL-WORLD EXTENSION ACTIVITIES & GLOSSARY

Includes case studies on:

**US-China Trade War** **OPEC** **European Union**

Also includes a **21-term economic vocabulary glossary**.

### 💡 WHY TEACHERS LOVE THIS RESOURCE

**No Prep Required:** Print the cards and handouts and begin the two-week simulation.

**Highly Interactive:** Students learn through negotiation, decision-making, and problem-solving rather than lecture alone.

**Math-Integrated:** Students repeatedly calculate **opportunity costs, terms of trade, and currency conversions**.

**AP & On-Level Aligned:** Designed to be deep enough for **AP Macroeconomics** while remaining accessible for **on-level high school economics**.

### 📌 FORMAT & TERMS

**Format:** PDF document **Editable:** No — the resource is not editable.

**License:** Personal and single-classroom use only.

Distribution, editing, and posting on public websites are prohibited.

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