Asia with Pride

MSPP Outcomes:

Economics

• Explain how the exchange of goods and services connects Maryland with the world.

Geography

• Examine how people of the state and nation are linked by transportation and communication networks/

Mathematics

• Students will demonstrate their ability to solve problems in mathematics including problems with open-ended answers, problems which are solved in a cooperative atmosphere and problems which are solved with the use of technology.

Teacher background information

This lesson shows that international trade, imports and exports, has been the economic glue between Baltimore and the East for centuries. In 1816 Chasseur took goods from the Baltimore area and New England (she stopped in Boston on the way) to Canton, China, and returned with Chinese goods to sell in the United States. Since many students think of "trade" as the same as "barter," this lesson also introduces them to the process of currency exchange .

Materials needed:

If possible, print the student worksheets (Imports and Exports and Currency Conversion) and give to individual students, or one to each group.

Teaching tips and options for the lesson:

It would be best to begin the lesson as a whole class with a discussion of "imports" and "exports." Ask students if they can identify something in the classroom that was produced in another country and sold in the US? If no answers are forthcoming, ask a student to take off a shoe and look inside to see where it was produced. Most shoes today are made outside the US. A further look around the classroom could find items such as a television set, computer monitor or printer, or other items of clothing that were also produced outside the United States.

Once the concept of "import" is established, ask students if they think people in other countries would want to buy items produced in the United States. Have them speculate on what types of goods (and services) would be sold abroad. If any student has ever traveled outside the US, they could be asked if they ever saw US products for sale in another country. Tell students that goods and services produced in the US and sold abroad are called "exports."

Once these concepts have been established, go to the student lesson. The lesson may be completed by individual students, small groups of students, or by the class as a whole, depending upon computer access.

Answers to questions are given here:

1. Top 5 destinations for Maryland exports
   Canada is #1
   UK, #2
   Netherlands, #3
   Mexico, #4
   Japan, #5
   

   Also
   China #9
   Korea #13
   Taiwan #20
   

2. Currency Conversion worksheet - Answers will vary as currency exchange rates change from one day to the next. On August 25, 1998, the following was the answer:

   Country	Big Mac price in Local Currency	Big Mac Price in United States Dollars
   Canada	2.79 Canadian dollars	$1.80
   China	9.90 Yuan	$1.20
   Hong Kong	10.20 Hong Kong dollars	$1.32
   Japan	280 Yen	$1.94
   Russia	12,000 Rubles	***
   South Korea	2,600 Won	$1.99
   Taiwan	68.0 Taiwan dollars	$1.95

   *** Note - on this date the Russian ruble underwent wild fluctuations, so no reasonable conversion was possible.

Share Your Experience Using the Internet in the classroom is new for everyone. We invite you to tell us how you used this lesson and how your students responded to it. What techniques did you use? How do you organize your students? What did they like best? We will collect responses from everyone using Asia with PRIDE and share them with you as the voyage progresses. We're all in this great ship together! Send an e-mail to Pride, Inc.'s Director of Education at schools@pride2.org.