Skip to content
Trade-Offs poster
TV-Y7First Aired: 19781 Season

Trade-Offs

Series Overview

Trade-offs was an AIT program designed to improve economics instruction in the United States and Canadian schools. The series of fifteen lessons, for children from 9-13, helped students think their way through economic problems and increased their understanding of economics. On a broader scale, it helped them become more effective decision makers and ultimately more responsible citizens. Each lesson consists of a 20-minute color television/film program plus teacher's guide material to facilitate classroom follow-up. Each program begins with a short segment that identifies key points that students and teachers should watch for. This is followed by the dramatization of a fundamental economic problem relevant to the daily life of the student. Special visuals emphasize the economic principles and reasoning processes involved. The last portion of the program introduces, but does not resolve, another problem, and ends by posing a question to the viewers.

Broadcast Schedule & Network Information

Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.

EndedScripted
Original Network
PBS
Episodes & Seasons

1 Season • 15 Episodes

Air Date Window

1978 – 1978

Premiered: Tue, Sep 5, 1978

Created By
Jerry J. Moss

Latest Aired Episode

Aired: Tue, Dec 12, 1978

Season 1, Episode 15: “Helping Out”

When a young girl is bitten by a stray dog, the town scrambles to determine whether the animal was vaccinated for rabies. As the search unfolds, the community confronts the broader consequences of individual choices and the hidden ways people affect one another. The incident sparks a debate over responsibility, public safety, and how best to ensure all dogs are vaccinated. Through one family’s scare, the episode explores trade‑offs between personal freedom, cost, and community well‑being.

Seasons & Episodes Breakdown

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Jerry J. Moss

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

Primary: TV-Y7

TV-Y7: Directed to Older Children — Designed for children age 7 and above.

International Certification Matrix

United States (MPAA)TV-Y7

Directed to Older Children — Designed for children age 7 and above.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Trade-Offs.

Shows Similar to Trade-Offs

Series sharing comparable tone, character dynamics, and narrative themes

  • 4.9
  • Anime
  • 8.3
  • 8.0
    Anime
  • 8.0
  • 7.4
  • 7.5
  • 8.0
  • 7.5
  • 6.8

More Series Like Trade-Offs

Shows sharing similar genres, audiences, and storylines.

6.4
7.2
7.5
7.5
7.2
8.1
7.3
8.6
6.7
7.2
5.9
7.7

Frequently Asked Questions About Trade-Offs

Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.

What is Trade-Offs about?

Trade-offs was an AIT program designed to improve economics instruction in the United States and Canadian schools. The series of fifteen lessons, for children from 9-13, helped students think their way through economic problems and increased their understanding of economics. On a broader scale, it helped them become more effective decision makers and ultimately more responsible citizens. Each lesson consists of a 20-minute color television/film program plus teacher's guide material to facilitate classroom follow-up. Each program begins with a short segment that identifies key points that students and teachers should watch for. This is followed by the dramatization of a fundamental economic problem relevant to the daily life of the student. Special visuals emphasize the economic principles and reasoning processes involved. The last portion of the program introduces, but does not resolve, another problem, and ends by posing a question to the viewers.

How many seasons does Trade-Offs have?

Trade-Offs comprises 1 season available to explore.

Who stars in Trade-Offs?

Key cast members in Trade-Offs include Cindy Girling, Bert Adkins, Stephen Brown, Gordon Robertson, Ardon Bess.

Who created or directed Trade-Offs?

Trade-Offs was developed and directed by Jerry J. Moss.