Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Economics
Lesson Topic: Policies to alleviate poverty and redistribute income: national minimum wage (NMW)
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the purpose and key objectives of a national minimum wage.
  • Explain how a NMW can affect poverty, employment and consumer demand.
  • Analyse real‑world NMW data (e.g., UK 2022‑2024) to assess its impact.
  • Evaluate arguments for and against the NMW using economic evidence.
  • Apply the criteria for an effective NMW to a case study of another country.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and laptop
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Printed handout with UK NMW table
  • Worksheet for group data analysis
  • Sticky notes for exit tickets
  • Calculator (optional)
 Introduction:
Begin with a brief video clip showing a low‑paid worker’s daily routine to hook interest. Ask students to recall how poverty was measured in the previous lesson and link that to the idea of “in‑work” poverty. State that today they will investigate whether setting a wage floor can lift incomes and what trade‑offs might arise, and outline the success criteria (identify objectives, analyse data, evaluate arguments).
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Quick quiz on absolute vs. relative poverty measures (written on board).
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Define NMW, its objectives and how it operates; show the UK NMW table.
  3. Group activity (15'): Students work in pairs with the worksheet to calculate real wage changes and discuss coverage.
  4. Debate (10'): Two groups present pro‑ and con‑arguments; teacher moderates with prompting questions.
  5. Synthesis (10'): Whole‑class creates a checklist of conditions for an effective NMW on chart paper.
  6. Exit ticket (5'): Write one way the NMW could reduce poverty and one potential drawback.
Conclusion:
Recap the key points: the NMW’s aim to raise low wages, the mixed evidence on employment effects, and the importance of complementary policies. Collect exit tickets as a retrieval check, and assign homework to research another country’s minimum wage and compare its design to the UK example.