Global Markets Snapshot

Overview

Today students use hands-on and worksheet-based tasks to explain how markets operate in an international context. They will connect trade, investment, exchange rates and balance of payments to real-world business outcomes and communicate their conclusions clearly.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• explain the role and operation of markets in Australia and the global economy
• describe how international trade and investment link to business decisions
• interpret simple cause-and-effect relationships involving exchange rates and the balance of payments
• communicate economic ideas using an appropriate format and audience

Success criteria

Students can:

• explain at least two ways global markets affect business operations (e.g. sourcing, pricing, demand)
• link a change in exchange rates to likely effects on exports, imports and business costs/revenue
• correctly identify whether a scenario is mainly trade, investment, exchange rates or balance of payments
• present a clear “claim–evidence–explanation” in their worksheet/business brief

Curriculum links

• ECO-11-03: Students explain the role and operation of markets in the Australian and global economy
• ECO-11-10: Students communicate economic ideas and information in a range of forms appropriate to purpose and audience
• ECO-11-02: Students explain the economic role of individuals, businesses, institutions and government (applied through trade/investment impacts)
• International sector focus: international trade, international investment, exchange rates, balance of payments

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (real-world prompt). Teacher writes: “A $A falls—should an Aussie company import more, export more, or both?” Students do a quick silent write: “My prediction + reason (one sentence).”
2. 5–12 min · Mini-direct teach (markets link). Teacher explains how international markets connect trade, investment and exchange rates, and how this shows up in the balance of payments; students take 4–5 dot-point notes on a class template titled “Market causes → business effects.”
3. 12–25 min · Hands-on “Market Card Sort” (groups). Teacher gives each group a set of scenario cards and category cards (Trade, Investment, Exchange rates, Balance of payments). Students sort and justify placement using one sentence per card that includes the key mechanism (e.g. “exchange rate affects costs/prices”).
4. 25–35 min · Worksheet 1: “Scenario → Business Impact”. Teacher models the first example: students complete a worksheet where each scenario requires:

• identify the market driver (trade/investment/exchange rates/BOP)
• state one business consequence (operations/marketing/HR/finance)
• choose a likely response (e.g. change supplier mix, adjust pricing, hedge, hire differently) Students work in pairs, using sentence starters provided on the worksheet.

5. 35–44 min · Organising resources: “Business Department Planning Sheet”. Teacher provides a one-page planner with sections for Operations, Marketing, HR, and Finance. Students select two worksheet scenarios and fill the planner with:

• one action for each department
• one reason tied to the market mechanism
• one risk if the action is wrong or delayed Teacher circulates, checking links are explicit and accurate.

6. 44–49 min · Quick share and teacher feedback. Teacher calls on 3 groups to present one “best link” from their planner. Students listen for whether the chain is complete: market driver → economic mechanism → business impact.
7. 49–50 min · Exit ticket. Teacher collects a short exit ticket: Students write a 3-sentence response: “In global markets, when X happens, businesses must Y because Z.”

Resources

• Scenario cards (8–12) covering trade, investment, exchange rates, and balance of payments
• Category cards (Trade, Investment, Exchange rates, Balance of payments)
• Worksheet 1: “Scenario → Business Impact” with prompts and sentence starters
• One-page planner: “Department actions” (Operations, Marketing, HR, Finance)
• Highlighters or sticky notes for sorting and selecting actions
• Timer for group tasks
• Exit ticket slips or LMS-ready paper templates
• Teacher example sheet for modelling

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during card sorting (accuracy of categorisation and reasoning)
• Formative: worksheet completion (correct mapping of scenario → market driver → business consequence)
• Formative: planner quality using a brief checklist (explicit mechanism, department link, risk noted)
• Exit ticket: checks ability to communicate cause-and-effect using claim–evidence–explanation style

Differentiation

• Support for students needing scaffolding:
• Provide sentence starters for the worksheet (“This scenario is mainly about… because…”, “A likely business impact is…”)
• Offer a worked example card pair before group sorting
• Use colour-coding on planners (Operations/Marketing/HR/Finance)
• Extension for fast finishers:
• Add a “policy/business response” line: one role of government or an institution in responding to the issue
• Require an additional risk/contingency strategy tied to the same scenario
• EAL considerations:
• Allow oral rehearsal with a partner before writing the exit ticket
• Keep instructions in short steps and provide a word bank (export, import, cost, demand, investment, exchange rate, balance of payments)
• SEN support:
• Reduce copying by using pre-printed templates
• Offer an “identify only” option for one scenario (categorise + one impact) if needed, while still completing the exit ticket