Free Globalization and Tariffs Readers Theater Script for Grades 9-12 | Economics Activity

Teach globalization and tariffs with a free economics readers theater script for grades 9-12.

This high-school classroom activity turns trade, jobs, and competing economic viewpoints into a performance-based discussion with historical economists.

Get this RT Script in the complete Econ 101.5 series bundle & SAVE 50%

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.