Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Economics
Lesson Topic: basic questions of resource allocation
Learning Objective/s:
  • Define scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost.
  • Explain the three fundamental resource‑allocation questions (what, how, for whom).
  • Calculate opportunity cost using numerical examples.
  • Interpret a Production Possibility Frontier to identify efficient, inefficient and unattainable points.
  • Apply the decision‑making process to a simple economy scenario.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Slide deck summarising key concepts
  • Handout with opportunity‑cost table and PPF diagram
  • Worksheet for practice calculations
  • Calculator for each student
  • Sticky notes for group brainstorming
 Introduction:

Begin with a quick poll: “If you had only one hour of free time, would you study or play video games?” This taps into students’ personal experience of limited resources. Review the definitions of scarcity and choice from the previous lesson. Explain that today they will learn how economists answer the three core allocation questions and will be able to calculate opportunity costs.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5') – Students answer the poll question and write one personal trade‑off; share a few responses.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Present definitions of scarcity, choice, opportunity cost and the three allocation questions using slides.
  3. Guided practice (12') – Work through the island‑economy example, calculate outputs and the opportunity cost of an additional coconut.
  4. Interactive activity (10') – In groups, fill out an opportunity‑cost table for a new scenario and plot points on a PPF sketch.
  5. Check for understanding (8') – Quick quiz (Kahoot or exit cards) with three questions on the decision‑making steps.
  6. Summary discussion (5') – Review key takeaways and clarify any misconceptions.
Conclusion:

Summarise how scarcity forces societies to decide what, how, and for whom to produce, and how opportunity cost informs those choices. Ask students to write one real‑world example of an opportunity cost on an exit ticket. For homework, assign a short worksheet requiring students to construct a PPF for a chosen economy and identify efficient points.