Economics AR Program Tips & Tidbits
October 2025
It's that time of year when we think of football games, falling leaves, and fun holidays! We are excited to also add in ECON ED MONTH! While we believe every month should be celebrating economic connections, this is the official month we advocate for economic education across the nation for students in PreK-12th grade.
We hope you will join us for some of our professional development offerings. You may find them highlighted below by date. You may also view them by series on our website here.
We know that incentives matter, so here are a few for this month:
- Attend 5 or more professional development offerings in October, and you will be in a drawing for a $50 e-check.
- Invite a NEW friend to Economics Arkansas' offerings , and you will be in a drawing for a $50 e-check. One entry for each new friend!
- Post on social media about how you are celebrating economic education, and tag Economics Arkansas, and you will be in a drawing for a $50 e-check.
Thank you for ALL you do! We look forward to seeing you online or in-person this month.
Economics Arkansas
October 1, 4:00-5:00 pm
Embark on an expedition through Arkansas’s K–5 economics standards. Along the way, you’ll explore engaging literature, uncover classroom-ready resources, and navigate a story from the Explore Economics video series created by Federal Reserve Education. On this leg of the journey, we’ll chart the world of goods and services—and you'll discover fun, meaningful ways to help young learners make the connections.
Target audience: K-5 educators
Register here.
October 1, 4:30-5:30 pm
Time is valuable—and so is seeing economics in action. Power Hour is a fast-paced professional learning series that takes educators onsite to explore local industries in just 60 minutes. Each session offers a behind-the-scenes look at how businesses and organizations operate, the resources they use, and the skills students need to succeed in career paths.
Designed for busy educators, these one-hour visits provide practical insights, industry connections, and ready-to-use classroom resources.
In just an hour, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of local industries and discover fresh ways to connect classroom learning to the world of work. Space is limited!
October 1: Arnold & Blevins, First Security Park, 4001 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR
Register here.
October 2, 4:00-5:00 pm
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
October 6, 16, and 20
Last year, elementary educators had a chance to discover economic concepts with every letter of the alphabet. Well, the wheel of letters is back. This time, we will spin to discover where everyday objects come from and discover a variety of resources for the classroom.
There are 26 letters, so there will be 26 webinars throughout the year. We have already discovered where electricity (e), apple pie (a), and kites (k) come from. What will be our next adventure? Register to find out!
A to Z Webinar Dates:
October 6, 3:30-4:30 pm - Register here.
October 16,. 4:00-5:00 pm - Register here.
October 20, 3:30-4:30 pm - Register here.
*You will find the entire series posted on our event calendar.
Target audience: K-6 educators
October 7, 6:00-7:00 pm
Using the themes of candy corn, pumpkins, and brooms, this session will highlight creative ways to connect the fall season with fundamental economic concepts.
Discover how producers use natural, human, and capital resources to bring holiday treats and decorations to life, how supply and demand shape seasonal choices, and how opportunity cost is at play in a child’s trick-or-treat basket. Participants will leave with ready-to-use lessons and activities that integrate economics with math, literacy, and social studies—all while capturing the excitement of autumn.
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
October 8, 4:00-5:00 pm
October is National Dessert Month, and while the season may be filled with ghosts, goblins, and pumpkins, we’re serving up something even sweeter—economics! Join us for a workshop that uses pies, cakes, cookies, and other favorite desserts to spark fresh ideas for teaching key economic concepts. Get ready for activities that are more treat than trick!
Target audience: K-5 educators
Register here.
October 8, 4:30-6:30 pm, Clinton Presidential Library
Discover how art and economics intersect in this engaging two-hour professional development session. We’ll begin with a guided tour of the Portraits from a Presidency exhibit at the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, then connect with great resources. We’ll close by exploring how artists plan, price, and get paid—highlighting real-world strategies students can apply in your classroom. In celebration of Faith Ringgold’s birthday, you’ll also receive ready-to-use resources that connect art, storytelling, identity, and economic decision-making.
The professional development will include:
- Gallery Tour: Portraits from a Presidency—identity, leadership, and the stories we tell through art.
- Art & Income: How artists price work, budget, and manage variable income (from commissions to exhibitions).
- Classroom Connections: Plug-and-play lesson ideas that blend visual art, literacy, and economic concepts.
- PLUS....a $25 e-check
Target audience: K-12 educators
Register here.
October 9, 4:00-5:00 pm
Models are essential to the work of economists. Join us to access three active lesson plans in which students use the production possibilities frontier to strengthen their understanding of fundamental economic concepts. Megan Kirts, Econiful Executive Director, will facilitate this webinar that will help you see lots of possibilities for engaging your students.
Target audience: 9-12 educators
Register here.
October 13, 3:30-4:30 pm
This series equips K–5 educators with engaging lessons, children’s literature connections, and hands-on classroom activities to help students build the habits and knowledge they need to become financially savvy. Our first webinar focused on earning income. This webinar will spotlight the themes of saving and spending.
Join us and plant seeds to grow financially savvy students this year.
Check out our event calendar for the entire series.
Target audience: K-5 educators
Register here.
October 13, 4:00-5:00 pm
Celebrate National Nut Day with an engaging exploration of one of economics’ most essential concepts—supply and demand! In this 4–12 workshop, teachers will discover grade-appropriate strategies for introducing consumer choices, producer decisions and market forces in ways that connect with students of all ages. From snack-time decisions in elementary school to global trade examples like Dubai’s chocolate pistachios for older students, you’ll leave with “nutty but smart” activities that make supply and demand meaningful and memorable.
Target audience: 4-12 educators
Register here.
October 14, 4:00-5:00 pm
Bring the harvest season into the classroom while growing your students’ understanding of economics! In this interactive webinar, educators will explore hands-on activities that connect economic concepts to the harvest theme. Participants will discover how natural, human, and capital resources work together to bring food from the farm to the table, while also exploring decision-making, trade, and markets in a kid-friendly way.
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
Tune in to this webinar to learn all about Taylor Swift (and economics!). Cameron Tucker from the Federal Reserve Education team will share ready-made lessons that will bring your econ lessons to life with all types of Swiftie metaphors and real-world "Swiftonomics" data.
Target audience: 9-12 educators
Register here.
October 15, 4:00-5:00 pm
Football is more than just a game—it’s a powerful way to connect students to real-world economics! In this webinar, elementary and middle school teachers will explore how the excitement of football can be used to teach core economic concepts in fun, relatable ways. Using examples from local games to the Super Bowl, we’ll tackle topics such as resources (human, natural, and capital), supply and demand, opportunity cost, incentives, and decision-making. Participants will discover how football connects to markets, careers, and even financial literacy.
Participants will walk away with engaging strategies to integrate economics across grade levels—no football expertise required!
Target audience: K-8 educators
Register here.
October 20, 4:00-5:00 pm
Get students moving while mastering recessions, business cycles, and economic indicators! Derek D'Angelo from Foundation for Economic Education will facilitate this session. He will feature kinesthetic activities using both traditional and alternative data to actively engage learners in the ups and downs of the economy. Click to register now so you don't miss out on this webinar!.
Target audience: 9-12 educators
Register here.
October 21, 4:00-5:00 pm
Everyone struggles with unlimited wants! Join this fun (and not so scary) webinar where we will look at some great children's books that are monster themed that teach the concepts of scarcity and decision making. You will see hat even monsters face opportunity costs! In each book we will see how economics comes to the rescue! You will leave with some very fun activities to use in your classroom to scare the want monster away!
Target audience: K-6 Educators
Register here.
October 22, 4:00-5:00 pm
The Great Economics Mystery Book: A Guide to Teaching Economic Reasoning Grades 9–12 contains interactive activities that help students understand the “economic way of thinking” through intriguing mysteries from current events, government, and the environment. So put on your detective hat and let’s follow the clues to crack the case of Spirit Halloween—the retail phantom that transforms empty storefronts into billion-dollar seasonal sensations and other great economic mysteries!
Target audience: 9-12 educators
Register here.
October 23, 4:00-5:00 pm
As the United States prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary in 2026, this engaging webinar series will help K–8 educators explore the nation’s history through an economic lens. Each session will highlight key moments, innovations, and decisions that shaped America’s economic growth, while providing engaging resources for the classroom.
Participants will leave each session with ready-to-use lesson ideas, children’s literature connections, and interactive activities designed to make history and economics meaningful for students.
Join us as we celebrate America 250: Econ Style and equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills to understand how economic choices have influenced our nation’s past and continue to shape its future.
This month's webinar is titled "America 250: Inventions, Innovators, and Entrepreneurs that Shaped America. "Join us!
Target audience: K-8 educators
Register here.
October 27, 4:00-5:00 pm
Hot Off the Press! The newest addition of Arkansas Next: A Guide to Life After High School is about to hit the news stands...well the counselors' offices around the state. Join this fast paced webinar hosted by Arkansas Business and Publishing Group to learn about real life resources to help guide your students on the path to future success.
Target audience: 6-12 educators
Register here.
October 27, 4:30-6:00 pm
Take a look, it’s more than a book,
It’s economics wherever you look!
With hands-on lessons, tools to explore,
You’ll leave with resources, activities, and more!
Join Economics Arkansas for an after-school professional development session that blends the best of economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship education. Just like stories can spark imagination, these lessons inspire students to think big, manage money wisely, and even dream up businesses of their own.
Mary Polk, Youth Services Manager, will share resources the library offers—from books and digital tools to makerspaces and community programs—so you’ll leave with fresh ideas for your classroom and a better understanding of how libraries can support your students’ learning journeys. Sign up today and let's "taco 'bout" economics and "dip" into some personal finance, too! Leave with resources and a $20 e-check.
Target audience: K-12 educators
Register here.
October 28, 4:00-5:00 pm
From the Empire State Building to the Willis Tower , skyscrapers aren’t just tall towers — they’re economic powerhouses! In this interactive webinar, we’ll explore how skyscrapers connect to core economic concepts such as resources, specialization, opportunity cost, innovation, and competition. Teachers will discover kid-friendly ways to use skyscrapers to spark curiosity, from thinking about the natural, human, and capital resources required to build one, to exploring how cities decide where and why to build tall. We’ll share ready-to-use classroom activities, book tie-ins, and creative STEM connections that make economics soar for elementary and middle school students.
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
October 29, 4:00-5:00 pm
Discover how to bring the big ideas of trade to life in your classroom! Through hands-on activities, interactive tools, and videos, we’ll unpack the basics of specialization, division of labor, and comparative advantage. Ariel Slonim, Curriculum Designer from Marginal Revolution University (MRU) will share ready-to-use resources for teaching about tariffs and trade barriers.
Target audience: 9-12 educators
Register here.
October 29, 4:00-5:00 pm
Have you ever found yourself in a pickle? Sometimes making economic choices can feel like being “in a pickle”! This engaging K–6 webinar will explore classroom-ready activities that help students understand the trade-offs, opportunity costs, and decision-making skills we all face when resources are limited. Using the playful theme of pickles and food-related scenarios, participants will discover how to tie economics into literacy, math, and social studies in fun and meaningful ways.
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
October 30, 4:00-5:00 pm
Did you know National Donut Day is November 5? What can donuts teach us about economics? A lot more than you might think! In this fun and engaging webinar, elementary teachers will explore how donuts connect to key economic concepts such as resources, production, trade-offs, and supply and demand. We’ll look at the ingredients as natural resources, the bakers as human resources, and the ovens and mixers as capital resources. Teachers will discover ready-to-use classroom activities, book tie-ins, and creative discussion prompts that make economics tasty, hands-on, and unforgettable for students. By the end, you’ll have practical tools to help your students “do-nut” forget the sweet side of economics!
Target audience: K-6 educators
Register here.
PLANS DUE NOVEMBER 17
The Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase (Y.E.S.) is a business pitch competition for Arkansas 5th-8th grade students presented in partnership with ACC Capital.. Y.E.S. gives students an opportunity to show their creative, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.
Important details may be found here.
DUE DECEMBER 19, 2025
We have heard the expression, " A picture paints a thousand words." K-8 students are challenged to picture economic by illustrating their understanding of its concepts. Students (and their teachers) with the most creative pieces are awarded prize money with student artwork featured on social media outlets.
Encourage all your students to participate, and send your top 10 entries to be judged in the state competition. Winning students and educators each receive $50!
Learn more here.
Special thanks to all of you who submitted an entry in the Bessie B. Moore Awards Program. The Bessie Brigade will be traveling around the state to announce our winners this month! Keep an eye on our social media to spot the winners.
Our professional development offerings are available to Arkansas educators under contract for the 2025-2026 school year.
We will be sending 1099 forms to all participants who have received $600 or more in payments or stipends during this calendar year. In order for us to be incompliance with the IRS, a current, complete W-9 form must be on file with our office when the $600 threshold is met.
You will receive an email with a request to complete the form. Thank you so much for your assistance with this requirement.
All e-checks will be voided 60 days after issue. Please remember to download and enjoy them! Contact us if you need assistance.
Several have asked where and how to retrieve professional development certificates.
Here are some important steps:
- Log in to your Economics Arkansas account here .
- On the left side of the page, you will see the tab CERTIFICATES.
- You may download individual certificates by date of the professional development offering.
- At the top right hand corner of the page is a link titled "DOWNLOAD TRAINING SUMMARY YTD." This will give you a list of all offerings you have attended this calendar year.
- Some of our offerings were through ESC Works. You may retrieve your certificates through their portal by logging in here.
- If you have any issues, please contact us. We would love to assist!
Contact us. We would love to assist.
Lisa lisa@economicsarkansas.org
Marsha marsha@economicsarkansas.org