Lesson Plan

• Calculate a government budget deficit or surplus using the appropriate formula.
• Interpret the sign of the budget balance and explain its economic significance.
• Identify and avoid common errors such as unit mismatches and sign mistakes.
• Apply the calculation to real‑world data and answer related practice questions.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Printed worksheets with revenue/expenditure tables (Countries A‑D)
• Calculators or spreadsheet software
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sample news article headline about a recent budget

Begin with a recent headline announcing a government budget deficit to capture interest. Review students’ prior knowledge of government revenue and expenditure. Explain that by the end of the lesson they will be able to compute the budget balance, determine its sign, and clearly state whether it is a deficit or surplus.

1. Do‑now (5') – Students read the headline and list what additional figures (revenue, expenditure) they need.
2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Present definitions, formulae, and the importance of consistent units using the projector.
3. Guided practice (12') – Work through the Country A example together, modelling each calculation step.
4. Independent practice (15') – Students calculate the budget balance for Country C and determine deficit/surplus, then solve the reverse problem for Country D.
5. Common pitfalls discussion (5') – Highlight unit conversion errors and sign misinterpretation; students correct a deliberately flawed example.
6. Exit ticket (3') – Write the budget balance for a new set of figures and state if it is a deficit or surplus.

Recap the step‑by‑step method for calculating budget balances and stress the importance of checking units and signs. Collect the exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign homework that includes three additional calculation problems from the textbook.