DSE Economics: Demand and Supply — Tutor Lesson Plan (equilibrium, shifts)

2026-10-27

Tutor lesson-prep guides · Secondary economics

Most marks are lost not on arithmetic but on the difference between along the curve and a shift. One sentence settles it: price changes move along, everything else shifts.

Objectives — the student can state both laws, find equilibrium from equations, and distinguish a movement along a curve from a shift with a reason.

01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)

If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.

Skill	Quick check	Pass mark
Graph reading	Name both axes	Price and quantity
Demand terms	Demand against quantity demanded	A line against a point
Arithmetic	Work out 20 – 2(5)	10

02 Lesson flow (60 minutes)

Time	Stage	Tutor does	Student does
0-10 min	Two curves	Demand slopes down, supply up	Draw once
10-24 min	Law of demand	Price up, quantity demanded down	Two examples
24-38 min	Equilibrium	Where the curves cross	Read price and quantity
38-52 min	Shift or along	Price moves along; other factors shift	Sort six cases
52-57 min	Answer format	Direction then reason	Rewrite an answer
57-60 min	Exit check	Three questions marked	Finish alone

03 Teaching script (read it out)

Scene 1: Law of demand

A higher price means a lower quantity demanded, which is why the demand curve slopes down.
Quantity demanded is a point on the curve; demand is the whole curve.

Student says whether a price rise reduces demand or quantity demanded.

Scene 2: Equilibrium at the crossing

At the equilibrium price, quantity demanded equals quantity supplied and there is no shortage.
Above it, surplus pushes the price down; below it, shortage pushes it up.

Student finds equilibrium from a table.

Scene 3: One sentence separates shift from movement

Price changes move you along the curve.
Income, tastes, related prices or expectations shift the whole curve.
Answer with direction first, then the non-price factor.

Warn: saying demand increased without naming the factor loses marks.

04 Question types and worked steps

Type	Example	Steps	Answer
Law of demand	price rises from 10 to 12	Move along, quantity falls	Quantity demanded falls
Shift	household income rises	Demand shifts right	Higher equilibrium price and quantity
Equilibrium	Qd = 20 – 2P, Qs = 2P	20 – 2P = 2P	P = 5, Q = 10
Shortage or surplus	price above equilibrium	Surplus	Price falls

Sanity check (teach this): Only one factor changes at a time; if price and income both change, answer in two layers.

05 Independent practice (3 questions)

Question	Answer	What to watch
Qd = 20 – 2P, Qs = 2P	P = 5, Q = 10	Solve the equation
Income rises: what happens to demand?	Shifts right	Name the non-price factor
Price below equilibrium	Shortage, price rises	Direction correct

06 Common mistakes and what to say

Mistake	Student writes	Say this
Shift and movement confused	price rise called a fall in demand	That is a movement along.
Demand and quantity demanded mixed	uses demand for a point	One is a line, one is a point.
Reason missing	just says demand rises	Name the factor that changed.
Axes misread	swaps price and quantity	Check both labels.

07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)

Secondary economics chapter index — Use the three questions on this page

08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)

Question	Answer	Decision
Equilibrium price from Qd = 20 – 2P, Qs = 2P	5	All right: move to market structure
A price rise is which change?	Movement along	One wrong: re-teach
Income rises: demand curve?	Shifts right	Two wrong: repeat scene 3

09 Tutor FAQ

Do they need diagrams?

Yes; a diagram shows movement against shift faster than words.

Elasticity now?

Later; stabilise demand and supply first.

How to score in written answers?

Direction, then reason, then the effect on equilibrium.

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A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.