Export – Imports
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Approach:  One to one
ACCESS
Level: Year 8
Focus: Understanding systems of exchange  
Resources:
Picture [substitute resource shown.]
131KB
Questions/instructions:  

We grow a lot of kiwifruit in New Zealand. Not all countries are able to grow kiwifruit. Sometimes these countries buy kiwifruit from New Zealand.
Show student the picture. [Packing facility; fruit being packed into cartons on conveyor belts.]
This picture shows some kiwifruit that New Zealand is going to sell to another country. Things that one country sells to another country are called exports. Kiwifruit is just one of the things that New Zealand exports to other countries.

 
   
 
% responses
2009 ('05)
y4
y8
1. What else do you think New Zealand exports or sells a lot of to other countries?
Tell me all the things you can think of – not just fruit. 		dairy products    20 (15)
meat 37 (40)
logs, wood, wood pulp, paper 12 (18)
manufactured equipment/appliances
  		 8 (8)
horticultural products
(vegetables, wine, other fruit, flowers)
 		 41 (50)
fish and other seafood
 		 7 (6)
wool/wool products
 		 18 (27)
people and expertise/inventions
 4 (4)
other significant export(s)
(including metals and clothing)		 34 (33)
2. Why do you think that exporting things is important for New Zealand?   
Mentioned: exports bring overseas money into the country 67 (73)
the money earned from exports helps to make imports possible (e.g. trade) 17 (17)
export industries create jobs 6 (4) 
There are some things that we do not make or grow a lot of in New Zealand, so we need to buy these things from other countries. Things that one country buys from another are called imports.
3. What sorts of things do you think New Zealand imports or buys a lot of from other countries?
    Tell me all the things you can think of. 		  
cars/trucks/other vehicles   29 (38)
mechanical and electrical equipment/ appliances (incl. computer/electronic/DVD/CD) 37 (35) 
oil/petrol  6 (18)
clothing and textiles   43 (39)
plastics and plastic products  6 (6)
other significant import(s) (including toys, food) 78 (70)
4. Even though we design and make clothes in New Zealand, we import lots of clothes from China. Why, then, do we buy clothes from other countries like China?    
  not marked • (•)
5. Why might it be good for New Zealand to import lots of clothes from other countries?  
overseas produced clothing cheaper (because of lower labour and other costs overseas) 38 (41)
we get a wider choice of styles/features by buying from more than one country 58 (61)
other countries are more likely to buy our exports if we buy imports from them (e.g.trade) 6 (11)
6. Why might it be not so good for New Zealand to import lots of clothes from other countries?  
people in New Zealand lose jobs (or other economic disadvantage) 12 (8)
loss of skills in New Zealand, so we become dependent on other countries 1 (1)
New Zealand may not export enough to be able to afford all of the imports
 2 (2)
acceptance of unfair working conditions (e.g. sweat shops)
 7 (4)
other valid ideas (e.g. quality of products, safety, carbon emission issues) 41 (26)

Total score:
 12–20
  4 (7)
9–11
17 (13)
6–8
41 (48)
3–5
29 (23)
0–2 8 (8)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 8

year 8
Commentary:
On average, year 8 students performed moderately well on this task about exports and imports. Students were typically able to come up with two items that New Zealand exports to other countries and two that it imports from other countries. Coming up with reasons for why importing might or might not be a good idea proved more difficult.