1. Title – Six of One Half Dozen of Another
2. Topic – European History/Economics, The Euro
3. Objective – Students will demonstrate an understanding of the factors involved in determining the overall value of currency in today’s world economy. This lesson can be used as the culminating activity in a unit on the motivation for establishing the Euro as the currency for the European Union, and its growth and development.
4. Key Vocabulary – interest rates, employment outlook, economic growth, retail sales, central bank/government actions, manufacturing output
5. Grade Level – 11th – 12th grades

Step 1 – Anticipatory Set
1. Essential Question – List two factors you think would make one currency more valuable than another.
2. Objective – On the board create a list of student generated ideas on the factors that make a currency valuable.
3. Transfer from previous lesson – Review with students the information they have obtained on the Euro. Ask class, based on the list created on the board and their previous knowledge, to vote on whether or not the Euro is a valuable currency.
Step 2 – Instruction
1. Explain to class that they will be evaluating the value of the Euro in relation to the U.S. dollar. (lesson could also be used to compare the Euro with any other currency such as the yen, pound, etc.)
2. Students will use computers and internet to create a chart comparing the value of the Euro to the U.S. dollar.
3. Provide students with a copy of the chart they will create in the software of their choice, and a list of websites containing information and videos on the Euro and U.S. dollar. Allow students to use information from websites they may find on their own.
Step 3 – Guided Practice
1. Discuss each category on the chart to insure that students understand the nature of the information that will be used to fill in their charts
Step 4 – Review
1. When students complete their charts the teacher will go over the information on the different currencies with them. Students will explain to the teacher the strengths and weaknesses of each currency.
2. Students will provide oral explanation to the teacher, using at least three examples, of which currency they