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Empire Expansion Budget Challenge

Grade 8History5 days

The 'Empire Expansion Budget Challenge' project immerses 8th-grade history students in a five-day experience where they act as economic advisors for historical empires, devising and managing financial strategies during periods of expansion. Through simulating budget creation, crisis management, and trade route optimization, students grapple with issues of trade, resource management, and economic policy, applying modern economic principles to evaluate historical scenarios. This project aims to enhance students' analytical skills, critical thinking, and financial literacy by engaging them in role-play scenarios that reflect real-world economic challenges faced by empires.

Economic AdvisoryHistorical EmpiresBudget ManagementTrade StrategiesResource AllocationEconomic Policies

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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can students act as economic advisors to a historical empire to strategize and manage financial resources effectively during an expansion period, considering trade, economic policies, resource management, and financial stability challenges?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.

What factors influenced the economic success of historical empires?
How did empires manage resources during expansion periods?
What role did trade play in the expansion of empires?
How might economic policies have affected the stability and growth of an empire?
What challenges did empires face in maintaining financial stability during expansion?
How can modern economic principles be applied to the study of historical empire economies?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:

Students will understand the concept and importance of creating and managing a budget in the context of historical empire expansions.
Students will be able to analyze and evaluate the economic factors that influenced the success or failure of historical empires.
Students will learn to identify and describe the roles of trade and resources management in empire expansions.
Students will explore how economic policies impact empire stability and growth.
Students will apply modern economic principles to historical scenarios to understand financial challenges faced by empires.
Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by acting as economic advisors to a historical empire.

State Standards

8.E1.5

Primary

Create a budget and examine the benefits of budgeting.Reason: The project involves managing finance for historical empire expansions, which requires creating and examining budgets, aligning perfectly with this standard.

Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7

Secondary

Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.Reason: Students will need to integrate various forms of information when analyzing trade, resources, and financial strategies of empires, aligning well with this standard.

Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1

Secondary

Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.Reason: Students will be required to articulate economic strategies and decisions in written format as part of their role as financial advisors, supporting this standard.

National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies

NCSS.D2.Eco.9.6-8

Supporting

Explain the roles of buyers and sellers in product, labor, and financial markets.Reason: Understanding trade and resource management during empire expansions involves examining market roles, which supports this standard.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Council of Treasurers

Kick off the project with a dramatic simulation where students are appointed as treasurers for historical empires. Each student receives a sealed envelope containing a crisis scenario, such as needing to fund an expedition or combat a neighboring threat, challenging them to devise a financial strategy accordingly.

Live Auction of Empire Assets

Host a mock auction where students bid on historical empire assets using a fictional budget, forcing them to strategize on purchases that align with their expansion goals. This interactive event drives home the importance of financial decision-making.

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Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.

Activity 1

Empire Budget Architect

Students dive into the role of a financial advisor by creating a comprehensive budget for a historical empire expansion. This introduces them to crucial budgeting concepts within historical contexts.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Research the chosen empire's historical context and recent expansion history.

2. Identify key areas that require financial allocation, such as military, trade, and infrastructure.

3. Consult historical data to inform your budgeting process.

4. Draft an initial budget based on your findings and historical data.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed, itemized budget plan for an empire expansion phase.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 8.E1.5 by focusing on creating and examining a budget. Supports CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 by integrating visual and textual information.

Activity 2

Crisis Scenario Solver

Simulating real-world financial crises, students are tasked with revising their budgets in response to unexpected challenges, enhancing their ability to adapt financial plans.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Receive a hypothetical crisis scenario, such as a failed trade deal.

2. Re-evaluate the initial budget to identify areas for financial reallocation.

3. Document the adjusted budget and the rationale behind the changes.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn amended budget plan, with written analysis of budgetary adjustments.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 8.E1.5 by examining budget benefits and challenges, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1 through written argumentation.

Activity 3

Trade Route Strategist

Students explore the pivotal role of trade routes, creating an optimized trade route plan that supports their empire's expansion.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Research historical trade routes relevant to your empire.

2. Use historical data to assess the efficiency and profitability of these routes.

3. Propose improvements or alterations to the existing trade routes.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA strategic trade route plan with potential economic impacts documented.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsSupports NCSS.D2.Eco.9.6-8 by explaining buyer and seller roles, and integrates CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 through visual-textual information.

Activity 4

Resource Manager's Handbook

Acting as empire resource managers, students analyze resources vital to expansion and strategize their effective management.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Identify key natural resources pertinent to your empire's expansion initiatives.

2. Examine historical management strategies and their effectiveness.

3. Devise modern management strategies informed by historical failures and successes.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed handbook outlining resource management strategies and their historical rationale.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLinks to 8.E1.5 by addressing budgeting and management effectiveness, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1 via written strategy documentation.

Activity 5

Economic Policy Analyst

Students research, critique, and propose economic policies, analyzing their impact on empire stability and expansion success.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Study historical economic policies and their impacts on empire stability.

2. Critique the effectiveness of these policies in achieving expansion goals.

3. Draft a new policy proposal addressing past policy shortcomings.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA policy proposal document with an analytical report on historical policy impacts.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCorresponds with 8.E1.5 in examining the benefits of careful financial planning, supporting decision-making, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1 for analytical writing.

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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Empire Expansion Finance Management Rubric

Category 1

Budget Planning and Management

Evaluation of students' ability to create and manage a comprehensive budget for an empire, considering historical context and financial demands.

Criterion 1

Budget Creation

Assess the ability to draft a detailed budget plan using historical data and context analysis.

Exemplary

4 Points

Drafts a highly detailed and realistic budget plan, seamlessly integrating historical data and insightful financial strategies.

Proficient

3 Points

Develops a clear and realistic budget plan using historical data, with effective financial strategies.

Developing

2 Points

Creates a basic budget plan with partial integration of historical data and inconsistent financial strategies.

Beginning

1 Points

Struggles to draft a coherent budget plan with limited historical data integration and minimal strategic insight.

Criterion 2

Financial Adaptability

Evaluate the ability to adjust budgets in response to financial crises by reallocating resources effectively.

Exemplary

4 Points

Adapts the budget innovatively and efficiently, with thorough rationale and strategic resource reallocation.

Proficient

3 Points

Adjusts the budget effectively, with clear rationale and appropriate resource reallocation.

Developing

2 Points

Revises the budget with some rationale but inconsistency in resource reallocation.

Beginning

1 Points

Struggles to adjust the budget, providing minimal rationale and poor resource reallocation.

Category 2

Trade and Resource Strategy

Assessment of students' ability to analyze and propose improvements to trade routes and resource management strategies for empire expansion.

Criterion 1

Trade Route Optimization

Ability to evaluate and optimize trade routes based on historical data, efficiency, and profitability.

Exemplary

4 Points

Proposes highly strategic and innovative trade route improvements, backed by comprehensive historical analysis.

Proficient

3 Points

Proposes effective trade route improvements with clear historical analysis.

Developing

2 Points

Suggests basic trade route changes with partial historical analysis.

Beginning

1 Points

Fails to propose coherent trade route improvements, showing little historical analysis.

Criterion 2

Resource Management Strategy

Evaluate the design of effective resource management strategies leveraging historical context and modern principles.

Exemplary

4 Points

Develops sophisticated resource management strategies, effectively blending historical insights and modern principles.

Proficient

3 Points

Designs effective resource management strategies with clear historical integration.

Developing

2 Points

Offers basic resource management strategies with partial historical consideration.

Beginning

1 Points

Shows limited ability to design resource management strategies, with insufficient historical reference.

Category 3

Economic Policy Analysis

Evaluation of students' ability to propose and critique economic policies influencing empire stability and success.

Criterion 1

Policy Evaluation and Proposal

Critique historical economic policies and propose new policies with thoughtful analysis.

Exemplary

4 Points

Provides insightful critique and proposes innovative, well-analyzed policies with historical and theoretical depth.

Proficient

3 Points

Gives a thorough critique and proposes well-reasoned policies with clear historical links.

Developing

2 Points

Offers some critique and basic policy proposals with limited historical grounding.

Beginning

1 Points

Struggles with policy critique and proposal, lacking historical and theoretical foundation.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning

Question 1

Reflect on how your understanding of budgeting and managing financial resources has evolved through the project. What aspects were most challenging for you, and how did you overcome them?

Text

Required

Question 2

To what extent do you feel confident in applying modern economic principles to historical scenarios after completing this project?

Scale

Required

Question 3

What new insights did you gain about the factors influencing the economic success of historical empires?

Text

Required

Question 4

How effectively did you collaborate with your peers during group activities, and what could you improve in future collaborations?

Text

Required

Question 5

Rate the level of difficulty you experienced when revising budgets during crisis scenarios.

Scale

Optional

Question 6

Select the area where you feel you made the most significant contribution within your group. Select all that apply.

Multiple choice

Optional

Options

Budgeting

Crisis Management

Trade Routes Analysis

Resource Management

Economic Policy Proposal