In this NY Times lesson, students define and examine the role of Keynesian economics during recessions and depression, then write a memo to President Obama advising him on how to put Keynesian principles into practice (2009).

Students will be able to: Describe the immediate benefits of a fiscal stimulus when an economy is in a recession. They explain the long-term costs of a fiscal stimulus when an economy is in a recession. By comparing the immediate benefits to the long-term costs, students will decide if a fiscal stimulus is warranted during recessions (USA: EconEd 2021).

How do we know when the economy is in a recession? How do key economic indicators perform in a downturn? In this New York Times lesson, students create graphs of various economic measurements, using quantitative and qualitative reasoning skills to compare, contrast and correlate the performance of measures like gross domestic product, unemployment and personal ...