The Road

to Roota
A
Teacher’s
Guide For

Wishes and
Rainbows


 Wishes and Rainbows is for elemen-
tary school children and may be
read as a simple story, or as an eco-
nomics teaching tool. Wishes and
Rainbows illustrates many economic
concepts including scarcity, supply,
demand and allocation. This guide is
designed to help teachers bring out
these underlying themes.

Introduction Demand for some items is more sensitive to price change

than is demand for other items. Demand that is very
Scarcity* is the constant that underlies all economic responsive to a change in price is called elastic; if de-
problems. People, with unlimited wants and needs, live mand remains relatively constant despite price chang-
in a world of limited resources. Since there is not enough es, it is said to be inelastic. Since people have to eat,
of most resources to satisfy everyone, all societies face demand for food in general is inelastic. However, people
the problem of how to allocate scarce resources. They often alter their diets to reflect food prices, so that the
must choose, among many alternatives, the ways in demand for a specific food item is often quite elastic.
which to use their scarce resources.
On some occasions, such as during war, a government
In the United States (or, as some might argue, may decide that allowing prices to be set purely by
throughout the world), allocation of resources is de- supply and demand would cause intolerable hardship.
termined mainly through supply, demand, and prices. It therefore intervenes in the distribution process,
Consumers make known the kinds of goods and through either price controls or rationing.
services they want (demand) through their purchas-
ing choices. Producers respond by using resources to Rationing is the allotment of set amounts of scarce
supply those goods and services. When supply items to each individual. It is an attempt to control
and demand are equated through the mechanism demand because allowing prices to rise to equilibrium
of prices, equilibrium exists. If demand for a prod- levels is deemed contrary to the national interest.
uct increases and exceeds supply, prices should However, unlike rising prices, rationing does nothing to
begin to rise, both lowering amounts demanded, and diminish demand, and often results in an illegal under-
ultimately stimulating producers to increase supply. ground market.
Similarly, if supply exceeds demand, producers may re-
duce prices so that consumers will purchase increased If prices are not set at equilibrium, the resultant distor-
amounts of their product. In this way, the price of tion causes an imbalance between supply and demand.
an item both influences, and is influenced by, supply If a product is priced at an artificially high level, not all
and demand. of it will be consumed and a surplus will be created. If
the price is set too low, demand will be stimulated and
* Items in bold are defined in the Glossary on page 5. production depressed, resulting in a shortage.


Natural resources are the raw materials necessary to quality that makes it suitable for use as money, since
satisfy people’s needs and wants. Natural resources can limitations on supply serve to enhance its value. In
be divided into three categories: exhaustible resources, addition, rarity precludes a sudden influx of the com-
such as fossil fuels; renewable resources, such as plants, modity, which could trigger a decrease in the money’s
animals and soils; and inexhaustible resources, such as value and result in inflation. Some items that have been
sunlight or wind. Not all natural resources are available used as money because of their scarcity include gun-
throughout the world. powder, tobacco, animal skins, and precious metals.

A society’s economic way of life is largely determined Money may have value simply because people believe it
by its available natural resources. People who live near will be accepted when they need to use it, not because
the ocean may tend to rely on fishing; those who live the substance used as money has some special worth.
on rich soil become farmers; and so on. But wants It can be a tool, serving as a unit of account, a medium
and needs are not necessarily limited to those items of exchange, a standard of value, and a way to store
that are readily produced by available resources. This value. Through the use of money (in whatever form),
fact motivates people to attain scarce resources by a people can trade, compare values, and save. The most
variety of different methods. useful type of money should be not only relatively
scarce, but also easily carried, able to be divided into
One means of adding to the supply of a scarce resource smaller amounts of proportional worth, and durable
is to increase production. This can sometimes be ac- rather than spoiling or rusting after a time.
complished through investment. A second method of
augmenting the supply of a scarce resource is the use The Avenue of Approach
of a substitute. A third and extremely important way
of solving the problem of limited resources is trade. The Wishes and Rainbows is the story of one society and
simple practice of barter and other exchange among in- its attempts to assimilate, with least disruption, a rare
dividuals, and complex trade agreements about imports and much coveted new resource.
and exports among nations, are attempts to adjust to
resource shortages or abundance. The scarcity of colored flowers is the critical element
to the story. Because of the lack of the essential natu-
Finally, the search for ral resource, sunlight, the supply of colored flowers is
limited resources of-
ten causes population THE TOWN LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER,
shifts. The mobility of EXCEPT FOR ONE THING . . .
Native Americans on the
Great Plains in search
of buffalo, the west-
ward migration of gold
prospectors in the Cal-
ifornia Gold Rush, and
the increase in Alaska’s
population as a result of
the oil pipeline are all
examples of such quest-
inspired migration.

Money
One critical function
that scarce com-
modities have often
served is as commod-
ity money. The scar-
city of an item is one . . . THERE IS NO COLOR.


 declares public ownership and
I HAVE LISTED EVERYONE FROM sharing, he may be accused of as-
THE OLDEST PEBBLEPERSON TO
THE YOUNGEST PEEBLEBABY. serting too much governmental
control. The demand of the col-
or-starved Pebblepeople for the
flowers seems both urgent and
insatiable. The mayor therefore as-
signs Roota the unenviable task of
deciding upon a method of distri-
bution that will satisfy everyone.

Roota’s distribution system is
ingenious. By using an allocation
system that is based on seniority,
Roota establishes goodwill with
an important segment of society.
Meanwhile, those who must wait
to receive flowers are comforted
by the knowledge that their turn
will come. Finally, Roota’s decision
satisfies her personal desire to add
color to her grandmother’s life. Af-
acutely limited. The demand, however, is overwhelming; ter all, her grandmother, who first told her of Color-
not only is the flower that Roota brings from Colorland land and who “dreamed of seeing . . . a flower’s softly
the first flower in Pebbleton, but it is also the only color tinted petals,” will be one of the earliest recipients of
that any of the Pebblepeople have ever seen! a flower.

On the first page of Wishes and Rainbows, the reader The fact that Pebbleton will never be the same follow-
is told that, except for the lack of color, Pebbleton is ing the appearance of the colored flowers seems clear.
much like any other town. Presumably, therefore, the On the basis of what we know about economics and the
Pebblepeople have a built-in distribution system for al- way societies tend to react to the scarcity of important
location of resources. Just how this system works the resources, is it possible to predict what changes are
reader can only guess. It may be capitalism, socialism, likely to occur?
or feudalism (so that the flowers would belong to the
nobility). The flowers could all be publicly owned and For one thing, it is possible that Roota’s “rationing”
shared (which seems to have been Roota’s original idea system will have to be modified or will cease to work.
when she planted the first flower in the town square). What will happen if the wealthiest person in town de-
They could be auctioned and sold to the highest cides not to wait his or her turn, and offers to pay huge
bidder. Some distribution methods are suggested on sums of money for flowers? Will the flower owners be
page 14 of the comic book, and one can readily imag- allowed to sell? If not, will an illegal market develop?
ine many others (lottery, contests, rewards for public
service, etc.). Will the Pebblepeople try to develop new ways of ob-
taining colored flowers? Will they form corporations
Why is Pebbleton’s traditional distribution structure to explore the caves thoroughly in the hope of finding
abandoned in the case of the colored flowers? The new entrances to Colorland? Will local carpenters race
unusual nature of the new resource, along with the to build ladders tall enough to reach the hole in the
overwhelming disproportion between supply and ceiling of the sunlit cave? Will engineers compete in
demand, create a politically sensitive situation. The developing new drilling methods to bore more holes in
mayor, who is at first perfectly willing to take one of the the ceiling to let in more sunlight for a larger crop of
flowers for himself, realizes from the clamor for flowers flowers? And will the lure of simply being able to own
that whatever distribution method is chosen is likely as many flowers as one wants be enough to stimulate
to dissatisfy certain elements of society. Even if he all this economic development? Or will the incentive of


being able to sell the flowers garnered by
these new methods be an essential ingredi-
ent? Finally, should the mayor of Pebbleton
Glossary
announce that the town itself will under-
take some of these projects, raising taxes barter The direct trading of one good for
to finance them and distributing all the pro- another without using money.
ceeds from the venture equitably?
consumer An individual who uses goods or services.
Will the town’s scientists and engineers
start investing their time and energy to demand The desire to obtain a good or service.
develop substitutes, seeking ways of syn-
thesizing colors and perhaps ultimately elastic The amount demanded changes easily
making artificial flowers? If any of the above demand when price changes.
means of increasing the supply of color
and flowers succeeds, what will happen to export To sell goods or services to a foreign country.
demand for them? To their value? Will there
be a surplus? Will Pebbleton start to export import To buy goods or services from a
colored flowers to the nearby communities foreign country.
of Gopher Junction and Boulder’s Ridge?
inelastic The amount demanded does not change
Beyond these scenarios, many other “fu- demand easily when price changes.
tures” may be suggested in classroom dis-
cussion. investment The use of resources to increase future
productive capacity.
Discussion Questions for natural Wealth supplied by nature, such as mineral
Younger Students resources deposits, soil, sunlight, timber, water,
1. A
 ccording to Roota’s grandmother, what and wildlife.
are the two reasons Pebblepeople do
not go to Colorland? price Value expressed in terms of money.

2. H
 ow does Roota find Colorland? production The process of making goods and services.

3. W
 hat does Roota’s grandmother tell her rationing The allocation of goods and services
to do with the flower? Why? among users. Rationing may be by price
or some other means.
4. Why did the first flower die?
scarcity The limited quantity of resources in
5. W
 hat were some of the methods of dis- proportion to human wants and needs.
tribution suggested by the Pebblepeo-
ple on page 14? Can you think of any shortage Insufficiency of supply in relationship
other methods that could be used? to demand.

6. What two things limit the number of substitute A good or service that can
flowers Roota and Rockie can grow? replace another.

7. W
 ill the Pebblepeople ever have enough supply The quantity of a good or
flowers? service available.

8. Why is the story called Wishes and surplus Excess of supply in relationship to demand.
Rainbows? What other possible titles
can you think of?


 4. W
 hat other changes might take place in
Pebbleton as a result of the introduction of
colored flowers? What economic changes?
What industries might benefit? What new
jobs might be created?

5. What ways might the Pebblepeople find to

reduce the shortage of color and flowers?
What industries and occupations might help
in these efforts? What sorts of investments
might be called for? How might the town’s
government help?

6. In what circumstances might the Pebblepeo-

ple consider exporting flowers to Gopher
Junction and Boulder’s Ridge? Will citizens
of those towns have as great a demand for
colored flowers as Pebblepeople have? Do
you think that every resident of Pebbleton
will own at least one flower before trade
with other towns occurs?

7. What resources are scarce in the United

States today? What happens to the price
of scarce resources? What steps have been
taken to address such scarcity?

8. W
 hat are some important resources whose
introduction helped make our economy
what it is today? What would happen if
one of these resources (oil, steel, electric-
ity, computers, airplanes, television, fish,
cotton, maple syrup) could no longer be
Discussion Questions for produced in this country? What substitutes
might be found? What industries would dis-
Older Students appear? What would happen to the value of
1. W
 hat distribution system does Roota choose, and such resources?
why? Is this a fair system? What other possible sys-
tems might she have chosen? 9. T
 he mayor of Pebbleton announces that, since the
colored flowers are so rare and valuable, they are
2. Will the Pebblepeople accept Roota’s distribution going to be used as money, with petals for change.
system? What might happen if they don’t? Should Is this a good idea? What qualities does a good
those who have been given flowers be allowed to form of money have? Why? Which of these quali-
sell them? How should the price be set? ties do flowers have and which do they lack? What
would happen to Pebbleton’s economy if someone
3. If color becomes easily obtainable in Pebbleton, what then discovered a new sunlit cavern with thousands
new products will be available to consumers? What of flowers growing in it? Should someone control
existing products would become more desirable? the growth of those flowers? Who?


Classroom Activities
Has this analysis of the social
1. H
 ave students ask adults they know if they remember when photo- and economic implications of
graphs, movies and television programs were only available in black Wishes and Rainbows over-
and white. What was that like? Why do the adults or the students think stretched the metaphor? For
color was introduced? anyone who may think so, we
call attention to the market for
2. Have students trace Roota’s profile on page 6 of Wishes and Rain- tulips in seventeenth-century
bows. Then, instead of a field of flowers before her, have students Holland. The following is a ex-
draw numerous natural or manufactured items. Have each student cerpt from Sir Kenneth Clark’s
choose from among those items the one that Roota should take back Civilization:
to Colorland, and write a paragraph explaining why.
“It is really rather touching
3. Have students ask adults they know about products that have been that the first classic example
scarce at various times in their lives. Was there any particular reason of boom and slump in capi-
for the scarcity? Were any special arrangements made for distributing talist economy should have
the scarce goods? Introduce and discuss the concept of rationing. been not sugar or railways or
oil, but tulips. It shows how
ROOTA LEAPS TO HER FEET AND RUNS
the seventeenth century Dutch
AMONG THE FLOWERS. I FOUND THE COLORS combined their two chief en-
GRANDMA TOLD ME ABOUT!
OH! I OH! THEY ARE MORE thusiasms-scientific investiga-
FOUND MAGNIFICENT THAN I
THEM! EVER IMAGINED. tion and visual delight. The
first tulip had been imported
from Turkey in the sixteenth
century, but it was a professor
of botany at Leiden, the first
botanical garden in the north,
who discovered its attribute of
variation which made it such
an exciting gamble. By 1634
the Dutch were so bitten by
this new craze that for a single
tulip called the Viceroy, one
collector exchanged one thou-
sand pounds of cheese, four
oxen, eight pigs, twelve sheep,
a bed and a suit of clothes.
When the bottom fell out of
the tulip market in 1637, the
Dutch economy was shaken.”
THIS IS THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL OF THEM ALL!
IF ONLY GRANDMA AND THE Harper & Row, 1969, p. 197.
OTHER PEBBLEPEOPLE COULD Reprinted with permission
SEE IT. of the publisher.

THEN ROOTA HAS AN IDEA.


Revised 2/2007
Written by Stephen Devaux
Illustrations by Carrie Hartman

For additional copies of

The Road to Roota

or
Wishes and Rainbows
please contact:
Public and Community Affairs Department
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
P.O. Box 55882
Boston, MA 02205
1-800-409-1333
[email protected]

www.bos.frb.org
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