Lesson Plan

• Define free trade and list its key characteristics.
• Explain why countries adopt free‑trade policies, linking to specialisation and efficiency gains.
• Compare free trade with protectionism, describing effects on consumers and domestic industries.
• Interpret a supply‑and‑demand diagram that shows the impact of removing a tariff.

• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• PowerPoint slides covering definition, features and comparison
• Handout with key features, comparison table and diagram
• Whiteboard and markers
• Exit‑ticket slips

Begin with a quick poll: “If you could buy any product from anywhere in the world at the lowest price, would you?” Use this to activate prior knowledge about tariffs. Explain that today’s success criteria are to define free trade, identify its features, and contrast it with protectionism.

1. Do‑now (5'): Short quiz on common trade barriers (tariffs, quotas).
2. Teacher input (10'): Present the definition of free trade and its five key features.
3. Group activity (12'): Using the handout, compare free trade and protectionism; each group fills in a mini‑table and shares findings.
4. Diagram analysis (8'): Students interpret the supply‑and‑demand diagram showing the removal of a tariff and discuss consumer surplus and government revenue.
5. Class discussion (5'): Why do countries pursue free trade? Link to specialisation, efficiency, income, growth, and cooperation.
6. Exit ticket (5'): Write one benefit and one potential drawback of free trade.

Recap the definition, key features and the comparison with protectionism. Collect exit tickets as a retrieval check and assign a brief homework: research a current free‑trade agreement and note one advantage it provides to the participating countries.