1.  Organize your team.

Your class members will be divided into teams of 4 students.  Each team will serve as the Board of Directors of the Food Bank (or other charitable organization).  In your first group meeting, choose roles.  They are:

• President of the Board of Directors - Oversees the entire process.  Helps keep everyone on task.  

• Vice President of the Board of Directors - Responsible for leading the discussion on the format and documents that should be created.  Divides the work load among members.

• Board Secretary - Organizes and compiles collected data.  Ensures that the final product is in a finished format.

• Member -at-Large - Fills in on leadership responsibilities that need attention, but are not designated.

2.  Find and organize data.

Next, your team must  find the data that you will need to make your projections. It is recommended that each person focus on one of the requirements and report back to the team.  Use the given websites to investigate the following economic indicators (Note - When using the websites, just check the box for the information you wish to find).  This information will be entered into the spreadsheet in #3.

• Unemployment Rates - What is the most recent unemployment rate in the United States and Maryland?  What is the 10 year trend in unemployment for both?
  (Unemployment website)

• Consumer Price Index - What is the Consumer Price Index in the United States? What is the CPI in the Baltimore/Washington region?  What is the 10 year trend?
  (CPI website) 

• Gross Domestic Product - What is the current Gross Domestic Product of the United States?  What is the 10 year trend?
  (GDP website) 

• Use this website to select your data. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

3.  Analyze your data.  

• Spreadsheet - Enter your data in an organized Excel spreadsheet for easy analysis.  Click HERE for a template.  This will be submitted with your final product.

• Data Analysis - Study your spreadsheet as a group.  Based on the data, where in the business cycle are we right now?  

• Graph - Using the data that was most important/persuasive in your decision making, create a graph of the data that best illustrates where we are in the business cycle.  Use Excel to create the graph.  (To create the graph, select the data you want to represent.  Then, go to "Insert" and choose "Chart."  Follow the "Wizard".)  This will be submitted with your final product.

4.  Write a Projection. 

In a clear and concise written format (~ 1 page), explain how the Food Bank (charity) will be affected by the data and business cycle.  Basically you are summarizing the charts and providing a written explanation of the impact of the current status of the economy.  Then, discuss several measures that the government could take that would affect your situation.

5.  Create a Public Information Piece

Once you have an understanding of the impact of the economy on your organization, create something that reflects the status of your organization to the public.  For example, if it is found that our economy is in a growth period, you might create an advertisement that encourages the public to donate their old furniture as they buy new durable goods.   

6.  Participate in a problem-solving Roundtable Discussion. 

After completing the projection, students will assemble in class for a roundtable discussion.  They will present their predictions to the group.  Then, with GUIDING QUESTIONS, the class will discuss the implications of possible government activity/decisions on their predictions.  This final step of the activity allows the students to consider the "big picture" and role of the government.

7.  Turn in your work.

Work should be submitted electronically.  Your disk should be labeled with the names of your team members.  It should include the excel spreadsheet, chart of data, written explanation, and public information piece.  These can be saved as individual files or merged into one report.  Click HERE to view the grading rubric.