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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Economics

Lays the foundation for understanding how the economy works by exploring scarcity, opportunity cost, incentives, and the value of wise decision-making. Highlights the role of self-interest, utility, and long-run growth in shaping economic choices—from individuals to entire nations. 

• Lesson 1: Why Economics Matters
• Lesson 2: Unlimited Wants, Scarce Resources
• Lesson 3: Decision-Making and Choice
• Lesson 4: Efficiency
• Lesson 5: Incentives

Chapter 2: Economic Systems

Explores how societies answer the basic economic questions through different systems—market, command, mixed, and traditional. Highlights the role of property rights, government involvement, and competition in shaping economic freedom and how goods and services are distributed. 

• Lesson 1: The Allocation of Resources
• Lesson 2: Market vs. Command Economies
• Lesson 3: Property Rights
• Lesson 4: The Free Enterprise System

Chapter 3: Supply and Demand

Unpacks the laws of supply and demand, showing how prices are set in the market and how shortages and surpluses are resolved. Connects prices to decision-making, coordination, and incentives—and explains how wages are determined in the labor market. 

• Lesson 1: Demand
• Lesson 2: Supply
• Lesson 3: Equilibrium
• Lesson 4: Prices
• Lesson 5: The Labor Market

Chapter 4: Trade 

Explores how specialization and comparative advantage make trade more efficient. Breaks down the benefits and challenges of globalization, and the role of tariffs, quotas, and exchange rates in shaping international trade. 

• Lesson 1: Comparative Advantage and Specialization
• Lesson 2: Efficiency of Trade
• Lesson 3: Globalization
• Lesson 4: Trade Barriers

Chapter 5: Navigating the Market

Explores how governments step in when markets don’t work perfectly—through public goods, subsidies, regulations, and price controls. Highlights how externalities and interest rates shape individual choices and long-term outcomes. 

• Lesson 1: Externalities, Subsidies, and Regulations
• Lesson 2: Public Goods and Services
• Lesson 3: Price Controls
• Lesson 4: Interest Rates

Chapter 6: Production in the Market

Breaks down the different types of businesses structures, how they compete, and what drives their decisions. Explains the role of entrepreneurs, the costs of production, and how firms grow by weighing risks and rewards. 

• Lesson 1: Market Structures
• Lesson 2: Factors of Production
• Lesson 3: Production on the Margin
• Lesson 4: Business Types
• Lesson 5: Entrepreneurship

Chapter 7: Economic Growth 

Spotlights what drives long-term growth and how economists measure it. Focuses on GDP, the circular flow model, employment trends, and what influences standard of living and national prosperity. 

• Lesson 1: Fundamentals of Economic Development
• Lesson 2: The Circular Flow Model
• Lesson 3: Measuring Growth 
• Lesson 4: Standard of Living
• Lesson 5: Employment Trends

Chapter 8: Money and Banking

Explores what money is, how banking works, and why inflation matters. Covers the history of currency, how the Federal Reserve manages the money supply, and how monetary policy influences interest rates and affects broader economic goals. 

• Lesson 1: The History of Money
• Lesson 2: The Banking System
• Lesson 3: Inflation
• Lesson 4: Monetary Policy

Chapter 9: Fiscal Policy

Breaks down how the government taxes, spends, and borrows to steer the economy. Explains the federal budget, the national debt, and how fiscal policy aims to control inflation, reduce unemployment, and support growth—while showing how political incentives shape these decisions. 

• Lesson 1: Government Spending
• Lesson 2: Taxes
• Lesson 3: Applying Fiscal Policy
• Lesson 4: Political Economy

Chapter 10: Macroeconomic Theory

Explores how economies grow, slow down, and recover—plus how unemployment, inflation, and government responses fit into the big picture. Unpacks the business cycle, short- versus long-run thinking, and competing economic philosophies. 

• Lesson 1: Business Cycle Theory
• Lesson 2: Unemployment
• Lesson 3: Policies and Progress
• Lesson 4: Schools of Economic Thought

Chapter 11: Personal Economics

Applies the key economic principles to personal finance by highlighting budgeting, saving, debt, housing, insurance, and investing. Spotlights how to take control of money with confidence and intentionality. 

• Lesson 1: Intentionality With Money
• Lesson 2: Debt and Credit
• Lesson 3: College and Career Planning
• Lesson 4: Housing and Insurance
• Lesson 5: Investing and Your Future

State and National Standards Correlations

The Foundations in Economics curriculum aligns with state and national standards for economics. Correlations for states not listed can be generated upon request.
 
National Standards
Alabama Standards
Arkansas Standards
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Texas Standards
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See How Our Economics Curriculum is Different Product Video Transcript
Runtime: approx. 3:24  |  Speaker: Eddie Cullen

[00:00] Eddie Cullen: Hey! I'm Eddie Cullen, host of Ramsey Education's Foundations in Economics. I'm here to give you a behind-the-scenes tour of the set we built specifically for the curriculum.

[00:11] Eddie Cullen: At Ramsey Education, we're passionate about students and educators just like you. We believe economics shouldn't be a mystery—so we want to partner with teachers to create a classroom where students light up and realize this really applies to me.

[00:27] Eddie Cullen: But let's be real: not every student walks into econ class pumped to learn about price elasticity. That's where our approach makes all the difference.

[00:37] Eddie Cullen: Foundations in Economics is built to make econ real and relatable for students. And yes, it's standards aligned, so you can be sure students are learning exactly what they need in this course. That means teachers can hit every benchmark while helping students think critically.

[00:55] Eddie Cullen: Alright—let's talk about one of the biggest hurdles in a high school classroom: keeping students engaged. Foundations in Economics tackles this head-on with interactive, hands-on learning. I'm talking real-world projects, classroom simulations, and games that encourage students to lean in and participate. Designed by former educators, these scenarios help prepare students for real life.

[01:17] Eddie Cullen: We get it. Planning periods often turn into grading papers, answering emails, and trying to eat more than just a granola bar. That's why Foundations in Economics is built with teachers' valuable time in mind.

[01:31] Eddie Cullen: This curriculum is packed with engaging videos, vibrant infographics, and interactive activities—all designed to help students connect with the material. That means no more scouring the internet for extra resources or piecing together lessons.

[01:44] Eddie Cullen: With our curriculum, everything teachers need is already included.

[01:48] Eddie Cullen: Check out these features that make it easy to use.

[01:52] Eddie Cullen: So, whether you're a new teacher or a classroom veteran, this curriculum saves you serious time—so yes, you can drink your coffee while it's still hot.

[02:02] Eddie Cullen: Now let's talk about making sure every student can succeed. Because let's face it—high school students aren't one-size-fits-all. Plus, that would be weird. That's why Foundations in Economics is designed to support many kinds of learners. The Teacher's Guide helps educators focus on how to teach the lesson material, rather than what to teach. It includes differentiated instruction with targeted support, extension, and language support. There's also lesson warm-ups, enrichment prompts, and discussion questions. It's all about helping teachers make the content meaningful for all students. We want to get them thinking, questioning, and really connecting with the material.

[02:41] Eddie Cullen: Now let's dive into one of the curriculum's most powerful tools: the video lessons. These aren't your typical lectures—they're dynamic, relatable, and grounded in real-world scenarios that matter to students.

[02:52] Eddie Cullen: We all know engagement is everything—so each video lesson is designed to help students grasp tough concepts in a, dare I say, fun way.

[03:02] Eddie Cullen: After all, if we want students to understand things like GDP, we need to show them how it connects—to things like movie tickets, sneakers, and why their favorite hoodie costs more this year. Take a look at some clips from our video content!

[03:18] Eddie Cullen: I might be biased, but I love that guy! Can we roll that again?