LESSON: THE BOOTMAKER AND THE ELVES

Lesson Summary

A retelling, set in the Old West, of the traditional story about two elves that help a poor bookmaker and his wife.

Concept: Productivity

Definition: Labor productivity measures how many goods or services are produced per worker. Greater productivity leads to higher standards of living.

Comprehension Questions

Explain why the bootmaker was not producing many boots?
His boots were just plain ugly, and they pinched so no one would buy them.

Describe how the first magic boots looked.
Tall, shiny, black as midnight, perfect stitches, decorated with stars, roses, and a lucky horseshoe.

Who helped the bootmaker increase his productivity?
The cute little elves.

Explain how the bootmaker and his wife repaid the elves for their productivity?
The bookmaker made them itty-bitty boots, and his wife sewed each of them a new outfit.

How was the bootmaker's skill changed by the productivity of the elves?
He thought up new designs and new types of leather to use.

Other Concepts: Specialization, Producers, Consumers, Goods and Services

  Productivity 

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