Globalization & Tariffs Reader's Theater Script | ECON 101.5 Series

This readers’ theater script, Globalization’s Winners and Losers and Tariffs, includes 12 engaging scenes in a modern high school classroom. Students debate trade’s impact with teachers Mr. Carter and Ms. Lopez, joined by time-traveling economists Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Sowell. From job losses to cheap iPhones, it tackles globalization’s messy stakes. With 10 speaking roles—teachers, students, and historical figures—it’s built for grades 9-12, offering flexible casting for any class size.

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What's included?

(a single PDF with links to Google Docs/Slides, if print format is preferred you can download from your Google Drive to word/pdf/ppt/etc)

1) Teacher's Guide & Answer Key

• Standards Alignment (CCSS Grades 9~12, CCRA)
• Teacher Tips
• Answer Keys for all worksheet sections
• Themes & Discussion Question Prompts
• Format: Google Doc (7 pages)

2) Readers Theater Script

• ~10 Characters, 2600 words,
• Format: Google Doc (7 pages)

3) Script Worksheet

• 10 Vocabulary Words
• 10 Short-Answer Questions
• 5 Economic Concept Research & Extension Questions
• Format: Google Slides (22 Slides)

Teaching Tips for Using the Script:

• For More Students: Main character can be read by multiple students.
• For Less Students: Minor characters can be read by just one student.
• This script should take about 50 minutes
• Depending on your classroom's level it may be suitable for other grade levels.

Script Summary:

• Scene 1: Mr. Carter sparks a classroom debate on globalization’s benefits, but Mia and Jay question job losses, highlighting trade’s uneven effects.
• Scene 2: Ms. Lopez challenges trade’s rosy image, telling Liam it lifts some nations while sinking others, exposing hidden costs.
• Scene 3: Jay defends cheap iPhones in a debate, but Mia fights for lost jobs, showing trade’s consumer gains versus local pain.
• Scene 4: Adam Smith arrives from 1776, arguing free trade drives prosperity, clashing with Mia’s small-town worries.
• Scene 5: Mia paints a grim picture of her town’s lost factory, and Ms. Lopez hints tariffs aren’t simple fixes, revealing trade’s human toll.
• Scene 6: Friedrich Hayek from 1944 warns tariffs waste resources, but Mia pushes back, digging into market efficiency versus real loss.
• Scene 7: Sara pitches tariffs to save jobs in a heated debate, while Jay fears higher prices, balancing protection against cost.
• Scene 8: Alexander Hamilton from 1791 defends tariffs as nation-builders, sparking hope in Sara and Mia amid modern doubts.
• Scene 9: Ms. Lopez shows Liam trade’s global lift, but Mia sees unfairness, weighing worldwide growth against local decline.
• Scene 10: Thomas Sowell from the late 20th century calls trade a game of trade-offs, leaving Mia unsettled by systemic costs.
• Scene 11: Students vote on trade versus tariffs, splitting between Mia’s protectionism and Jay’s free-market stance, testing personal stakes.
• Scene 12: Teachers tie trade to today’s world, urging Mia and Liam to see beyond wins and losses, framing economics as understanding.