Lesson Plans and Educational Resources

Summer Reading on Monetary Policy Implementation

This online series from the New York Fed’s Open Market Trading Desk focuses on various aspects of monetary policy implementation. The four articles aim to provide a foundational understanding of how the Fed’s monetary policy decisions are put into practice.

The Fed Explained: What the Central Bank Does

This innovative website section from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System provides an overview of the U.S. central bank and the work it does to promote the health of the U.S. economy and the stability of the U.S. financial system.

The Fed Explained: What the Central Bank Does

The 11th edition of The Fed Explained: What the Central Bank Does is provided by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and details the structure, responsibilities, and work of the U.S. central banking system.

Economist Spotlight: Dr. Belinda Archibong

Employ economics to help improve people's lives with Dr. Belinda Archibong. Learn how finding new relationships in data can answer BIG QUESTIONS, such as how a lack of access to public services in schools can affect students.

Economist Spotlight: Dr. Raphael W. Bostic

Explore patterns in home loan data with Dr. Raphael Bostic. Learn how identifying patterns can help you answer BIG QUESTIONS and create a stronger economy for everyone.

Economist Spotlight: Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander

Explore Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander’s research on Black families during the Great Migration, practice asking BIG QUESTIONS and find the answers!

Economist Spotlight: Dr. Willene A. Johnson

Travel to eastern Africa with Dr. Willene A. Johnson and use data to explore the economic activity of women in urban Tanzania.

See Economist Spotlight Series

How Does the Federal Reserve System Affect You?

A high school lesson plan companion to a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Museum and Learning Center.

How Does the Federal Reserve System Affect You?

A middle school lesson plan companion to a visit to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Museum and Learning Center.

How Do Food Deserts Impact Local Communities? Lesson Plan on the Economics of Food

Understand food insecurity, what food deserts are, and the impact on both urban and rural communities. Use interactive maps to measure food insecurity in your students' county and state and learn what various U.S. communities have done to address food scarcity. This three-lesson module includes handouts, an answer key, and links to online resources.

What Would Happen if Women Stopped Working in the Home?

Measure the economic value of work in the home through asking questions and evaluating data. This lesson plan is a companion to the Economist Spotlight Series: Dr. Willene Johnson and contains handouts, an answer key, and links to additional online resources.

How Can You Write to Communicate Clearly About Public Issues? Lesson Plan on Writing for Economics

Learn about how to write to communicate clearly about public issues, the components of good research, and the different ways you can present an argument. This lesson module includes handouts, an answer key, and links to online resources.

How Are 21st Century Jobs Different From Those in the Past? Lesson Plan on the Economics of Work

Learn about how economists measure work, the role of education in employment, and how jobs change over time. This three-lesson module includes handouts, an answer key, and links to online resources.

How Does the Cost of Living Change Over 100 Years?

Understand how the average costs of living from the early Great Migration period compare to the average costs of living today and determine how they have changed over time. This lesson plan is a companion to the Economist Spotlight Series: Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander and contains handouts, an answer key, and links to additional online resources.

Why Don't We Just Make Everything Ourselves? Lesson Plan on Globalization

Learn about the economic impacts of globalization and analyze the differences between absolute and comparative advantage through a series of activities. This lesson plan includes handouts and links to additional resources.

How Does Where You Live Influence How You Live? Lesson Plan on Redlining and Understanding What Affects Where We Live

Learn about the history of redlining and analyze how health and wealth inequalities impact neighborhoods using maps and other primary sources. This three-module lesson plan includes handouts, videos, and podcasts.

What Happens When You Can't Go Out Shopping Anymore? (GDP, Circular Flow, and COVID-19)

Understand how economic health is measured using GDP, and simulate household choices in the Circular Flow Model during COVID-19.

The Flow of Money (Circular Flow, Monetary Policy, and COVID-19)

Understand the circular flow model, liquidity, and how the Federal Reserve System could help provide liquidity in response to the pandemic and its economic impact.

2024 Journal of Future Economists: Economics of Work

The theme for the 2023-2024 High School Fed Challenge was the Economics of Work. This Journal contains 12 podcast transcripts selected from various school teams. Topics range from the aging workforce, Artificial Intelligence, and the gig economy.

2023 Journal of Future Economists: Economics of Globalization

The theme for the 2022-2023 High School Fed Challenge was on the Economics of Globalization. This Journal contains 12 podcast transcripts selected from various school teams. Topics range from semiconductors to shopping malls and retail space to invasive species.

2022 Journal of Future Economists: Economics of Climate Change

The theme for the 2021-2022 High School Fed Challenge was the Economics of Climate Change. This Journal contains 15 podcast transcripts selected from various school teams. Topics range from the coffee industry to electric vehicles to agriculture.

2021 Journal of Future Economists: Economic Inequality

The theme for the 2020-2021 High School Fed Challenge was on Economic Inequality. This Journal contains 12 student essays selected from various school teams. Topics range from financial literacy to housing policy to income inequality.

Once Upon A Dime

Learn the story of the growing economy on Planet Novus and focus on the concepts of barter, currency, and banking.

See All English Language Educational Comics and Activities

Había una vez un banco, Spanish translation of Once Upon A Dime

Aprende sobre la historia de la floreciente economía del planeta Novus y examina los conceptos de trueque, moneda y banca.

See All Spanish Language Educational Comics and Activities

Once Upon A Dime

Ever wonder why we don't use fish for money? Learn about the types of money, its functions and banking.

Once Upon A Dime

If your students ever ask, “How do we get the things we want?” then this lesson is for you! Learn about the creation of money and how it affects the economy.

Había una vez un banco, traducción al español de Once Upon a Dime, Plan de Estudio, Escuela Intermedia

¿Nunca te has preguntado por qué no usamos el pescado como dinero? Entérate de los distintos tipos de dinero, sus funciones y la banca.

Había una vez un banco, traducción al español de Once Upon a Dime, Plan de estudio, Escuela Secundaria

Si sus estudiantes alguna vez preguntan, ¿Cómo obtenemos las cosas que queremos?, ¡entonces esta lección es para usted! Aprenda sobre la creación del dinero y cómo este afecta la economía.

The Story of the Federal Reserve System

Read about the Federal Reserve’s structure and key responsibilities as the citizens on Planet Novus work to develop their own central bank.

La historia del Sistema de la Reserva Federal, Spanish translation of The Story of the Federal Reserve System

Lee acerca de la estructura de la Reserva Federal y sus responsabilidades fundamentales mientras los ciudadanos del planeta Novus se dan a la tarea de desarrollar su propio banco central.

The Story of the Federal Reserve System

Banks are more than just a big vault! This lesson dives into the role of banks in the economy.

The Story of the Federal Reserve System

Why do people trust that a store will take their cash? Answer those questions and more in this lesson!

La historia del Sistema de la Reserva Federal, traducción al español de The Story of the Federal Reserve System, Plan de estudio, Escuela Intermedia

¿Por qué tiene valor un dólar? ¿Por qué la gente confía en que en las tiendas van a aceptar su dinero en efectivo? Recibe la respuesta a estas preguntas y a otras en esta lección.

La historia del Sistema de la Reserva Federal, traducción al español de The Story of the Federal Reserve System, Plan de estudio, Escuela Secundaria

¡Los bancos son mucho más que una gran bóveda! Esta lección se adentra en la función de los bancos en la economía.

The Story of Monetary Policy

Understand the importance of monetary policy and the Federal Reserve’s key responsibilities through a tour of planets that need guidance in stabilizing prices, increasing employment, and developing a healthy economy.

La historia de la política monetaria

Entienda la importancia de la política monetaria y de las responsabilidades fundamentales de la Reserva Federal mediante un viaje por planetas que necesitan orientación para estabilizar los precios, aumentar el empleo y desarrollar una economía saludable.

The Story of Monetary Policy

Your students play the role of economic doctors to help diagnose the economy in this lesson on monetary policy.

The Story of Monetary Policy

Why do goods have prices? And what do those prices really mean? The activities in this lesson tell the story of prices.

La historia de la política monetaria, traducción al español de The Story of Monetary Policy, Plan de Estudio, Escuela Intermedia

Sus estudiantes desempeñan el papel de doctores económicos que ayudan a diagnosticar la economía en esta lección acerca de la política monetaria.

La historia de la política monetaria, traducción al español de The Story of Monetary Policy, Plan de Estudio, Escuela Secundaria

¿Por qué las mercancías tienen precio? ¿Y qué significan, en realidad, esos precios? Las actividades comprendidas en esta lección narran la historia de los precios.

A Story of Interest (and Supervision!)

Explore the concepts of interest, savings, budgeting, and the Fed’s supervisory responsibilities in promoting the safety and soundness of the financial system.

Una historia de interés —¡y de supervisión!

Explore los conceptos de interés, ahorros, presupuestos y las responsabilidades de supervisión de la Fed en promover la seguridad y estabilidad del sistema financiero.

A Story of Interest (and Supervision!)

Compute compound interest and predict the future at the same time through this examination of the financial system.

A Story of Interest (and Supervision!)

Budgeting, compound interest and more in this lesson plan to encourage students to work together to solve problems.

Una historia de interés —¡y de supervisión!, traducción al español de The Story of Interest (and Supervision!), Plan de Estudio, Escuela Intermedia

Calcula interés compuesto y pronostica el futuro también mediante este análisis del sistema financiero.

Una historia de interés —¡y de supervisión!, traducción al español de The Story of Interest (and Supervision!), Plan de Estudio, Escuela Secundaria.

Esta lección incluye presupuestos, interés compuesto y más para motivar a los estudiantes a que resuelvan problemas mediante el trabajo colaborativo.

How Do I Use Economics In My Life?

Dive into Econland with the quirky comic book crew to explore how economics is already a part of students’ everyday lives.

How Do We Get The Things We Want?

Visit the comic book universe to understand and learn more about goods and services, barter and trade, and currency and money.

¿Cómo obtenemos las cosas que queremos?

Visita el universo de revistas cómicas para entender y contestar las tres preguntas básicas de la economía: ¿Que producir, como producirlo y para quien producirlo?

What is an Economy?

Discover circular flow across the Planet Novus economy and learn about supply and demand, wants and needs, and the flow of goods and services.

¿Qué es una economía?

Descubre el flujo económico del Planeta Novus y aprende sobre la oferta y demanda, necesidades y deseos, y la circulación de bienes y servicios.

Gold Vault

Test your observation skills! Learn about the details on a gold bar and why the New York Fed stores gold.

Who’s on Second?

Complete a crossword puzzle on the geography of the New York Fed’s Second District.

Samuel Yellin’s Ironwork

Learn about the New York Fed’s building design and draw ironwork inspired by Samuel Yellin.

Money Circulation

Explore a mini scavenger hunt to see how money circulates between people, businesses and banks.

Lesson Plan for Museum Visit

Use the Museum’s exhibits to learn how the Federal Reserve System supports a strong and stable financial system, across a sequence of three middle school lessons.

Lesson Plan for Museum Visit (modified)

Use the Museum’s exhibits to learn how the Federal Reserve System supports a strong and stable financial system, across a sequence of three modified high school lessons.

Lesson Plan for Museum Visit

Use the Museum’s exhibits to learn how the Federal Reserve System supports a strong and stable financial system, across a sequence of three lessons.