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From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
The Lorax
Lesson
The Once-ler sets Up Shop
Book Synopsis: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a cautionary tale of how man’s greed and lack of foresight can destroy the
environment. The picture book, told in Dr. Seuss’s whimsical rhyme, begins in a town that has been depleted of its
natural resources. A curious boy pays the reclusive Once-ler to tell him the tale of the Lorax. Using flashbacks, the
Once-ler relates his story of greed, destruction, and remorse.
Introduction: The Once-ler, like any successful businessperson, saw an opportunity and took advantage of it. He was an
entrepreneur who used natural resources to start a business which made and sold a product.
Time Allocation: 25-30 minutes
Virginia History and Social Science SOLs
3.7 The student will explain how producers use natural resources, human resources, and capital resources in the production of goods and services.
3.9 The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the idea of opportunity cost (what is
given up when making a choice).
CE.11a The student will demonstrate knowledge of how economic decisions are made in the marketplace by applying the
concepts of scarcity, resources, choice, opportunity cost, price, incentives, supply and demand, production, and
consumption.
Procedure:
1. Prepare the activity sheet and collect writing tools before class.
2. Read The Lorax to the class, if the students are not familiar with the story. This takes 7-10 minutes.
3. Display the visual and read and discuss the economic concepts with the students. The visual should remain on
display for student reference.
4. Distribute the activity sheet and writing tools. Students may work independently or in groups. [If possible,
provide multiple copies of The Lorax for students’ reference.]
5. Allow student time to complete the activity sheet
6. Check for Understanding. 1. What product did the Once-ler develop? The Thneed 2. What were this product’s
uses? It could be used as a shirt, sock, glove, hat, carpet, pillow, sheet, curtain, or bicycle seat 3. What natural
resources were used to create this product? Truffula Tuft 4.Who were the “human” resources that worked in
the factory? The Once-ler’s family came to work in his factory 5. What are some examples of capital resources
used to make the product? Axe, knitting needles, factory, wagons, and super-axe-hacker. 6. What was the
reason the Once-ler wanted to produce Thneeds? To make a profit. 7. What was the opportunity cost of the
Once-ler’s decision to cut down the Truffula Trees and set up a factory? Smog-smuggered stars, a bad-
smelling sky, an ugly environment—pollution.
7. Encourage student discussion and debate concerning the “What do you think?” portion of the activity sheet.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Visual-
Economic Concepts
These definitions will help you answer the questions on the activity sheet.
Capital Resources – Manmade resources such tools, buildings, and vehicles used in production.
Consumer – a person who uses a product or service.
Entrepreneur – a person who comes up with an idea for a better service or product, or a better way to produce one. The entrepreneur organizes the natural, human, and capital resources needed to produce that good or service.
Goods – tangible things such as food, shoes, cars and houses.
Human Resources – the quantity and quality of human effort directed toward producing goods and services.
Natural Resources – gifts of nature that are present without human intervention.
Opportunity Cost – the next best alternative (choice) that is given up when making a decision
Producer – one who makes a good or supplies a service
Profit - the reward to the successful entrepreneur for the risk he/she has taken in producing a good or service.
Services – intangible things such as medical care, manicures, and education.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Activity-
The Once-ler Sets Up Shop
Use the content (both text and pictures) in The Lorax to answer the following questions.
1. What product did the Once-ler develop? ______________________________________
2. What were this product’s uses? ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3. What natural resources were used to create this product? ________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Who were the “human” resources that worked in the factory? ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. What are some examples of capital resources used to make the product? _____________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
6. What was the reason the Once-ler wanted to produce Thneeds?
________________________________
7. What was the opportunity cost of the Once-ler’s decision to cut down the Truffula Trees and set up a
factory? ______________________________________________________________________
Ecology Connection: What do you think? The Once-ler discovered that in the creation of a product required
the use of natural resources. What happened once the truffula trees were all gone? How could this
environmental disaster have been prevented? Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Entrepreneurship and Productive Resources Web
Introduction: Greg Heffley, the Wimpy Kid, wants to make lots of money by being his own boss. He does not seem to
understand that an entrepreneur needs to organize and utilize productive resources efficiently to make a profit.
Time Required: 25-30 minutes.
Materials:
Visual 1 – Productive Resources Poster
Visual 2- Productive Resources Web
Activity Sheet – Productive Resources Web
Writing tools
Optional- Copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
Objectives:
The student will explain how entrepreneurs use productive resources to produce goods and services.
The student will use graphs and tables to communicate information.
Procedure:
1. Collect and prepare materials prior to class. 2. Introduce the lesson by asking the students if they have ever heard of the word entrepreneur. Define
entrepreneur as a person who combines productive resources to produce goods and services that they expect to sell for a profit. Profit is the difference between revenues and the costs entailed in producing or selling a good or service. Profit is the reward to a successful entrepreneur.
3. Share with the students that Greg Heffley, the main character in the book Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, wanted to be an entrepreneur and start his own lawn mowing business. However, he did not understand that he needed the necessary tools and skills to be successful.
4. Display Visual 1 Productive Resources Poster. Explain that the poster was designed by Greg. While he is a good poster designer, he does not know how to mow grass or even own a lawn mower. (Note: this poster is found on page 52 of the book.)
5. Review the definitions on over the poster pointing to the examples to reinforce learning. 6. Display Visual 2 - Productive Resources Web. Tell the students to pretend that Greg was in the class and was
learning how to be an entrepreneur. He now wants to start a new business. If he were to fill in a Productive Resources Web this is what it might look like.
7. Review the contents of the visual. 8. Distribute the Productive Resources Activity Sheet. Tell the students that they are to pretend that they are
entrepreneurs wishing to provide a good or a service so that they can make a profit. (Possible goods and
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
services could include a lemonade stand, yard care service, pet sitting, greeting card production, a delivery service, jewelry making, and tutoring.) They are to come up with a good or service, provide a catchy product name, and fill in the web graphic with correct examples of human, capital and productive resources.
9. Encourage students to share their completed work with the class.
Visual 1-
Productive Resources Poster
Capital Resources are manmade resources such tools, buildings, and vehicles used in production. The lawn mower is a capital resource.
Natural Resources are gifts of nature. The bag of grass clippings that can be turned into compost is an example of a natural resource.
Human Resources are people who work. Greg and Rawley would be examples of human resources IF they had any skills.
Goods are tangible things such as food, clothes, and cars. The boys’ boots are examples of goods.
Services are physically intangible things such as medical care, haircuts, and education. Mowing lawns is an example of a service.
Entrepreneurs are people who organize, operate, and assume the risk for a business venture. Greg and Rawley would like to be entrepreneurs, but do not know how.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
~Productive Resources Web~
Business: Greg’s Great Cookies Human Resource:
Entrepreneur: Greg Heffley
Good/Service: Baker
Product
Capital Resources:
Greg’s Great Cookies
Measuring Cups
Natural Resources:
Eggs
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Activity Sheet-
~Productive Resources Web~
Business: Human Resource:
Entrepreneur:
Good/Service:
Product
Capital Resources:
Natural Resources:
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
War Horse Economic Concepts Round Table
Story Synopsis: Told in the voice of the courageous horse, Joey, War Horse (Scholastic, 1982), is a tale of survival. The story begins when Joey is a young colt, loved and cared for by Albert, a hardworking English farm boy. When World War I begins, Albert's father sells Joey to a captain in the cavalry. Through the course of the war Joey is trained to charge the enemy, forced to drag heavy artillery for the German Army, and used as an ambulance horse to carry wounded soldiers off of battlefields. Through the eyes of an innocent animal the reader learns the horrors of war and power of love. Note: Successful completion of this lesson is not dependent on having read the series.
Time Required: 20-30 minutes.
Materials:
Prepared Economic Concepts Round Table cards. (Ideally copied on card stock and laminated.)
Copy of Economic Concepts Round Table Answer Grid for teacher use.
Optional: Multiple copies of the book War Horse for students to read Virginia Standards of Learning- Social Studies CE.11a The student will demonstrate knowledge of how economic decisions are made in the marketplace by applying the
concepts of scarcity, resources, choice, opportunity cost, price, incentives, supply and demand, production, and consumption.
Virginia Standards of Learning- Economics/Personal Finance EPF.1a The student will demonstrate knowledge of basic economic concepts and structures by describing how consumers,
businesses, and government decision makers face scarcity of resources and must make trade-offs and incur opportunity costs.
EPF.1d The student will demonstrate knowledge of basic economic concepts and structures by identifying factors of production.
Economic Concepts:
Auction- a public sale in which goods or property is sold to the highest bidder.
Benefit- the extra satisfaction received as the result of a decision.
Capital Resources – things used in the production of other goods. Examples include buildings, equipment, vehicles, and tools
Debt- money owed to someone else.
Human Resources – the quality and quantity of human effort directed toward producing goods and services
Incentive- an expected reward that motivates a person to take an action.
Money – any generally accepted medium of exchange.
Opportunity Cost -– the next best alternative that is given up when a choice is made.
Scarcity-– the condition of limited resources. Because resources are limited, people must make choices.
Specialization- to concentrate on producing a particular good or service
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Procedure:
1. Prepare Economic Concepts Round Table cards prior to class. Each card should have a question and an answer. Cards are created using the connecting strips. The answer for the question should not be on the same card. For example the first card should have the question: “Joey, an English farm horse was sold away from his master Albert in 1914. What was happening in Europe during that period in history?” on one side and the answer to another card’s question, “An auction is a public sale in which goods or property is sold to the highest bidder.” on the other side. Note: It is helpful if the question and answer side of the cards are different colors.
2. Say to the students “Today we will be doing an activity based on some of the economic concepts found in the book War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. You do not have to read the book to participate, but you do need to be a good listener because this lesson focuses on the historic events and economic concepts that take place in the story.”
3. Distribute the prepared cards to the students. Students may work independently or in pairs. 4. Instruct the student with the card labeled “1st Question Asked” to read this card to the class. (Keep a copy of the answer
grid at hand to help with the progression of the activity.) The student reads, “Joey, an English farm horse was sold away from his master Albert in 1914. What was happening in Europe during that period in history?” The student holding the card with the statement “World War I started in 1914. England joined the war when Germany invaded Belgium.” answers the question. Then the answering student asks the question written on the other side of the card. This continues until the student who asked the first question answers the last one.
5. Conclude the lesson by asking the students why they think horses were so important to the soldiers fighting in World War I. Encourage the students to discuss the fact that modern transportation was in its early stages of development. (Examples: Wilbur and Orville Wright’s first airplane flight was in 1903 and the first year for the Model T Ford was 1908) Therefore, in 1914 horses were a practical and proven means of labor and transportation.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Economic Concepts Round Table
Front of Card Back of Card
1st Question Asked: Joey, an English farm horse was sold away from his master Albert in 1914. What was happening in Europe during that period in history? Front of Card Back of Card
Answer: An auction is a public sale in which goods or property is sold to the highest bidder.
Question: Albert’s father sold Joey in order to pay a debt. What is a debt?
Answer: World War I started in 1914. England joined the war when Germany invaded Belgium.
Question: Albert’s father was a farmer. He needed plows, shovels, and rakes to plant the fields and harvest the grain. What kind of resources are these tools?
Answer: Debt is money owed to someone else.
Question: Captain Nichols bought Joey from Albert’s father for 40 pounds. In this case what is a pound?
Answer: Plows, shovels, and rakes are capital resources; tools used in the production of other goods.
Question: Both the English and German armies needed young men to help fight in the trenches. What kind of resources where these soldiers?
Answer: A pound is a unit of money used in England. Money is anything generally accepted as a medium of exchange.
Question: What was Albert’s incentive for joining the British army?
Answer: Soldiers would be considered human resources as they provided the mental and physical effort needed to help fight for their county’s causes.
Question: What was Albert’s opportunity cost for joining the British army so that he could have the chance to look for Joey?
Answer: Albert’s incentive, the action that determined the choice he made, was his desire to find his beloved horse, Joey.
Question: Joey’s life was saved by soldiers who had training in veterinary science. They were experts in the care of animals. Veterinarians are examples of what economic concept?
Answer: Albert’s opportunity cost, the next best alternative that is given up, was having time to spend with Maisie Brown, a young milkmaid he liked.
Question: Towards the end of the war, Joey was considered a very valuable resource. Why was this?
Answer: A veterinarian’s skill and training is an example of specialization which is the production of a narrow range of goods and services that other people consume.
Question: When the war was over, Albert was able to purchase Joey at an auction. What is an auction?
Answer: Many horses were killed over the course of World War I. Due to this fact, there was a scarcity of horses; so the few that remained were considered very valuable.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
Answer Grid
1st Question Asked: Joey, an English farm horse was sold away from his master Albert in 1914. What is happening in Europe during that period in history? Front of Card Back of Card
Answer: World War I started in 1914. England joined the war when Germany invaded Belgium.
Question: Albert’s father sold Joey in order to pay a debt. What is a debt?
Answer: Debt is money owed to someone else.
Question: Albert’s father was a famer. He needed plows, shovels, and rakes to plant the fields and harvest the grain. What kind of resources are these tools?
Answer: Plows, shovels, and rakes are capital resources; tools used in the production of other goods.
Question: Captain Nichols bought Joey from Albert’s father for 40 pounds. In this case what is a pound?
Answer: A pound is a unit of money used in England. Money is anything generally accepted as a medium of exchange.
Question: Both the English and German armies needed young men to help fight in the trenches. What kind of resources where these soldiers?
Answer: Soldiers would be considered human resources as they provided the mental and physical effort needed to help fight for their county’s causes.
Question: What was Albert’s incentive for joining the British army?
Answer: Albert’s incentive, the action that determined the choice he made, was his desire to find his beloved horse, Joey.
Question: What was Albert’s opportunity cost for joining the British army so that he could have the chance to look for Joey?
Answer: Albert’s opportunity cost, the next best alternative that is given up, was having time to spend with Maisie Brown, a young milkmaid he liked.
Question: Joey’s life was saved by soldiers who had training in veterinary science. They were experts in the care of animals. Veterinarians are examples of what economic term?
Answer: A veterinarian’s skill and training is an example of specialization which is the production of a narrow range of goods and services that other people consume.
Question: Towards the end of the war, Joey was considered a very valuable resource. Why was this?
Answer: Many horses were killed over the course of World War I. Due to this fact, there was a scarcity of horses; so the few that remained were considered very valuable.
Question: When the war was over, Albert was able to purchase Joey at an auction. What is an auction?
Answer: An auction is a public sale in which goods or property is sold to the highest bidder.
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
LibrarySparks Online Library Lessons
Movie Connections
Bridge to Terabithia – January, 2007 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2007/lsp_jan07_lessons.pdf
The City of Ember- November, 2005 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2005/lsp_nov05_keepembiblio.pdf http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2005/lsp_nov05_keepemcity.pdf The Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)- December, 2005 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2005/lsp_dec05_lesson.pdf Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs- April, 2010 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2010/lsp_apr10_ll_cloudy_meat.pdf Diary of a Wimpy Kid - January, 2012 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2011/lsp_jan12_ll_repros.pdf Eragon-November, 2006 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2006/lsp_nov06_lesson_eragon.pdf Diary of a Wimpy Kid - January, 2012 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2011/lsp_jan12_ll_repros.pdf The Golden Compass- January, 2008 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2008/lsp_jan08_ll_golden_compass.pdf Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – October, 2007 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2007/lsp_oct07_ll_hp7.pdf Harry Potter a Half-Blood Prince – July, 2005 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2005/lsp_aug05_lessons.pdf Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Aug/Sept, 2007 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2007/lsp_aug07_hp_order_of_phoenix.pdf
Hoot-April, 2006 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2006/lsp_apr06_lesson.pdf
From the Big Screen to the Classroom: Connections to Economics, Entrepreneurship, and Ecology
Lynne Farrell Stover
(Hoot, Flush, Scat) Hiaasen’s Heroes -March, 2010 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2010/lsp_mar2010_ll_repros.pdf How to Eat Fried Worms- July, 2006 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2006/lsp_jul06_lessons.pdf Inkheart April, 2008 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2008/lsp_april08__ll_inkheart.pdf The Invention of Hugo Cabret November, 2008 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2008/lsp_nov08_LL_hugo_cabret.pdf Nancy Drew- May/June, 2007 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2007/lsp_may07_nancy_drew.pdf Percy Jackson and the Olympians- December, 2010 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2010/lsp_dec10_ll_repros.pdf A Series of Unfortunate Events -The Bad Beginning- December, 2004 http://64.73.68.91/pdf/LibrarySparks/2004/lsp_dec_lesson.pdf A Series of Unfortunate Events -The Penultimate Peril -March, 2006 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/LibrarySparks/2006/lsp_mar06_lesson.pdf The Spiderwick Chronicles- February 2008 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2008/lsp_feb08_spiderwick_library_lessons.pdf
The Tale of Despereaux –December, 2008 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2008/lsp_dec08_LL.pdf Where the Wild Things Are- October, 2009 http://www.highsmith.com/pdf/librarysparks/2009/lsp_oct09_ll.pdf
