Teachers are bombarded with questions from students about what is happening in the local and global economy. The current economic situation and financial crisis is difficult to understand. There are many conflicting arguments about what should be done. Questions surface in your class. Students want to know why a parent can’t find a job or why a company has gone out of business. Recently, we have seen the interest in understanding economics surge. On this page we will list or link to a variety of resources you may find useful. Keep checking back.

• Planet Money – National Public Radio podcasts on the current economic situation. Whatever happens in the recent financial news you’ll learn about in on Planet Money. The team, at Planet Money, takes very complex topics and makes them understandable by anyone. Use them in class or assign as homework. Students can even download the podcasts. Subscribe to the podcasts, blog, Twitter, or join their Facebook group. Great content delivery using the latest technologies. What a way to connect with your students!
• This American Life – National Public Radio – 375: Bad Bank - A great podcast which can be found on This American Life website which describes the current financial situation in very simplified terms.
• How Did We Get Here? In Spring 2009 Research Frontiers, a publication by the University of Arkansas, published a summary of the events that lead to the current situation. This is very helpful reading for you as a teacher or for your students.
• C3: Causes, Consequences, and Cures of the Current Economic and Financial Crisis – Faculty in the economics and finance department of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, in conjunction with the student – think tank, the Roosevelt Institute, present a panel discussion on the current economic/financial crisis.
• The financial Crisis: A Timeline of Events and Policy Actions – Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis – Great site for a detailed listing of financial occurrences since February 2007 including news reports of each major event.
• A Word on the Economy by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis – a 35 minute PowerPoint with narrative describing the history of the current financial crisis. Good resource for teachers.
• Economics Insights – published by the Colorado Council on Economic Education – The Genesis of a Crisis by Dale DeBoer, Ph.D. – A very good summary with a bit if history to help you understand what has happened.
• A Credit Crisis XPlanation on YouTube – 3.48 minutes.