• What is Infusionomics?
  • Infusionomics is a 3 year program that integrates economic literacy into existing curriculum, teaches financial literacy, and provides students with entrepreneurial training.  During year one teacher’s infuse and integrate economic principles into their existing curriculum.  During year 2, Financial Literacy gets added with a web-based token economy.  The focus of year 3 is entrepreneurship.

• Why should I consider doing Infusionomics?

Benefits for Students who participate in Infusionomics:

• 21^st Century skills
  • sound decision making skills
  • Concepts relevant to their everyday world
  • Higher student achievement and level of understanding due to concepts being linked in multiple subject areas
  • Realize their potential as citizens and participants in the global economy
  • Positive changes in behavior
  • Improved decision-making skills

Benefits for Schools who participate in Infusionomics:

• Whole School approach
• Meet state standards without adding additional courses or teachers
• New energy in classrooms
• Increased engagement in core subjects
• Obvious depth of understanding
• Positive changes in student behavior

• Where can I get trained in Infusionomics?
  • Infusionomics program staff provide virtual, regional or on-site training as well as ongoing coaching.

• When does Infusionomics training take place? –
  • It is best to be trained in Infusionomics for each of the three years in the spring or summer before the program year is implemented.

• Do you have to do all three years of the Infusionomics program?
  • No, schools can choose to do just year one where economic principles are infused into existing curriculum.  We do not recommend doing year 2 (Financial Literacy) or year 3 (Entrepreneurship) without having been trained and having implemented year 1.

• How does the year one of the Infusionomics Program work?
  • The Infusionomics program begins with a DVD series, De-Mystifying Economics, presented by Dr. Gerry Swanson, Professor of Economics, Eller College of Management, and University of Arizona.  In this series, Dr. Swanson provides a high-level, introductory economics course for teachers, highlighting the basics of micro- and macro-economics.  In addition to De-Mystifying Economics, there is a bonus set of three DVD’s entitled Keystone Economic Principles.  Led by award-winning teacher, Donna Broughton, this series provides detailed explanations of the nine Keystone Economic Principles.  The Keystone Economic Principles correlate with the Voluntary National Content Standards for Economics (published by the Council for Economic Education).  These principles are the foundation upon which teachers integrate economic literacy into their curriculum.   Teachers can choose to implement the principles month by month taking one principle per month or they can implement according to quarterly themes. Once the virtual training is complete, teachers learn about the “Concept Matching” process to integrate the economic concepts with existing subject area disciplines.

• Who is behind the Infusionomics program?
  • Infusionomics is a joint effort between the Powell Center for Economic Literacy located in Richmond, Virginia and the StreetSchool Network™ a network servicing urban schools for at-risk students across the country.

• Is Infusionomics just a set of stand-alone lesson plans?
  • No, Infusionomics is designed to integrate economic principles into your existing curricula.  However, lesson plans and ideas are available on the Infusionomics website.

• What do “Integration Points” and “Essential Questions/Goals” mean on the concept matching grid?
  • The power of Infusionomics is in the integration of economic principles across the curriculum and in all subject areas.  The principles are easily transferable to many areas of life.  As a teacher you need to become familiar with the Keystone Economic Principle (KEP) of the month so that you can identify places within your curriculum where there is a natural point of integration.  For example, KEP #1 is about Choice.  Discussion about wants vs. needs, available resources, and scarcity are some of the economic concepts that will come up.  As a teacher you need to “map” out where in your curriculum these economic concepts will get integrated.  On the chart you will note those integration points in the corresponding column.  The Essential Questions/Goals are the main content, understandings or skills your students will obtain as a result of the lessons.

• Do I have to give the Pre-Test Questionnaires to K-2^nd grade students?
  • We ask that schools/teachers administer the questionnaires to young students.  It is most effectively done one on one or in very small groups of three or less.  An adult reads the statements to the students and helps them decide which response best fits their understanding.

• Is it alright if middle school kids who are functioning below middle school grade levels take the elementary instead of secondary assessments?
  • Yes.  The secondary assessments are written at an approximate 7^th grade level.  The elementary assessments are written at an approximate 3^rd grade level.  They both cover the same basic concepts.