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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 22 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.A shortage of computer chips slows car factories. What happens?
  • A.Fewer new cars are made, and their prices go up
  • B.More cars are made than ever
  • C.Cars become free
2.A storm closes the roads into a town for a week. What becomes scarce in its stores?
  • A.Fresh food brought in by truck
  • B.The town's name
  • C.Sunshine
3.Why do people sometimes stand in long lines when something is scarce?
  • A.There is not enough for everyone, so they hurry to get some
  • B.There is too much of it
  • C.Lines make things cheaper
4.A frost ruins half the orange crop. What happens to the price of oranges?
  • A.It stays the same
  • B.It goes up
  • C.It goes down
5.A drought means farmers grow less wheat. What happens to bread prices?
  • A.They rise
  • B.Bread becomes free
  • C.They fall
6.Gasoline becomes scarce after a pipeline breaks. What might drivers do?
  • A.Fill up two cars each
  • B.Drive less and share rides
  • C.Drive more than before
7.What is scarcity?
  • A.A kind of tax
  • B.Having more than anyone needs
  • C.Not having enough of something for everyone who wants it
8.Why are diamonds expensive while tap water is cheap in most places?
  • A.Diamonds are scarce, while tap water is plentiful
  • B.Water is harder to find than diamonds
  • C.Diamonds are easy to dig up

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.3.3-5 · Set 22 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — When Things Are Scarce

Set 22. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Fewer new cars are made, and their prices go up
  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.They rise
  6. 6.Drive less and share rides
  7. 7.Not having enough of something for everyone who wants it
  8. 8.Diamonds are scarce, while tap water is plentiful

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