The Frozen Price Game

Students are told that a hurricane has caused a major power outage, increasing the demand and decreasing the supply of ice. They then use two different methods to allocate ice: first-come, first-served and price. This game is a good way to demonstrate the advantages of price allocation. Click here to download rules and materials. Also see the Debate Topics page for a new debate over whether gasoline price-gougers should be punished.

Birka

In this engaging game, students assume the role of Vikings who have returned to the medieval outpost of Birka to trade loot from villages they’ve plundered. Playing cards represent the loot--spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. To play effectively, students must use marginal analysis to determine whether prospective trades will benefit them, probe constantly for mutually beneficial exchanges that remain to be exploited, and bid more for cards that are relatively scarce. Click here to download rules and a scoring sheet.

What's Wrong with this Picture?

This is a series of doctored photos depicting scenes we'll never see in the real world. Ask your students to explain why. The photos can be used to introduce new concepts or to review definitions. Concepts include: public goods, comparative advantage, opportunity cost, economies of scale, adverse possession, moral hazard, elasticity, marginal utility, and externalities. Click here to download the photos.

What's Wrong with this Video?

Watch commercials with your students and critique them. Click here to see them.