
Trade-offs was an AIT program designed to improve economics instruction in the United States and Canadian schools. The series of fifteen lessons, for children from 9-13, helped students think their way through economic problems and increased their understanding of economics. On a broader scale, it helped them become more effective decision makers and ultimately more responsible citizens. Each lesson consists of a 20-minute color television/film program plus teacher's guide material to facilitate classroom follow-up. Each program begins with a short segment that identifies key points that students and teachers should watch for. This is followed by the dramatization of a fundamental economic problem relevant to the daily life of the student. Special visuals emphasize the economic principles and reasoning processes involved. The last portion of the program introduces, but does not resolve, another problem, and ends by posing a question to the viewers.
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Air Date: 1978-09-05
Kids at a local tennis club face a series of everyday decisions that reveal the meaning of opportunity cost. Whether ...
Air Date: 1978-09-12
Malcolm is thrilled to win “Paper Carrier of the Month,” but his $15 gift certificate quickly leads to a tough decisi...
Air Date: 1978-09-19
When a school discovers it doesn’t have enough bike‑rack spaces for all the students who ride to class, one group mus...
Air Date: 1978-09-26
Two brothers discover that not every decision has to be all‑or‑nothing as they negotiate how to use a limited supply ...
Air Date: 1978-10-03
When a family‑run restaurant faces rising costs and long work hours, the owner’s son steps in with new ideas to boost...
Air Date: 1978-10-10
When three friends team up to wash their fathers’ taxis, they discover that dividing the work into specialized tasks ...
Air Date: 1978-10-17
Bobby dreams of buying his first car, but his slow lawn‑mowing business forces him to confront a tough choice: keep s...
Air Date: 1978-10-24
Judy and Andrea weigh the costs and benefits of taking an eight‑week training course that could qualify them for high...
Air Date: 1978-10-31
In this episode, the series explores why money exists and how it helps people make everyday choices. Through simple e...
Air Date: 1978-11-07
Sharon and her friends attempt to raise money for a school trip by selling danishes door‑to‑door, discovering firstha...
Air Date: 1978-11-14
Kathy discovers the real costs behind making handmade serving trays and must decide whether selling them is worth her...
Air Date: 1978-11-21
A sporting‑goods store’s overstocked bats and a pool’s overpriced drinks show how markets react when prices are too h...
Air Date: 1978-11-28
When a young musician becomes a sudden sensation, rising demand for his records sets off surprising ripple effects ac...
Air Date: 1978-12-05
A neighborhood conflict erupts when Jerry’s rock band lands a steady gig and must practice at home, disrupting his si...
Air Date: 1978-12-12
When a young girl is bitten by a stray dog, the town scrambles to determine whether the animal was vaccinated for rab...