Market Minds Project Guide Economics Honors & General
MARKET MINDS PROJECT GUIDE
Name: ___________________________
Period: _______ Due Date: ____________
Project Mission
Economic theories don't emerge in a vacuum—they are forged by bold thinkers reacting to depressions, revolutions, social inequalities, and global shifts. Your task is to investigate one influential economist, uncover their personal journey, break down their core economic breakthrough, unearth surprising trivia, and deliver an engaging, visually polished slide presentation.
Required Slide Deck Architecture (6–8 Slides)
1 Title & Executive Hook Intro
Economist's full name, lifespans, famous portrait, dynamic subtitle (e.g., "The Architect of Free Markets" ), and your name/class.
2 Biographical Roots & Era History
Birthplace, education, historical era, and major global events (e.g., World War I, Industrial Revolution) that shaped their worldview.
3 The Big Economic Breakthrough Core Theory
Explain their primary theory, major published book/paper, and the economic school of thought they founded or revolutionized.
4 Real-World Impact & Relevance Application
How did governments or markets implement their ideas? Where do we still see their economic principles functioning today?
5 The "Cool Factor" & Quirky Trivia Surprise
At least 2–3 surprising personal quirks, eccentric habits, hidden talents, controversies, or remarkable non-economics achievements.
6 Visual Gallery & Memorable Quote Media
A famous verbatim quote with context, historical photographs, artifacts, book covers, or infographic diagrams illustrating their model.
Golden Rules of Presentation Design
1. The 6x6 Text Rule: No more than 6 bullet points per slide, max 6 words per bullet. Never paste paragraphs.
2. High-Res Visuals: Every slide must include at least one clear, high-quality image with a small caption source.
3. 3–4 Min Pitch: Rehearse speaking naturally. You are teaching your peers, not reading off the screen!
Market Minds Project Guide • Page 1 of 2 Turn page for Milestone Tracker & Checklist
Planning & Quality Assurance
PROJECT ROADMAP & CHECKLIST
TOTAL SCORE: / 100 PTS
4-Phase Project Timeline
Phase 1
Claim & Inquire
Select economist from Roster & submit choice.
Due: ___________
Phase 2
Organizer Deep Dive
Complete the 2-page Research Organizer.
Due: ___________
Phase 3
Slide Build & Peer Review
Draft 6–8 slides; run peer feedback checklist.
Due: ___________
Phase 4
Showcase Pitch
Deliver 3–4 min presentation to class.
Due: ___________
Final Submission & Quality Checklist
Done Requirement & Quality Standard Category Biographical timeline clearly shows dates, birthplace, education, and era context. History
| Core economic theory is defined in plain student language with clear economic terms. | Theory |
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| At least 1 specific historical or modern policy example illustrates the theory in action. | Application |
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| Includes at least 2 verified, entertaining "Cool Factor" facts or unusual personal anecdotes. | Cool Factor |
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| High-resolution images on every slide (portraits, diagrams, artifacts, book covers). | Visuals |
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| Slide text uses bullet points (no dense walls of text; adheres to 6x6 rule). | Design |
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| Final slide contains at least 3 credible citations (academic books, journal articles, reputable archives). | Sources |
Pro-Tips for Presentation Day
Hook the Room: Start with the weirdest or most impactful fact about your economist before revealing their name.
Connect to Today: Tell your audience why this thinker’s ideas matter for inflation, taxes, tech, or their daily spending!
Market Minds Project Guide • Page 2 of 2 Economics Research Showcase
Economist Explorer Roster Curated Research Selection
ECONOMIST EXPLORER ROSTER
Student: _____________________
Period: _____ Draft Due: _________
Selection Rule: No duplicate economists per class period! Review the roster, choose your top 3 candidates, and submit your claim form.
Pioneering Women in Economics
Elinor Ostrom (1933–2012)
Nobel 2009
Governing the Commons & Resource Sharing
First woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics; proved local communities manage shared resources without government control.
Claudia Goldin (1946–Present)
Nobel 2023
Gender Wage Gap & Labor Market History
Uncovered 200+ years of women's labor data to explain why pay gaps persist due to career interruptions and parenthood.
Esther Duflo (1972–Present)
Nobel 2019
Randomized Trials to Alleviate Global Poverty
Youngest economics laureate ever; applies clinical trial methods to test anti-poverty policies in developing nations.
Joan Robinson (1903–1983)
Cambridge
Imperfect Competition & Monopsony
Key collaborator with Keynes; developed groundbreaking models of how real-world monopolies exploit market power.
Janet Yellen (1946–Present)
Fed / Treasury
Efficiency Wages & Macro Policy
First person in U.S. history to lead the Federal Reserve, Council of Economic Advisers, and U.S. Treasury Department.
Sadie Alexander (1898–1989)
Trailblazer
Full Employment & Racial Wage Equity
First African American woman in the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in economics (1921); pioneered full employment advocacy.
Minority, Global & Development Trailblazers
W. Arthur Lewis (1915–1991)
Nobel 1979
Dual-Sector Development Economics
First Black laureate in economics; modeled how rural labor transitions into industrial economies to fuel growth.
Amartya Sen (1933–Present)
Nobel 1998
Famine Theory & Human Capabilities
Proved famines result from inequality and distribution breakdowns rather than food shortages; co-created HDI.
Muhammad Yunus (1940–Present)
Nobel Peace '06
Microcredit & Social Business
Founded Grameen Bank; loaned micro-sums to impoverished entrepreneurs (predominantly women) with no collateral.
Thomas Sowell (1930–Present)
Hoover Inst.
Price Coordination & Knowledge Systems
Market Minds Research Organizer Guided Research Portfolio
MARKET MINDS RESEARCH ORGANIZER
Name: ___________________________
Period: _______ Date: _________
Target Economist:
Lifespan & Origin Country:
School of Economic Thought:
Section 1: Biographical Roots & Historical Era
1. Early Life, Education & Mentors:
2. Major Historical Events of Their Era:
3. How did the events/crises of their time motivate their economic curiosity?
Section 2: The Core Economic Breakthrough
Major Book / Published Article & Year:
Key Economic Term / Model Name:
Core Theory Summary (Explain their big idea simply, as if explaining to a 9th grader):
Key Concept / Term 1:
Key Concept / Term 2:
Key Concept / Term 3:
Market Minds Research Organizer • Page 1 of 2 Turn over for Applications, Quirky Trivia & Citations
Guided Research Portfolio
APPLICATIONS, TRIVIA & MEDIA
Section 3 – 5
Section 3: Real-World Policy & Impact Today
Historical Policy Implementation (How did leaders or businesses apply this?):
Modern Relevance (Where do we see this theory in current news, markets, or debates?):
Section 4: The "Cool Factor" & Quirky Trivia
Surprising Habit / Weird Hobby / Hidden Talent:
Intense Rivalry, Feud, or Controversy:
Famous Quote & What It Means:
Section 5: Media Assets & Source Bibliography (Min. 3 Sources)
Visual Asset 1 (Portrait / Diagram):
Visual Asset 2 (Book Cover / Artifact):
Source 1 (Author, Title, Publisher/Website, Year):
Source 2 (Author, Title, Publisher/Website, Year):
Source 3 (Author, Title, Publisher/Website, Year):
Market Minds Research Organizer • Page 2 of 2 Attach to slide deck outline for teacher checkpoint
Market Minds Scoring Rubric Assessment Standard
MARKET MINDS SCORING RUBRIC
Student: _________________________
Economist: ______________________
Criterion & Pts Exemplary (4) Proficient (3) Developing (2) Beginning (1) Biographical & Era Context / 20 Pts Rich narrative connecting life, education, and pivotal historical crises to their economic motivations. Clear timeline and historical context; minor details on personal motivations omitted. Basic facts listed with minimal historical context or life connections. Inaccurate dates, missing birthplace, or sparse biographical notes. Theory Mastery & Concepts / 25 Pts Core model accurately decoded in plain language; defines 3+ key terms; highlights intellectual rivalry. Accurate summary of main economic contribution; defines 2 key terms clearly. Superficial summary of theory; relies heavily on jargon without explanation. Misunderstands or misrepresents the primary economic theory. Real-World Impact & Legacy / 20 Pts Compelling case study of historical policy impact + clear modern connection to current markets/debates. Identifies concrete historical or modern policy influenced by the economist. Vague reference to policy impact without specific historical evidence. Fails to demonstrate how their ideas influenced real economies. The "Cool Factor" & Trivia / 15 Pts Uncovers 2–3 verified, fascinating quirks/anecdotes; includes contextualized memorable quote. Includes 2 interesting facts and a quote related to the thinker. Only 1 generic fact provided; quote lacks context or explanation. Trivia missing, trivial, or factually inaccurate. Slide Design, Media & Citations / 20 Pts Adheres to 6x6 rule; high-res images on every slide; 3+ credible citations; articulate oral pitch. Clean visual layout with images and bullet points; 2 credible sources; steady presentation. Text-heavy slides or low-res images; 1 citation; reads directly from slides. Cluttered slides, missing images, no citations, or disjointed presentation.
Score Breakdown
Biography: ____ / 20
Theory Mastery: ____ / 25
Application & Legacy: ____ / 20
Cool Factor Trivia: ____ / 15
Design & Citations: ____ / 20
FINAL SCORE: ____ / 100
Market Minds Kickoff Slides Economics Research Project
MARKET MINDS
The Thinkers, Rebels & Visionaries Who Shaped Our Global Economy
Student Slide Deck & Presentation Mission 6–8 Slides • 3–4 Min Pitch
The Purpose
Why Investigate Economists?
Ideas Drive Reality
Every tax rate, stimulus bill, and minimum wage law started as an economist's idea.
Forged by Crises
Thinkers responded to wars, depressions, famines, and industrial revolutions.
Real Human Stories
Behind the math are fierce debates, odd quirks, and fascinating personalities.
Your goal: Make your economist unforgettable to the class.
Content Requirements
The 4 Must-Have Pillars
Pillar 1
Biographical Roots & Era
Where were they born? What historical challenges shaped their economic outlook?
Pillar 2
The Big Theory (In Plain English)
Break down their major book or model so anyone in class instantly gets it.
Pillar 3
The "Cool Factor" & Trivia
2+ weird personal quirks, eccentric habits, bitter rivalries, or wild achievements.
Pillar 4
Real-World Impact & Pictures
High-res portraits, book covers, policy examples, and a famous quote.
Total Deck Length: 6 to 8 slides maximum.
Expanding Perspectives
Diverse Voices on the Roster
Pioneering Women
Elinor Ostrom & Claudia Goldin
Nobel winners uncovering gender wage dynamics and community-driven resource governance.
Global Development
Amartya Sen & W. Arthur Lewis
Pioneers of human capabilities, famine prevention, and developing nation labor systems.
Behavioral Revolution
Daniel Kahneman & Richard Thaler
Challenging rational models with psychology, cognitive bias, and choice architecture.
Check the Economist Explorer Roster to claim your topic before someone else does!
Visual Quality Standards
Presentation Design Golden Rules
The 6x6 Rule
Max 6 bullet points per slide; max 6 words per bullet. Never paste paragraphs.
Sharp Visuals & Captions
Use high-resolution portraits, political cartoons, and infographics. No blurry crops.
Talk, Don't Read
Slides are visual anchors for your audience; your voice tells the compelling story.
