This lesson introduces bank notes and how you are more familiar with them than you realize. [Banking, Money, Finance playlist: Lesson 5 of 24]

This lesson idiscusses how bank notes and checks can be used. [Banking, Money, Finance playlist: Lesson 6 of 24]

Lesson Objective: At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to describe and explain how interest rates affect the value of a dollar and how exchange rates affect purchasing value in the global market. Supplies Needed: Lesson Supplies Two different color sheets of paper cut in strips torepresent currency and a bag of candy Student Handout 1 Exchange Rates and Currencies (1 per student) (found in Task 2) Student Handout Answer Key 1 Exchange Rates and Currencies (found in Resource Library) Student Handout 2 Timbuktu Bidding Game - Tally Table (1 per student) (found in Task 4) Student Handout 3 The Timbuktu Bidding Game Analysis (1 per group) (found in Task 5) Student Handout 4 Currency and Exchange Rate Quiz (1 per student) (found in Task 6) Student Handout Answer Key 4 Currency and Exchange Rate Quiz (found in Resource Library) Teacher Resource 1 Big Mac Index Poster (When printing poster, uncheck “fit picture to frame” in the print dialogue box.  Also, print on legal sized paper or larger. Best printed on 11x17 landscape.) (found in Task 3) Video 1 Big Mac Index (1:13) (found in Task 1)   References: Econedlink: Council for Economic Education. (n.d.). Economic Glossary. IMF Center: A public center for economics education. (n.d.). Lessons #1 and 2 focus on the IMF and its role in the global economy. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/students/hs/think/lesson7.pdf MBA dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2014, from MBAResearch and Curriculum Center Rinsema, Kate. Alltop: Holy kaw! (n.d.). The big mac index [infographic]. Retrieved from http://holykaw.alltop.com/the-big-mac-index-infographic Travelex: Worldwide money. (n.d.). The Economist: Big mac index. Retrieved from http://www.spring.org.uk/the1sttransportX-Rates. (n.d.). Rates Table. Retrieved from http://www.x-rates.com/table/?from=USD Copyright Permission:Copyright permission has been given for the educational use of the web-based and printed Big Mac Index Chart, contained within this lesson.

International finance covers some of the most complex but also important topics in economics. How are exchange rates determined? When if ever are ongoing trade deficits harmful? Are fixed or floating exchange rates better? What are the roots of the euro crisis and what resolution can we expect? Does China manipulate its exchange rate and if so how does that matter? We cover all of these topics and more, with an eye toward what a person really might want to know. There is no use of mathematics in this course beyond the very basic.