AP Economics Course Syllabus 2017-2018 The Essentials Course: AP Economics Classroom: 305 Teacher: Mr. Walker Phone: 480-575-2485 E-mail: jwalker@ccusd93.org Office Hours: Mon & Weds 2:00-3:00, other times by appointment Course Description AP Economics is a one-year course covering the Arizona and national standards for microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts for development of economic thinking. The course also meets state standards and will prepare students to successfully take the AP Microeconomic and Macroeconomic tests. The main topics covered correlate directly with the AP Course Guidelines and include: Microeconomics Competitive Markets, Demand and Supply Elasticity Government Intervention Market Failure Theory of the Firm Macroeconomics Overall Economic Activity Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply Macroeconomic Objectives Fiscal and Monetary Policy Supply-side Policies Successful completion of Economics is a graduation requirement set forth by the State of Arizona and Cactus Shadows High School. Required Materials A three-ring binder Textbooks Krugman s Economics for AP. Worth Publishers: New York, 2011 Pearson Education AP Test Prep Series: Economics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Pearson Education: London, 2012 College-ruled lined notebook paper. Clean edges only, no spiral edges please. Pens (blue or black), highlighters, colored pencils A computer with internet access at home. Grading Course activities will include: Bell ringer, daily writings Multiple-choice or short response questions for concept review and exam practice based on current lesson. Lecture notes with open discussion Each unit includes lecture notes to present or review material using PowerPoint
Interactive and open discussions of material to answer questions, discuss concepts, and understand current events focusing on positive and normative statements. Graphing library (flash cards) A given list of graphs is drawn with a complete explanation on one side of a 4 x 6 index card. A title of the graph is given on the other side. Cards are peer evaluated throughout the course and teacher evaluated periodically. Activities Developed from resources through NCEE, text-related resources, or self-made to reinforce or practice current concepts. Completed as appropriate for the topic. Problems/Questions/Self-assessment Used to check for understanding without formal assessments. Problems include multiple choice questions, fill-in the blank, matching, free-response, mathematical computations, and graphing. Current event written assignment (as time and events allow) Short-response essay on a given article from various economic publications. AP Exam practice Ongoing practice based on past AP exams. Practice includes multiple-choice questions at various difficulty levels and free-response questions that require critical thinking and analytical skills to exemplify analytical skills. Primarily done through Albert.io in class and at home. Exam review Intensive review Practice using previous assessments After-school teacher led and student study groups Videos Used for classroom support, study, and remediation Section and unit assessments Format includes multiple choice and fill-in the blank questions, and individual graphing to match the AP format. Midterm and final exams Format includes multiple choice and free-response questions. No exam will be given early. Make-up exams are scheduled per policy and calendar. Depending on schedule, specific portions of the exam can be given on separate days. NOTE: retakes on assessments are not available. When appropriate, corrections are done as an assignment. Late and Missed Work Students are responsible for contacting teachers to complete missed work. Parents can e-mail teachers to request homework to pick up during a student s absence. For every day of excused absence, a student has two days to make up homework, classwork, quizzes, and tests (parents have 24 hours to contact the school to excuse the absence). Work previously assigned with a due date during an absence is due on the first day of his/her return to school (including suspension dates). Be advised that each department, which assigns extended projects, has specific deadline dates. All makeup work from an excused absence is eligible to receive full credit if completed and turned in within the 2 day window. Some courses such as Honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment courses have numerous long-term projects or portfolios, which may have absolute deadlines. Students will be advised of these project/portfolio deadlines in the course syllabus or on grading outlines and will be expected to turn in projects/portfolios prior to the designated date for credit regardless of days absent. Assignments, tests, quizzes not completed within the 2 day window will receive a zero. (Ref: Board Policy JH-R) Extra Credit
From time to time I will make extra credit opportunities available to all students. Also, any student who points out a substantive error I have made in a presentation to the class will get up to 5 points - a half a letter grade on the next unit test - depending on how significant the error is. Typos or failure to dot an i do not meet this standard. Also, no credit will be given if the student is disrespectful when pointing out the error. Classroom Expectations Be Excellent to Each Other Always Do Your Best Work Falcon PRIDE Classroom Procedures Starting Class: Put your cell phone away. If I see it, I will take it and your parents will have to pick it up. Enter the room quietly and take a seat. Once you are in the class, we are working. Look to the board for the day s Guiding Question and Bellwork and copy/complete as directed. Be working when the bell rings. Ending Class: Leave the class cleaner than you found it. I will dismiss you, not the bell. Eating & Drinking Nothing but water only, per school policy. Technology We will have some access to computers, for school-related work only. Inappropriate use of computers, including being on unrelated websites, will result in loss of privileges and further consequences. Classrooms are now designated as No Phone Zones except with teacher permission. All phones are expected to be housed in backpacks during class time. If your phone is out after the tardy bell rings, it will be confiscated and your parent or guardian must come to school to get it. There are no pictures allowed at any time in class without the express consent of the person being photographed. Using the Restroom One student at a time may be permitted to use the restroom. A student needing to use the restroom during a test or quiz, must raise his/her hand and talk to the teacher first. Otherwise, walk to the front of the room, sign out, take the pass, and leave quietly. Please keep the door locked. The teacher reserves the right to change this policy if it is abused. Academic Misconduct A student may be subject to disciplinary action when the student engages in any of the following forms of academic misconduct: Lateness - For missing or leaving school or class without permission or excuse. Cheating - Including but not limited to copying, using unauthorized help sheets and the like, illegally obtaining tests in advance, substituting for a test-taker, and other forms of unauthorized collusion. Plagiarism - Representation of the ideas or work of another person as his/her own. Collusion - Supporting malpractice by another student as in allowing one s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another. Duplication of work - Presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or requirements.
Fabrication of Data - Manufacturing data for a table, survey, or other such requirement. Any behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student and/or affects the results of another student. Cactus Shadows High School takes academic dishonesty seriously. Any violation of this policy will result in a zero for the assignment/assessment for a first offense, a zero for the assignment/assessment and short term suspension for a second offense and a loss of credit for the semester course (.5) and short term suspension for a third offense. Students who share assignment/assessment information with other students via pictures, paper or electronics will receive a zero on the assignment/assessment and a short term to long term suspension (prior academic misconduct referrals from any other school or CCUSD grade level will be considered). AP Exam The AP Micro and Macro exams are separate exams that follow the same format. Each exam has a 70-minute multiple-choice section and a 60-minute free-response section. The multiple-choice section accounts for 66 2/3 percent of the examination grade and the free-response section accounts for 33 1/3 percent of the examination grade. Scores are used by colleges and universities to determine if credits will be given for the AP course or if the equivalent course can be skipped. Scores are as follows: 5 extremely well qualified 4 well qualified 3 qualified 2 possibly qualified 1 no recommendation Your AP score does not impact your course grade, however, how well you do in the course will impact your AP score. Practice questions are interwoven throughout the course as well as rigorous practice prior to the exams. It is to your benefit to do well throughout the year. Please speak to the counselor about fees, payment schedules, other requirements, and college or university acceptance. Test dates: Macroeconomics - Wednesday, May 16 at 12 noon (location tba) Microeconomics - Friday, May 18 at 8:00 a.m. (location tba)
Please sign the acknowledgement below. Detach this page from your syllabus and return ONLY the acknowledgement to me no later than August 14, 2017 I have read and understand the above policies. I understand I am responsible for my behavior, and that violations of classroom procedures can result in discipline and removal from class. I UNDERSTAND THAT IF MY PHONE IS OUT, I WILL LOSE IT AND MY PARENT OR GUARDIAN MUST COME PICK IT UP AT SCHOOL. Student Name (Please Print) Date Signature Student email address Class Period I grant permission for my student to have access to internet services and electronics used for this class. I understand that my student will lose his/her phone if it is out in class, and that I will be required to pick it up. Parent/Guardian Name (Please Print) Date Signature Parent/Guardian email address