In World Studies, the third quarter focused on resources and globalization. Over the course of the unit, ninth grade students were asked to consider the following guiding questions in a variety of historical and literary contexts:

• How do we define and assess progress against the human cost? What is the balance between the value of human life and progress? 
• When does trade become exploitation?
• What factors allow for societies to have advantages in trade? 
• How can trade benefit all parties? 
• What happens when a commodity gets popular? Who profits? Who doesn’t?
• What happens when there is a clash between what is legal and what is just?

As a culminating project, teachers challenged students to inquire into the costs and benefits of a commercial product or commodity and write to inform an audience about those costs and benefits. From designer handbags to uranium, from pumpkin spice to diamonds, students thoughtfully considered the economic, social, environmental, and/or political costs and benefits of these products and commodities. We were so impressed with the results that we wanted to share. Here are just a few of the topics students tackled. Click on the links to learn something new!

Has Uranium Earned its Reputation?
This is Kabir Broker's third year at Singapore American School. As an avid lover of history, the theme of his informative essay was exploring the costs and benefits of Uranium and trying to find a reason for all the stigma surrounding it, both historically and in the present day. 

The LEGO Group - How a Single Plastic Brick Built an Empire
Michelle Chang has been attending SAS for nearly six years. For this research project, she chose to delve into the environmental and social costs and benefits behind a widely popular toy and tool among people of all ages, LEGOs. 

The Complexities of Contemporary Cotton
Meera Lokur has been a student at SAS for eight years. As someone who wears a 100 percent cotton uniform every day, she began to question the influence of cotton clothing on the world. Read on to discover the environmental and social costs and benefits behind this everyday commodity. 

The Spice Must Flow: The Companies, Conflict, and Conquest Behind Pumpkin Spice
Aidan Lim has been a student at SAS for five years. As a fan of pumpkin spice, he chose to investigate the history behind the fall staple and explore the little-known violent past and haunting legacy of colonialism and the spice trade.

The True Price of a Diamond
Utsa Chaturvedi has been at SAS for almost a year now. For this project, she decided to research the journey of a diamond and delve into the deceptive supply chain, writing about its effects on people throughout the diamond's lifetime. 

Bamboo’s Alternative Benefits and Costs
Emma Li has been studying at SAS for around 10 years. For this informative research project, she has written about the trade of bamboo and its impacts socially, environmentally, and economically, whether it be a benefit or a cost. She sees bamboo as a possible alternative resource for the future, using it for disposables, buildings, clothing, and fuel, especially with climate change as a looming problem.

Buying the Birkin
This is Senay Mandaher's tenth year at SAS. Through this brief informative piece, she followed the journey of Hermes' Birkin Bag from beginning to end, simultaneously weighing the cost and benefits brought alongside its increasing prevalence in society.

Understanding Our Reliance on Palm Oil
Liv Bookhamer is in her first year at SAS. She chose to learn more about the impacts of palm oil because it is used in so many products. Although we know palm oil has a huge impact on deforestation, killing orangutans, and pollution, Bookhamer researched the environmental costs of this commodity as well as the benefits of the price and possible avenues for sustainability.