Students learn about the concepts from the consumer's and the retailer's point of view. One of the activities that students engage in is visiting various types of retail stores and comparing the features. This activity easily leads into a discussion of competition. Economic concepts in the third grade may be expanded to production by discussing the economic activities involved in farming. In the fourth grade the physical area studied is expanded as are the topics that are covered.
Students learn about the activities within their prefecture.
They also compare the activities of their prefecture with the activities of other prefectures. During this year of schooling the economic concept emphasized is the production cycle. At this point in their education students begin to learn how the natural as well as the social environments impact production. Division of labor, government controls, interdependence, innovation, and technological change are important economic concepts introduced in fifth grade. Supply and demand and government controls in areas that they believe are necessary for the maintenance of self-sufficiency are the main lessons to be learned from the study of the agricultural sector.