Economics Systems Course Syllabus

Agape High School

½ Year (1 quarter course)

Ms. Glaspie

Course Description:

This Economics course is a one -semester course designed to prepare you to make important economic decisions.  These decisions will help you consider your personal life and the choices one makes relating to spending, saving, budgeting, investing, borrowing and other personal financial planning considerations.  Another topic explored in this course is preparing you to make economic choices that are also critical to being an informed citizen of a democratic society.  This study of economics will also enable you to make reasoned judgments about personal finances and the economic policy decisions of the various levels of government. Understanding of how markets work and of the tradeoffs involved in trying to accommodate unlimited wants with limited resources is essential for meaningful democratic dialogue on what governmental bodies should be doing. With this background, hopefully we’ll have a better chance of achieving the American dream.

Course Materials:

We will use a variety of sources to help us learn the key ideas for learning Economics.  We’ll use class activities, current event articles, various text, the Census Bureau, data, charts and graphs.  We will look at multiple kinds of sources that may come from primary and secondary documents, films, textbooks, and credible online resources.  The Minnesota Academic Standards for learning Economics will be our guide for what is to be learned and accomplished in this course.  These standards will be made visible and acknowledged on the classroom board for all to see and reference for guidance on direction of class.

Class Expectations:

·      Respect for self, others and teacher.

·      Be present and ready to learn.

·      Take responsibility for missed class sessions by doing homework.

·      Understand the importance of writing and thinking critically.

·      Stay engaged in the learning process by participating in class discussions, completing in-class lessons and group projects.

Grading Policy:

Your grade will be based on class participation assignments, daily reflection questions, individual and group projects, essays, daily quizzes and tests.  To earn a desirable grade you must earn as many points as possible on all kinds of assignments.  All quizzes and tests are graded on a 10- point basis; all written material is graded based on increments of 10- points per paragraph.  It is expected that you will strive to write full- length paragraphs that contain at least 5 full sentences.  Class participation points range from 20-100 points possible, depending on the kind of assignment and engagement level requested.  These kinds of assignments may not be made up outside of class.  The break down for points is as follows:

*90-100          A

*80-89            B

*70-79            C

*60-69            D

*50—59         D-

Standards, Course Topics and Essential Questions:

Topic 1: Introduction to Economics

Standard: The student will understand and use economic concepts, theories, principles and quantitative methods to analyze current events.

*People make informed Economic choices by identifying their choices and goals.

*People make informed economic choices by interpreting data, considering the short and long run cost and benefits of alternative choices and by revising their goals based on their analysis.

Essential Questions: How do people make decisions about their economic livelihood?  What influences one’s choice in purchasing particular goods and services?  Why do different households and people choose the way that they do?  How are budget’s made?  What needs to be considered in developing a budget?  What are some ways to track the success or progress of a budgeting plan?

Topic 2:  Market Economies

Standard: The student will understand the basic characteristics of markets and the role of prices in modern market economics.

Essential Questions:

What is the relationship between price and quantity?

What factors shift supply and demand?

How is equilibrium reached?

Why is disequilibrium bad?

How can we evaluate government responses to externalities?

Topic 3:  The U.S. Economy-Structures and Institutions

Standard: The student will understand business organization, market structures and financial institutions that operate within our economy.

Essential Questions:

How do various financial institutions work differently?

What is the role of competition and monopolies in industries?

How are businesses organized?

Topic 4: Microeconomics: Business cycles, Inflation, GDP, Unemployment

Standards: The student will analyze the causes and consequences of overall economic fluctuations.

Essential Questions:

How does interest rates affect the economy?

What is the relationship between unemployment and GDP?

Topic 5: Macroeconomics: Fiscal policy and Monetary policy

Standard: The student will understand the influence of the federal government budgetary policy and the Federal Reserve System’s monetary policy.

Essential Questions:

How can government budget decisions affect GDP?

How can central bank decisions affect GDP? 

Topic 6: Economic growth is the main way a country can improve its standards of living.

Standard: The student will understand that economic growth is the primary means by which a country can improve the future economic standard of living for its citizens.

Essential Questions:

How does a GDP impact material living standard?

Topic 7:  Trade benefits everyone.  International Trade and barriers.

Standard: The student will understand the factors involved in the United States relationships with other nations.

Essential Questions:

Why trade?

How do international economic institutions help and or hurt global economic growth?

Topic 8:  Financial management is important for general well-being.

Standard: The student will learn and be able to apply personal financial management and investment practice.

Essential Questions:

How can I make good choices?

How does credit work?

How do personal financial decisions impact your life?

Teacher Availability:

I’m available to answer questions, or address your concerns most mornings from 9:00-9:30.  This is generally your arrival time to school and the time you’ll get breakfast and take care of your child in the daycare.  However, it can also be a time to ask questions, take a missed quiz, finish typing or printing out an essay.  Let’s work with the time we have to help you earn the kind of grade you desire.

I can also be reached at: jolene.glaspie@spps.org or 651-744-7981