🎓 Lesson Plan: The U.S. Debt Legacy – How It’s Passed Down to Future Generations

📘 Subject:

Financial Literacy / Economics / Civics

🏫 Grade Level:

High School (Grades 10–12)

🎯 Lesson Objectives

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

1. Define national debt, debt ceiling, and budget deficit.

2. Differentiate between public and intragovernmental debt.

3. Explain how national debt affects future generations.

4. Analyze intergenerational equity and fiscal responsibility.

5. Evaluate policy options to reduce national debt responsibly.

6. Connect the debt burden to personal financial literacy concepts (e.g., interest, borrowing, taxes).

📚 Florida Sunshine State Standards

• SS.912.FL.1.1 – Analyze how decision-making relates to scarcity and opportunity costs.

• SS.912.FL.4.3 – Explain how interest rates affect the cost of using credit.

• SS.912.FL.5.5 – Identify ways government policies influence financial decisions and economic conditions.

• SS.912.FL.6.5 – Explain how inflation, taxation, and government borrowing affect purchasing power.

• SS.912.E.2.4 – Evaluate the role of government in a market economy.

• SS.912.C.3.13 – Evaluate the significance and impact of fiscal policy decisions.

🧰 Materials Needed

• Printed blog article or digital access: “The U.S. Debt Legacy”

• Whiteboard or Smartboard

• Student handout packet:

  • Debt Breakdown Chart (Public vs Intragovernmental)

  • Debt Consequences Analysis Chart

  • Policy Proposal Worksheet

• Access to internet/devices for optional research

• Video: U.S. National Debt Explained (optional)

• Exit Ticket slips

⏱ Lesson Duration:

90 minutes

🔄 Lesson Procedure

📍 Bellringer / Warm-Up (10 min)

Prompt on board:

“If you borrow $100,000 today but never pay it back, who should be responsible in the future?”

Have students journal their thoughts, then share ideas in a quick roundtable.

📖 Direct Instruction (20 min)

1. Introduce Concepts: National debt, debt ceiling, deficit vs debt.

2. Use whiteboard to diagram:

   • Debt held by the public vs intragovernmental

   • How interest on debt compounds

3. Read aloud key sections of the blog (students follow along).

4. Discuss how government borrowing is like personal debt.

🤔 Group Activity – "Generational Impact Lab" (30 min)

Instructions:

1. Divide class into groups of 4–5.

2. Each group gets:

   • A Debt Consequences Analysis Chart

   • A Policy Proposal Worksheet

3. Students analyze 3 of the 6 listed consequences of debt (e.g. higher taxes, less investment, etc.) and present:

   • How that consequence affects future citizens

   • Real-world example or analogy

   • Suggested policy fix

Challenge: Groups must use correct economic vocabulary.

🧠 Class Discussion / Socratic Seminar (15 min)

Key Questions:

• Is it fair to pass debt to future generations?

• Should there be a national debt cap enforced by the Constitution?

• How does this relate to your own financial planning and borrowing choices?

• What should Congress prioritize—spending cuts or revenue growth?

✅ Exit Ticket (5 min)

Answer one:

• "What is one thing I learned today that I didn’t know before?"

• "If I were in Congress, my first fiscal policy would be to ________ because ________."

📊 Assessment / Grading

Component	Points
Group Analysis Worksheet	30 pts
Policy Proposal Form	30 pts
Participation in Seminar	20 pts
Exit Ticket	10 pts
Vocabulary Accuracy	10 pts

🧩 Extension / Homework (Optional)

Assignment: Write a 250-word blog post titled:

“What I Owe the Future: My Generation’s Responsibility with Debt”

Encourage students to consider both personal and national debt perspectives.

📌 Vocabulary Words

• National Debt

• Debt Ceiling

• Budget Deficit

• Interest Payments

• Crowding Out

• Fiscal Policy

• Intergenerational Equity

• Entitlement Programs

• Inflation

• Debt-to-GDP Ratio

📎 Video Link: DEBT LIMIT - A GUIDE TO AMERICAN FEDERAL DEBT MADE EASY. 

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