Lesson Plan - Would You Pay $4,275 to See Your Favorite Singer?

About the Article

Learning Objective

Students will learn about factors that affect prices and identify central ideas in an article about concert tickets.

Curriculum Connections

• Supply and Demand

• Monopolies

• Culture and Music

• Legislation and Congress

• Technology

Key Skills

Social Studies:

• Expand knowledge of economic concepts

• Examine technological changes

• Consider the role of culture in societal development

English Language Arts:

• Learn and use domain-specific vocabulary

• Identify central ideas and key details

• Integrate information presented in multiple formats

Key CCSS Standards

RH.6-8.1, RH.6-8.2, RH.6-8.4, RH.6-8.7, WHST.6-8.4, RI.6-8.1, RI.6-8.2, RI.6-8.4, RI.6-8.7, W.6-8.4, SL.6-8.1

Essential Questions

  • What factors affect prices?
  • How do supply and demand affect markets?
  • How can competition, or lack of competition, in an industry affect consumers?

1. Preparing to Read

Build Knowledge and Vocabulary

Before reading the article, have students take the five-question Prereading Quiz at junior.scholastic.com. The interactive quiz is self-scoring and will give an explanation after students answer each question. Then use the Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach domain-specific terms from the article.

2. Reading and Discussing

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to mark causes of high ticket prices with the letter C and effects of high ticket prices with the letter E. (Or have students highlight that information using different colors.)

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• What are some of the causes of high ticket prices? (Cause and Effect)
One of the main causes of high ticket prices is supply and demand. Demand for live music performances has soared since the Covid-19 pandemic, but supply remains limited because popular artists can perform only so many shows. Other causes include bots, ticket resellers, and extra fees. Also, some people say Ticketmaster has become a monopoly since it merged with the promoter Live Nation.

• What are some possible solutions to the ticket problems fans face? (Problem and Solution)
State and national lawmakers have been working to pass bills to give fans more rights. Artists could help by staggering on-sale dates, limiting resales, and allowing their cheapest seats to be sold only for face value.

• How does the sidebar “Buying Tickets: Yesterday and Today” support the article? (Text Features)
It supports the article by explaining how buying tickets has changed. In the 1960s, people bought tickets in person, while in the 1980s and ’90s, people used credit cards over the phone. Now most people buy tickets online.

3. Skill Building

Determine Central Ideas

Assign Heading Hashtags to have students determine the central idea of each section of the article.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.

Differentiate and Customize

For Multilingual Learners: Before reading, explain multiple-meaning words such as hits, swept, masses, score, fever, froze, scoop, bills, fans, face, and rule and explain which meaning is being used in the article.

For Social and Life Skills: Discuss these questions: Who are some of your favorite musical artists? How does their music make you feel? What are some ways people might be able to use music to help support their mental health?

Printable Lesson Plan

Interactive Slide Deck

Text-to-Speech