All Aboard the Guss Bus

Drawing imaginary buses in history class, as a method for learning how economics work? If you’re a seventh grader in Jason Guss’ history class, this is the surprise that awaits you in your “Guss Bus” simulation!

The Guss Bus is a hands-on lesson in how differently production systems work in different types of economies. The simulation lasts for two rounds; each is a year in the life of a citizen of Gussville—a town with plentiful natural resources (blank printer paper) to produce their main export (hand-drawn Guss Busses). As Guss Bus producers, students design and draw the buses to earn “Guss Bucks,” the official currency of Gussville. They then in turn can buy food (Starburst candies) that must sustain them for the year.

For example, in a command economy (an economic system where a central government dictates production and prices) simulation, the first round sets students on equal footing. Each student receives the same amount of resources (two pieces of paper) and is told that the quality of their Guss Bus designs must be adequate to earn them their allotted Guss Bucks—one per bus.

In the second round, simulating a market economy, students receive differing amounts of resources and are incentivized by the potential of earning more Guss Bucks for more intricate and creative Guss Bus designs. Mr. Guss (also, of course, the mayor of Gussville) reviews designs and pays students what he feels is an appropriate amount of Guss Bucks for their particular designs.

Students must record data between rounds, including production numbers, money earned, quality of bus production, and more. Once they compile their data, students reflect on both systems and decide which was best for them as individuals and which was better for overall Guss Bus production.

“Simulations are a great way to teach something that’s on a very large scale in a very small space. The Guss Bus simulation helps students understand the intricate concepts of different economies on a basic level,” says Guss.