Increasing Student Achievement through Rigor, Relevance, & Relationships
Course Description
Advanced Placement Microeconomics is a college level economics course offered to high school students. The course content is designed to help students develop critical-thinking skills through the understanding, application, and analysis of fundamental economic concepts. Students will be expected to apply quantitative and mathematical skills including creating and manipulating graphs to interpreting economic concepts. Also, they will be expected to apply economic logic to a wide variety of real-world and hypothetical situations. This course prepares students for the AP® Economics Examination. The AP Exam in Economics consists of 60 multiple-choice questions (2/3 weight) and 3 free-response questions (1/3 weight). It is expected that all enrolled students will take the exam—Registration begins this week. If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you receive a large discount on AP exam fees, SAT fees, as well as college application fees. APPLY NOW! Online applications are being processed very quickly (24 hours) while paper is taking longer.
Reading
McConnell, Campbell R. and Stanley L. Brue. Microeconomics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. 17th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw- Hill, 2008.
Morton, John S. and Rae Jean B. Goodman. Advanced Placement Economics: Microeconomics Student Activities. 3rd ed. New York: National Council on Economic Education, 2003. (a.k.a. Rainbow or workbook)
If you register for the AP micro exam and make a down payment of $20, this workbook and review book for AP Exam will be provided to you complimentary.
Jevons, Marshall. Murder at the Margin. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1978.
Rivoli, Pietra. The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers. Rev. 7th ed. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999. Optional: you may checkout if you desire.
Chasey, James. Multiple-Choice & Free-Response Questions in Preparation for the AP Economics Examination. 2nd ed. Brooklyn: D & S Marketing Systems, Inc., 2001. Optional: you may checkout if you desire.
Web Sites
Helpful websites including the textbook below will be linked from my class blog listed above.
McConnell-Brue Textbook Website for students
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073126632/information_center_view0/
Course Requirements. Students are required to:
1. Show respect for yourself, your classmates, and your teacher; therefore, do not interrupt others when they are speaking. Refrain from carrying on conversations that do not pertain to class or cause disruption in class. In essence, be courteous to the learning environment of others. You should communicate with me either verbally or in writing to let me know how you are doing in the class. This means asking questions about anything you find confusing. I will be happy to help you understand, but I have to know what you are having trouble understanding. See me before or after class to set up an appointment for assistance. Stay up to date.
2. Keep a 3-ring notebook organized by unit – you will need several tab dividers of some type. The notebook will contain class and text notes, all handouts, worksheets, video notes, etc. Notebooks must be brought to class everyday and all work must be kept inside the notebook in the appropriate unit (not the textbook!). You will need this information in order to prepare for the comprehensive final exam at the end of the semester also known as the End of Course Test in Economics (EOCT) for 15% of the final grade as well as at the end of the academic year when you are reviewing for AP. Further information about the EOCT will be discussed in class but is also available at this website: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/testing/eoct_guides.asp. Subject information is here.
3. Complete assignments including reading and Rainbow in a timely manner. You will read Murder at the Margins & excerpts from Travels of a T-Shirt. This class is similar to a math class in that each concept builds on earlier understandings—build a strong foundation & subsequent stories.
4. If you check out of school without turning in your assignment to me (due that day), it is late. If you miss an assignment, you are still responsible for completing it. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, it is then due on the next school day you are present. The assignment will not be considered late if the absence is excused. Work not turned in to me at the beginning of class or when called for will not be accepted except as late work. Assigned work will be accepted late within the same unit, but the maximum grade possible will be 80% of the total points possible on the assignment—assuming you earn all possible points. After that unit’s test, 50% is the maximum. Staying up to date maximizes grades-If you have missing assignments, you are NOT eligible for test corrections/Xcredit.
5. Keep up to date with current economic and government issues by reading and analyzing news articles (format will be explained in class on day 2). Current events are due at the beginning of class; one current event per unit of study.
6. Participate fully in all class activities including class meetings, debates, group discussions, stock market and other simulations, individual and group presentations, and research reports. Write and read personal notes outside of this class (this includes texting and/or reading your personal email).
Maximize your return on investment!
7. Attend class regularly. Be on time and prepared to learn when the bell rings with your required materials organized. Students are responsible for all missed work when out. Please see me before or after class for questions and pick up any handouts/assignments from your student folder. Economics, in particular, is similar to a math class in that each unit builds on previous knowledge; therefore, it is essential to stay up to date. See the student handbook for other rules regarding absences and tardies.
8. Clean up after yourself. If you finish an assignment early, you may review, study, complete any missing or late econ assignments, or read at your desk. Before working on work for another class, obtain instructor permission. Also, do not work on economics in another class without teacher permission. Please remove any trash from your desk and the surrounding area at the end of the period.
Required Materials
Students are required to bring the following materials to class each day: Rainbow/workbook, notebook, pen, pencil, paper, calculator, and good attitude! J You will want to have different colored pens or pencils.
Classroom Rules – See expectations for detals…
1. Follow directions 4. Use appropriate language
2. Don’t interrupt when someone else is speaking 5. Obtain permission to leave room
3. No crumbly food/drinks in bottles with tops 6. Be seated & prepared to learn when bell rings
7. Ask questions to clarify understanding
Classroom Procedures and Expectations
*The items posted below are to help the students know the expectations of the teacher. If you have any questions regarding policy, please talk to the teacher. Establishing communication between the student and the teacher is crucial in a learning environment.
1. Be in the classroom before the tardy bell rings. Continuous tardies will result in a parent conference and/or an administrative referral. Tardies do not start over every six weeks, (see the student handbook for the tardy policy). Parents will be notified of excessive tardies to class and will also receive a teacher detention before an administrative referral occurs. Being late from lunch also constitutes a tardy.
2. Passes are required to enter and exit the class during class time. Class time is not the time to work on other teachers’ materials, visit other teachers, make up work in another teacher’s class, and/ or request transcripts.
3. Drinks with lids may be brought into class. Please limit the amount of snacks and candy brought to class. Students will not be granted permission to leave class to purchase items from the vending machines. Gum is allowed unless stated differently.
4. While in this classroom, you are to refrain from using vulgar/obscene/suggestive/degrading/derogatory remarks/words/comments/ or gestures that are inappropriate. You will receive a warning before being assigned detention or referred to an administrator.
5. Do not comb your hair or apply cosmetics in class, (this includes spraying perfume, hairspray or the application of nail polish). Be mindful of allergies.
6. No sleeping in class.
7. No hats or head coverings will be allowed in class (male or female) except on scheduled event days. Hats and head coverings are to be removed upon entering the building. Please also follow the dress code (provided in the student handbook). Students who violate the dress code will be referred to an administrator.
8. Cell phones/Electronics – cell phones are not to be on or visible during class. Students who violate the cell phone policy will have his or her cell phone taken up and turned into Administration 1 OR the teacher will reserve the right to place the item in question in a “time out” box during class. This includes any of the devices mentioned above and/or classwork from other teachers’ classes.
9. Wait for the teacher to dismiss you when the bell rings. Do not “pack up” to leave until class is over.
10. Write on your own paper, not in the textbooks, on the desks, walls, etc.
11. Do not get up in the middle of a lecture, speaker, and/or video to go to the restroom or to throw away trash, unless approved by the instructor. The goal is to have minimal disruption in class.
12. Respect the property of others.
13. Visitors are welcome to come in the room, make them feel that way.
14. Remember – You are responsible for your own actions! Choices matter!
*The school handbook will be used for any other rules not covered in this procedure packet. For any information pertaining to material taught in class, see the Course Syllabus.
Course Outline
Class time will be allotted based on the percentages as described by the College Board Acorn Book available from the College Board website (see blog for link). The last page of the syllabus has an AP unit breakdown.
Course Evaluation / Units of Study1. FUNdamentals/Personal Finance
Tests & Projects / 50% / 2. Consumer Choice, Demand, & Supply
Quizzes & Current Events / 30% / 3. Production & Costs
Policymaking Analysis / 5% / 4. Perfect Competition
EOCT / 15% / 5. Monopoly
6. Monopolistic Competition & Oligopoly
7. Factor Markets, Market Failures & Role of Govt.
8. Macroeconomics & International Econ.
9. EOCT
10. Last/”Final” Project: Policymaking Analysis
Graded assignments for each unit may include homework but will include quizzes, performance tasks, and tests. . Final letter grades will be determined using the following scale: A, 90-100; B, 80-89; C, 74-79; D, 70-73; and F, 0-69.
ALL class work is important. When you are absent, you must make-up all of the assigned work according to school policy in order to receive any credit—see the student handbook for details on this policy. Failure to do so will NEGATIVELY impact your grade. You should arrange to copy class notes from a trusted classmate and then review the material. After completing these steps, you should meet with me either before or after class to clarify any concepts that are unclear. Also, check the class blog/website for assignments, reviews, and other activities. Slackers & sufferers of Senioritis please note: earning an F in this class will not only affect your grade point, but you cannot graduate without this class. Hint: HOPE?
Tests/Quizzes/Projects:
Test corrections are allowed at teacher discretion. Pre-requisites to test corrections: 1) you must not be missing any assignments and 2) you must have completed the assignments for that unit on time. More learning is better. They are due within six (5) school days of receiving your test. The format on the blog must be followed or zero points will be earned. Only new material on each test may be corrected for 0.5 points per item.
Make-up tests are given according to school policy. Students should make-up any missed exam as soon as possible because postponing typically results in lower grades as students do not recall older material as well. Cheating and/or plagiarism will result in a grade of zero on the assignment as well as parental and administrative notification.
Any communication of any kind while anyone is taking a quiz, test, or exam will result in detention at a minimum to be served on Friday afternoons for one hour — ALL students deserve to be able to work without distractions in order to do their best regardless of their test taking speed! On test days, bring something else (not economics class) to work on in case you finish early or be prepared to sit quietly without disturbing others.
Projects may include but are not limited to the following: purchasing log, parent and fellow student interviews, producer interviews, and resumes as well as debates, public meeting attendance, participation surveys, and economic analysis of governmental policies and platforms as well as stock market research analysis.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Cheating is considered a serious matter. The act of cheating will result in a disciplinary referral. The first incidence does not carry a disciplinary consequence with the administrator, just a conference. In any incidence, the parents of a student who has been involved in cheating will be notified and the student will receive a grade of zero for the test or evaluation period, and a grade of U in conduct.
For this course, cheating is defined as, but is not limited to, the following acts:
§ Copying anyone’s answers to questions, exercises, study guides, classwork or homework assignments
§ Taking any information verbatim from any source, including the Internet, without giving proper credit to the author, or rearranging the order of words and/or changing some words as written by the author and claiming the work as his or her own, i.e., plagiarism.
§ Looking onto another student’s paper during a test or quiz.