| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Economics |
| Lesson Topic: influence of government on wage determination and employment in a labour market using a national minimum wage |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe the competitive labour‑market equilibrium (wage and employment) using demand and supply curves.
- Explain how a statutory national minimum wage alters wage determination and employment outcomes.
- Analyse the conditions under which a minimum wage is binding or non‑binding and predict its impact on unemployment.
- Evaluate potential unintended consequences and suggest policy measures that can mitigate adverse effects.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen for diagram slides
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed handout with labour‑market diagram and outcome table
- Graphing calculator or spreadsheet software
- Worksheets for scenario analysis (binding vs non‑binding)
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “What factors determine how much you get paid?” Connect responses to the concepts of labour demand and supply. Explain that today’s lesson will examine how government‑set minimum wages can shift these forces, and students will be able to predict employment effects by the end.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5') – Students complete a short quiz on labour‑market basics on the board.
- Mini‑lecture (10') – Review demand and supply curves, equilibrium wage $W^*$ and employment $E^*$ using projected slides.
- Introduce minimum‑wage concept (8') – Define statutory floor $W_{min}$, distinguish binding vs non‑binding with simple examples.
- Guided analysis (12') – In pairs, students use the handout to plot a binding minimum wage, calculate surplus labour $U$, and discuss outcomes; teacher circulates.
- Whole‑class discussion (10') – Compare findings, explore unintended consequences, link to government objectives; record key points on the whiteboard.
- Exit ticket (5') – Students write one sentence predicting the effect of a modest vs high minimum wage on employment and note one policy that could offset negative impacts.
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Conclusion:
Summarise that a minimum wage raises earnings for retained workers but can create unemployment when set above equilibrium, especially with elastic labour demand. Remind students to use the analytical table to assess policy effectiveness. For homework, assign a brief case‑study analysis of a real‑world minimum‑wage change.
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