You will learn
- Use a decision-making process.
- Weigh benefits, costs and opportunity costs.
- Consider fairness and sustainability.
- Communicate and review a decision.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Good decisions follow clear steps.
- Evidence and criteria guide choices.
- Fairness and sustainability matter.
- We review and learn from outcomes.
Words to know
standards used to judge options
facts or information that support a claim
able to continue without using up resources or causing lasting harm
looking back to check how well a decision worked
1. Discover: The town fund
Ms Smith gives groups a made-up town fund of 100 tokens and three proposals: a water tap, a library roof and a market shed. “Do not just pick your favourite,” she says. “State the problem. Set goals and criteria such as need, fairness, cost and long-term care. Check evidence: how many people use each? What does it cost? What would we give up? Choose, explain and plan to review in six months.” Groups reach different decisions and justify them calmly.
Think: Why is a plan to review a decision a sign of good thinking?
2. Understand: Economic decision-making
Idea 1: A decision process
Steps: identify the problem; set goals and criteria; list options; gather evidence; weigh benefits, costs and opportunity costs; decide; communicate; and review. Using steps makes decisions fairer and easier to explain.
Idea 2: Fair and sustainable
Ask: Who benefits? Who is left out? Is the choice sustainable, so it can be cared for and continue over time? Is it affordable now and later? Including different voices helps avoid mistakes and builds support.
Idea 3: Communicating and reviewing
Explain the decision with evidence, say what was given up, and agree how and when to check results. A good decision is not always one that everyone likes, but one that is fair, informed and open to learning.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Define
Criteria.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Standards for judging.
Example 2 (We do it together): Define
Sustainable.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Can continue without lasting harm.
Example 3 (You try): Name
A decision step.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Gather evidence.
Did you know?
Many communities use participatory budgeting, where residents help decide how part of a public budget is spent.
Why this matters
Careful decisions make the best use of limited resources.
4. Explore: Use the town fund
In groups, follow the eight steps to decide how to use a 100-token fund on three proposals. Present your decision, the opportunity cost and a review plan. Respond respectfully to questions from other groups.
- Define.
- Weigh.
- Decide.
- Present.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Different criteria can lead to different choices.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Criteria are ___.
- Evidence is ___.
- Sustainable means ___.
- A review is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What are criteria?
Standards.
Question 2. What is evidence?
Supporting facts.
Question 3. What is sustainable?
Can continue.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What are criteria?
- What is evidence?
- What is sustainable?
- What is a review?
- Name a step.
Level 2: Grow
- Why steps?
- Why evidence?
- Why review?
Level 3: Stretch
- Define the problem.
- Weigh options.
- Present.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Explain how to make a fair economic decision in three steps.
Show a sample answer
Set criteria; gather evidence; weigh options.
Another one. Explain the eight steps to an adult.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Fairness and care matter too.
Fix: Review helps learning.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can use a decision-making process.
- I can weigh benefits, costs and opportunity costs.
- I can consider fairness and sustainability.
- I can communicate and review a decision.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Good decisions follow clear steps.
- Evidence and criteria guide choices.
- Fairness and sustainability matter.
- We review and learn from outcomes.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Population distribution. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define criteria and evidence. [2 marks]
- List four steps of a decision process. [3 marks]
- Explain how fairness and sustainability affect a decision. [3 marks]
- Explain why decisions should be reviewed. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Criteria [1]; evidence [1]
- Four [3]
- Fairness [1]; sustainability [1]; example [1]
- Reason [1]; example [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What are criteria?
- What is evidence?
- What is sustainable?
- What is a review?
- Name a step.
- Why steps?
- Why evidence?
- Why review?
- Define the problem.
- Weigh options.
Homework
Draw the eight steps.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What are criteria? | Standards. | 1 |
| 2. What is evidence? | Supporting facts. | 1 |
| 3. What is sustainable? | Can continue. | 1 |
| 4. What is a review? | Looking back. | 1 |
| 5. Name a step. | Weigh options. | 1 |
| 6. Why steps? | Fairness. | 1 |
| 7. Why evidence? | Better choices. | 1 |
| 8. Why review? | Learn. | 1 |
| 9. Define the problem. | Define. | 1 |
| 10. Weigh options. | Weigh. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Standards.; 2 Supporting facts.; 3 Can continue.; 4 Looking back.; 5 Weigh options.. Level 2: 1 Fairness.; 2 Better choices.; 3 Learn.. Level 3: 1 Define.; 2 Weigh.; 3 Present..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Use a decision-making process | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Weigh benefits, costs and opportunity costs | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Consider fairness and sustainability | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Communicate and review a decision | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “The cheapest option is always best.” Fairness and care matter too.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a decision chart.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child makes a fictional decision with a pretend fund. Please talk about weighing choices. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Discuss choices.
- Praise reasons.
- Respect differences.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: use a decision-making process; weigh benefits, costs and opportunity costs; consider fairness and sustainability; communicate and review a decision.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 6 ideas: scarcity, opportunity cost, production and consumption, markets and prices, specialisation and trade.
Materials. Proposal cards, tokens. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare cards and tokens.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the town fund story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach decision steps.
Guided activity (10 min). Use the town fund.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How can we make a careful economic decision?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “The cheapest option is always best.” Fairness and care matter too.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a decision chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 6 Unit 7, topic 10; NCSS C3 Framework, economic decision making, exchange and markets, the national economy and global economy; Cambridge Lower Secondary Humanities, economic ideas; IB Primary Years Programme, sharing the planet and how the world works. These sources informed the lesson.