You will learn
- Define interdependence, globalisation, supply chain, currency, exchange rate.
- Trace a global product.
- Explain benefits and risks.
- Discuss responsible behaviour.
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
- Economies are linked across the world.
- A single product can involve many countries.
- Links bring benefits and risks.
- Responsible behaviour helps everyone.
Words to know
countries and people depending on one another
the growing connection of economies, cultures and people around the world
the money used in a country
the value of one currency compared with another
1. Discover: A pencil’s journey
Mr Cole holds a pencil and traces a made-up journey: wood from one country, graphite from a second, rubber for the eraser from a third, paint and metal from others, assembled in a factory somewhere else and sold in a school shop. “No one country makes everything,” he says. “They rely on each other. If a port closes or a harvest fails, prices can rise worldwide. That is interdependence. It brings variety and jobs but also shared risks.”
Think: Name one product you use that might include parts from several countries.
2. Understand: Economic interdependence
Idea 1: Linked economies
Interdependence means people and countries rely on one another. Globalisation is the growing connection of economies, cultures and people through trade, travel, finance and communication. Each country uses its own currency, and an exchange rate shows how much one currency is worth in another.
Idea 2: Benefits and risks
Interdependence brings variety, new ideas, jobs and lower costs. It also means shocks, such as droughts, conflicts, pandemics or price changes, can spread. Gains may be uneven. Production can put pressure on the environment and workers’ rights, so rules and cooperation matter.
Idea 3: Responsible choices
Responsible behaviour includes fair pay and safe work, honest trade, reducing waste, respecting the environment and supporting reliable information. Families abroad often send money home, called remittances, which can support schools and health. We discuss these ideas without judging any person or country.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Define
Interdependence.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Relying on each other.
Example 2 (We do it together): Define
Exchange rate.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Value of one currency in another.
Example 3 (You try): Name
A benefit of globalisation.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Variety of goods.
Did you know?
Sierra Leone’s currency is the leone, and exchange rates between currencies change over time.
Why this matters
Understanding links between economies helps us see how events in one place affect others.
4. Explore: Product journey map
Choose a product (such as a pencil, a phone charger or a bag of rice). Using a given fact sheet, map its journey across at least three places, mark benefits and risks, and suggest one responsible action for consumers.
- Choose.
- Map.
- Mark.
- Suggest.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Many people share the work and the risk.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Interdependence is ___.
- Globalisation is ___.
- A currency is ___.
- An exchange rate is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is interdependence?
Relying on each other.
Question 2. What is globalisation?
Growing links.
Question 3. What is a currency?
A country’s money.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is interdependence?
- What is globalisation?
- What is a currency?
- What is an exchange rate?
- Name a benefit.
Level 2: Grow
- Why do shocks spread?
- Why fair rules?
- Why cooperate?
Level 3: Stretch
- Pick a product.
- Map the journey.
- Mark risks.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Explain one benefit and one risk of economic interdependence.
Show a sample answer
Variety; shocks spread.
Another one. Look at an item at home and find where it was made.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Countries rely on each other.
Fix: It affects all.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define interdependence, globalisation, supply chain, currency, exchange rate.
- I can trace a global product.
- I can explain benefits and risks.
- I can discuss responsible behaviour.
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
- Economies are linked across the world.
- A single product can involve many countries.
- Links bring benefits and risks.
- Responsible behaviour helps everyone.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Economic decision-making. 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 interdependence and exchange rate. [2 marks]
- Give three benefits or risks of linked economies. [3 marks]
- Explain how one product involves several countries. [3 marks]
- Explain one responsible action. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Interdependence [1]; exchange rate [1]
- Three [3]
- Product [1]; places [1]; reasons [1]
- Action [1]; reason [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 is interdependence?
- What is globalisation?
- What is a currency?
- What is an exchange rate?
- Name a benefit.
- Why do shocks spread?
- Why fair rules?
- Why cooperate?
- Pick a product.
- Map the journey.
Homework
Draw a world link web.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is interdependence? | Relying on each other. | 1 |
| 2. What is globalisation? | Growing links. | 1 |
| 3. What is a currency? | A country’s money. | 1 |
| 4. What is an exchange rate? | Value of a currency. | 1 |
| 5. Name a benefit. | Variety. | 1 |
| 6. Why do shocks spread? | Links. | 1 |
| 7. Why fair rules? | Protect people. | 1 |
| 8. Why cooperate? | Shared benefits. | 1 |
| 9. Pick a product. | Pick. | 1 |
| 10. Map the journey. | Map. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Relying on each other.; 2 Growing links.; 3 A country’s money.; 4 Value of a currency.; 5 Variety.. Level 2: 1 Links.; 2 Protect people.; 3 Shared benefits.. Level 3: 1 Pick.; 2 Map.; 3 Mark..
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 Define interdependence, globalisation, supply chain, currency, exchange rate | 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 Trace a global product | 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 Explain benefits and risks | 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 Discuss responsible behaviour | 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: “Each country makes all it needs.” Countries rely on each other.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a links 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 traces how products link countries. Please look at labels at home. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Check labels.
- Discuss links.
- Avoid blame.
- 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: define interdependence, globalisation, supply chain, currency, exchange rate; trace a global product; explain benefits and risks; discuss responsible behaviour.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 6 ideas: scarcity, opportunity cost, production and consumption, markets and prices, specialisation and trade.
Materials. Fact sheets, world map. 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 fact sheets.
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 pencil’s journey story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach interdependence.
Guided activity (10 min). Product journey map.
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 are economies linked?
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. “Each country makes all it needs.” Countries rely on each other.
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 links 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 9; 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.