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When Things Are Scarce is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on how scarcity affects production and price, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Eco.3.3-5. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 13 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

When Things Are Scarce

D2.Eco.3.3-5

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.What is scarcity?
  • A.Having more than anyone needs
  • B.A kind of tax
  • C.Not having enough of something for everyone who wants it
2.A storm closes the roads into a town for a week. What becomes scarce in its stores?
  • A.Sunshine
  • B.The town's name
  • C.Fresh food brought in by truck
3.Why do people sometimes stand in long lines when something is scarce?
  • A.Lines make things cheaper
  • B.There is not enough for everyone, so they hurry to get some
  • C.There is too much of it
4.A frost ruins half the orange crop. What happens to the price of oranges?
  • A.It goes down
  • B.It stays the same
  • C.It goes up
5.Gasoline becomes scarce after a pipeline breaks. What might drivers do?
  • A.Drive more than before
  • B.Drive less and share rides
  • C.Fill up two cars each
6.A factory runs short of workers. What happens to how much it can make?
  • A.It makes fewer goods
  • B.It makes more goods
  • C.It makes exactly the same
7.When water is scarce in summer, what might a city ask people to do?
  • A.Water their lawns less often
  • B.Fill extra swimming pools
  • C.Leave the hoses running
8.A drought means farmers grow less wheat. What happens to bread prices?
  • A.Bread becomes free
  • B.They rise
  • C.They fall

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.3.3-5 · Set 13 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — When Things Are Scarce

Set 13. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Not having enough of something for everyone who wants it
  2. 2.Fresh food brought in by truck
  3. 3.There is not enough for everyone, so they hurry to get some
  4. 4.It goes up
  5. 5.Drive less and share rides
  6. 6.It makes fewer goods
  7. 7.Water their lawns less often
  8. 8.They rise

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Eco.3.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.