In this newsletter, we use a graph to compare nonfarm payrolls to private payrolls, map earnings and expenses throughout the U.S., show off the cool badges FREDcast players can earn, and quiz you on employment trends across industries, sectors, and sexes.

Focus on employment

This assignment provides instructions on building the graph below and provides suggested writing prompts for out-of-class assignments.

Using GeoFRED® to compare earnings and expenses across the U.S.

This assignment provides instructions on creating the unemployment maps below and suggests prompts for in-class discussion. See how you do on our discussion questions below.

Click on the map above to be taken to an interactive version.

Name 4 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, reporting the highest ($28 per hour and above) average hourly earnings of all employees.

Notice the geographical location of counties where more than 1/3 (33% and above) of the households are considered “burdened” because they pay more than 30 percent of their income for rent or mortgage expenses. Are they concentrated? On the coasts?

Briefly explain why patterns of high average hourly earnings for employees and percent of burdened households overlap.

Teach economics with FREDcast, the forecasting game the whole class can play!

By now, you have hopefully heard about FREDcast, the free, interactive forecasting game in which your students make forecasts for four economic releases: GDP, inflation, employment, and unemployment. Forecasts must be submitted by the 20th of the current month. As the data are realized, league and student results are automatically updated. Higher scores reflect greater accuracy over time. You can set up forecasting leagues for your classes. This short video explains how to create a league. The full instructions and FAQs are available here.

FREDcast badges! Gotta get ’em all!
FREDcast players now earn badges for sustained play and superior forecasts. Take a look at some of the markers of forecasting success.

Quiz yourself on different measures of employment

Q1. Compare the percentage of employees by sector of economic activity in January 1939 and in December 2017. Rank the three sectors from most to least employment on each date.

Q2. Between 1939 and today, which employment sector regularly experiences larger drops during recessions?
Q3. Since January 1939, which employment sector has recorded the most growth?

Q1. When was the highest percentage of employed married men ever recorded? What percentage of employed men were married at that time?

Q2. When was the highest percentage of employed women ever recorded? What percentage of employed women were married at that time? When was the highest percentage of employed married men ever recorded? What percentage of employed men were married at that time?
Q3. Why is the percentage of employed married men decreasing much more that the percentage of employed married women?

Q1. Which industry sector experienced the largest percentage decrease in employment during (and immediately following) the 2008-2009 recession?
Q2. Which industry sector experienced the largest percentage increase in employment after the 2008-2009 recession?
Q3. Why would employment in the real estate and finance & insurance sectors be particularly affected by the 2008-2009 recession?

Now that you’ve aced this quiz, give it to your students using this dashboard. To customize this dashboard, just click the “Save to My Account” button at the top of the dashboard.