The Vision Imagine this: Middle-school students in Dalton research the historical influence of textiles and carpet on their part of the state. Kids in Cairo write a case study of Rodenberry's. In Cleveland, they learn about local entrepreneur Xavier Roberts, father of the Cabbage Patch Kids. Finding innovative ways to answer economic questions about Georgia communities is the goal of a consortium brought together by the Georgia Council. Targeted to students in the state's required 8th grade Georgia Studies course, the program will help teachers encourage students to study their communities' local economic histories. What better way to learn economics and a respect for the history of one's own community? Marry economics with history and teach it through examples in children's own neighborhoods. The Georgia Trust's Heritage Education Program, for example, already helps teachers learn to work with local preservation and history organizations to create projects to integrate into the existing curricula. Students might, for example, brainstorm all the different professions,  from banker to developer to architect to carpenter, it took to build a local historic building. Or they might talk about how things would have been different if the railroad hadn't run through town. The Georgia Council kicked off the Georgia Economic History Project in early 2000 with workshops around the state for 8th-grade teachers. The scores of teaching ideas targeted to teachers of the 8th grade Georgia history course might also be adapted for other grade levels and subjects: producing economic history projects with original case studies of local companies, industries or entrepreneurs how to work with local resources and community groups working with old maps, photographs, documents and artifacts interviewing people in the community showcasing student projects in contests and publications

Why Local Economic History?           < top >

Economics is always the bottom line in history and standardized tests often emphasize economics more than teachers do. More than half of the 8th-grade Georgia Quality Core Curriculum objectives are in economic history. About 30 percent of 8th-grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills questions are on economic history. "But textbooks and teachers often focus on social and political history at the expense of time that could be spent on economics," said Glen Blankenship, GCEE program director.

Collaborating Partners           < top >

The Atlanta History Center Georgia Agriculture in the Classroom Council Georgia Council on Economic Education Georgia Council for the Social Studies Georgia Humanities Council Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Georgia Voyager

Financial Support for the Project          < top >

John and Mary Franklin Foundation Georgia Humanities Council Robert W. Woodruff Foundation Administered by the Georgia Council on Economic Education

Local Economic History Resources: Catalog           < top >

"Teaching Economics in Georgia Studies: A Resource Guide" Case studies on Georgia businesses such as Bobs Candies and Chick-fil-A Chronicle of the Century, the Atlanta Business Chronicle's salute to 100 years of Atlanta business. For information on resources or workshops, see the calendar or contact Glen Blankenship at (404) 413-7821 or gblankenship@gsu.edu.

Ask Dr. Blankenship           < top >

Have a question about teaching local economic history? Ask Dr. Glen Blankenship, the Georgia Council's Associate Director and Chief Program Officer.