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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 4 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.Why are diamonds expensive while tap water is cheap in most places?
  • A.Water is harder to find than diamonds
  • B.Diamonds are scarce, while tap water is plentiful
  • C.Diamonds are easy to dig up
2.Gasoline becomes scarce after a pipeline breaks. What might drivers do?
  • A.Drive less and share rides
  • B.Drive more than before
  • C.Fill up two cars each
3.A shortage of computer chips slows car factories. What happens?
  • A.More cars are made than ever
  • B.Cars become free
  • C.Fewer new cars are made, and their prices go up
4.When water is scarce in summer, what might a city ask people to do?
  • A.Water their lawns less often
  • B.Leave the hoses running
  • C.Fill extra swimming pools
5.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
6.A drought means farmers grow less wheat. What happens to bread prices?
  • A.Bread becomes free
  • B.They rise
  • C.They fall
7.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.Sunshine
  • C.The town's name
8.A frost ruins half the orange crop. What happens to the price of oranges?
  • A.It goes down
  • B.It goes up
  • C.It stays the same

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.3.3-5 · Set 4 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — When Things Are Scarce

Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Diamonds are scarce, while tap water is plentiful
  2. 2.Drive less and share rides
  3. 3.Fewer new cars are made, and their prices go up
  4. 4.Water their lawns less often
  5. 5.Not having enough of something for everyone who wants it
  6. 6.They rise
  7. 7.Fresh food brought in by truck
  8. 8.It goes up

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