Activity 4-3
The Economic Vote Project

 

Objectives

  • To carefully determine whether to buy a selected product based on its life cycle (use of land, labor and capital in that cycle), company practices and alternatives available
  • To be able to research a product and company in detail using multiple viewpoints and the Internet
  • To give a well organized, persuasive presentation using a visual aid, created by multimedia software, as an effective teaching tool

Materials

Time

Three - seven class periods and/or homework

Evaluation

Presentation should be graded for level of research, application of consumer concepts, organization, persuasiveness and quality of visual aid

Vocabulary

consumer sovereignty economic vote product life cycle boycott

Suggested Procedure

1. Review project guidelines with students.

2. Brainstorm with students possible products and assess at least a couple predicting what one might find about the product's life cycle, company practices and available alternatives.

- Generate research questions such as:

What natural resources are used in making this product? How is labor treated that makes this product? What technology or machinery is used in making this product? How do different parts of the life cycle affect natural resources? human health?

- Make sure students understand they can argue whether to buy or boycott a selected product.

- Suggest that students try to find information on company practices based on what they value (racial/gender equality, preventing pollution, etc.).

3. Have students begin research ­ if possible take students to a computer lab with Internet access. (Most of research could be homework.)

4. If using Power Point or other software to create visual aid, give students a demonstration on how to use it. Posters can also work for visual aids.

5. Have students prepare visual aids for presentation. (Most of preparation could be homework.)

6. Schedule time for student presentations. During presentations, have students respond

to each by writing whether they would follow presenter's advice or not and why.

 

 

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