Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Economics
Lesson Topic: Reasons for trade restrictions: protect infant (sunrise) industries
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe what an infant (sunrise) industry is and why governments may protect it.
  • Explain the main forms of protection used for infant industries and the economic rationale behind each.
  • Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of protecting infant industries.
  • Evaluate the conditions required for successful temporary protection.
  • Apply the concept to a real‑world example (e.g., solar‑panel industry) and predict likely outcomes.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • PowerPoint slides summarising key concepts
  • Handout with a comparative table of advantages/disadvantages
  • Case‑study worksheet (solar‑panel industry)
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Exit‑ticket cards
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “Which new technologies or products have you seen emerge in the last decade?” Connect responses to the idea of emerging sectors that struggle to compete internationally. Explain that today’s lesson will explore why governments sometimes shield these “infant” industries and how they decide when protection is justified. Success will be measured by students’ ability to explain the rationale, list pros and cons, and evaluate policy conditions.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students write down examples of recent innovations and share briefly.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Define infant (sunrise) industry, discuss market‑failure, learning‑curve and strategic importance; introduce tariffs, quotas, subsidies and non‑tariff barriers.
  3. Group analysis (12’) – In small groups, examine the solar‑panel case study; identify protection measures and expected outcomes.
  4. Advantages vs. disadvantages debate (10’) – Groups list pros and cons on poster paper; whole‑class discussion.
  5. Conditions for success (8’) – Review the four conditions (time‑frame, performance criteria, transparency, complementary policies); students complete a checklist on their handout.
  6. Formative check (5’) – Quick quiz/exit ticket with two short questions on definition and one advantage/disadvantage.
Conclusion:
Summarise that protecting infant industries can foster domestic capability but must be time‑limited and transparent to avoid long‑run inefficiencies. Ask students to write one key condition for successful protection on an exit ticket. For homework, assign a short essay evaluating whether the government should protect a chosen emerging industry in their country.