Lesson Plan: Larry Elder and the Importance of Private PropertyGrade Level: 9–12

Subject: Economics / Civics / Financial Literacy

Class Length: 90 minutes (can be adjusted to 45 minutes)

Lesson Title: Larry Elder: Private Property, Freedom, and the American Dream

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify Larry Elder’s views on private property, economic freedom, and limited government.
Explain how property rights affect wealth creation and opportunity in America.
Connect Elder’s philosophy to constitutional protections and free-market principles.
Evaluate real-world examples of how property rights affect entrepreneurship, social mobility, and inequality.

Florida Sunshine State Standards Alignment

SS.912.C.1.1 – Evaluate the impact of constitutional principles on the protection of individual rights.
SS.912.C.2.8 – Analyze issues related to rights and responsibilities in a democratic society.
SS.912.E.1.2 – Explain how economic systems influence production and distribution.
SS.912.E.2.2 – Describe the roles of property rights, competition, and profit in a market economy.
SS.912.FL.1.1 – Explain how personal financial decisions are influenced by incentives, economic institutions, and property rights.
SS.912.FL.4.2 – Evaluate the costs and benefits of choices regarding entrepreneurship, ownership, and wealth accumulation.

Lesson Outline

1. Hook (10 minutes)

Display a Larry Elder quote, such as:“Private property rights are the foundation of all our freedoms. Without them, nothing else survives.”
Ask: “Can a person truly be free if they don’t control their own property?”

2. Direct Instruction (20 minutes)

Teacher lecture/discussion:

Who Larry Elder is: lawyer, author, talk show host, political commentator, and advocate for free markets and individual responsibility.
Elder’s belief in limited government and strong property rights as essential for the American Dream.
How private property fosters entrepreneurship, reduces dependency on government, and creates opportunity for upward mobility.
Constitutional connections:
- 5th Amendment (just compensation, eminent domain).
- 14th Amendment (due process protections).

3. Guided Practice (20 minutes)

Scenario Analysis: Students compare two situations:
- Scenario A: An entrepreneur opens a food truck, owns the equipment, and builds wealth through property rights.
- Scenario B: A government-controlled system where individuals cannot own their equipment or property.
Small groups answer:
- What freedoms does Scenario A provide that B does not?
- How do property rights affect innovation and wealth?
- How might Larry Elder argue that private property encourages independence?

4. Independent Practice (20 minutes)

Students write a short essay (1–2 paragraphs):“According to Larry Elder, why are private property rights essential for freedom and prosperity? Provide one historical or modern example to support your answer.”

5. Class Discussion & Wrap-Up (15 minutes)

Groups share answers from the scenarios.
Teacher reinforces Elder’s central idea: property rights are the bedrock of freedom, opportunity, and economic mobility.
Connect to Walter Williams (previous lesson) for comparison.

Assessment

Formative: Participation in discussion, group scenario analysis.
Summative: Short essay reflection graded for clarity, evidence, and alignment with lesson objectives.

Materials Needed

Extension / Homework

Research Assignment: Find one real-world case where private property rights were violated (e.g., eminent domain dispute, excessive regulation). Write how Larry Elder might critique this situation.
Debate: “Government should regulate property for the common good vs. government should protect property as an absolute right.”

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