Should Alexander Spend His Allowance?

This document-based question is aligned to the 12th Grade Advanced Placement Macroeconomics curriculum. The book, published in 1987, is about a little boy who is always broke because he spends money as quickly as it is given to him and his brother, who saves his money. Which brother makes better, rational choices about spending money? Which brother’s spending habits are better for the national economy? Students will explore these questions through a series of primary source documents and compiled data.

This lesson is designed to help students generate and test hypotheses about economic outcomes. This is not a substitute for A.P. test preparation, but an enrichment activity that can help students build the critical thinking skills that they will need to be successful A.P. students.