| Winter
2004
PDF version 
Boston Fed Launches New Educational Exhibit and
Web Site
Maybe you’re going through one of those periods
when modern life is getting to you — the traffic,
the stress, the complexity. Our prescription for this:
a visit to the “New England Economic Adventure”
at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. One look at the
chamber pot in the Adventure’s “Material
Life” display should be enough to convince you
that the pluses of early 21st century life probably
outnumber the minuses.
The Adventure is the latest initiative in the Boston
Fed’s longstanding commitment to help raise overall
public awareness of economic issues and concepts. Geared
primarily to middle school and high school students,
the Adventure uses interactive games, exhibits, and
activities to help visitors understand how 200 years
of economic change and technological innovation have
affected the everyday lives of New Englanders.
The Adventure is open, free of charge, to school groups
and community groups, but groups must make reservations
in advance. (Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate
walk-in visitors.)
There’s also an Adventure web site www.economicadventure.org
for those who might not have an opportunity to visit
— or who want to expand on what they learned during
their visit.
The site explores Adventure-related concepts —
standard of living, economic growth, labor productivity
— from many perspectives. Here’s some of
what you’ll find:
- the Rising Standards Gazette — a description
of the bumpy course of economic growth in New England,
an overview with interesting details
- an illustrated timeline of major economic events
in New England’s history
- profiles of Francis Cabot Lowell, Colonel Albert
Pope, and Ken Olsen — the three entrepreneurs
featured in the Adventure’s Invest-in-Growth
games
- terms and theory — explanations of economic
growth theory, standard of living, and time value
of money; glossaries of terms
- lesson plans, student projects, online quiz, classroom
activities
- recommended resources — books, other readings,
videotapes, other web sites
- information on teacher workshops
- scheduling/directions/contact information for visits
to the Adventure
- pre- and post-visit teaching materials
- a place for you to tell us how we’re doing
— we want your comments!
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