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Costs a Government Chooses is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on comparing the benefits and costs of a public choice, aligned to Common Core standard D2.Eco.1.3-5. 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 pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 9 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.

Costs a Government Chooses

D2.Eco.1.3-5

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.A council builds upward on cleared land. Benefit?
  • A.Bricks are cheaper
  • B.More families housed from the same scarce sites
  • C.Lists get shorter by themselves
2.A country signs a five-year fixed-price supply deal. Benefit?
  • A.It knows the cost of timber for five years
  • B.It gains a fleet
  • C.It gains territory
3.The government builds through councils rather than firms. Cost?
  • A.It loses the land
  • B.It loses the timber
  • C.It loses whatever speed competing firms might have brought
4.A minister publishes figures that show a shortfall. Cost?
  • A.Radio time is expensive
  • B.The failure is on the record for opponents to use
  • C.Figures take long to add
5.A council builds upward on cleared land. Cost?
  • A.Waiting lists lengthen
  • B.Higher building costs more per home and changes the street entirely
  • C.Land runs out sooner
6.The government builds through councils rather than firms. Benefit?
  • A.Councils build faster
  • B.Materials go where destruction was worst rather than where profit is
  • C.Bricks cost less
7.A minister publishes figures that show a shortfall. Benefit?
  • A.Bricks arrive faster
  • B.More homes get built
  • C.The public can judge progress rather than take his word
8.A family waits seven years for a council home. What is the cost to them?
  • A.Seven years living in whatever they can get instead
  • B.The rent they will pay
  • C.The size of the home

LessonPrint · D2.Eco.1.3-5 · Set 9 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Costs a Government Chooses

Set 9. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.More families housed from the same scarce sites
  2. 2.It knows the cost of timber for five years
  3. 3.It loses whatever speed competing firms might have brought
  4. 4.The failure is on the record for opponents to use
  5. 5.Higher building costs more per home and changes the street entirely
  6. 6.Materials go where destruction was worst rather than where profit is
  7. 7.The public can judge progress rather than take his word
  8. 8.Seven years living in whatever they can get instead

More practice for D2.Eco.1.3-5

Weigh up what a choice gains against what it costs.

Teaching this next? Costs a Government Chooses is the 55-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 3 to Grade 5 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Eco.1.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.