Introductory Course to High School Economics

Instructor: Ms. Georgi

Course Description: In this introductory course to High School Economics,
students will learn how to study people, business, and governments choices in
their use of human and natural resources. Students will also learn how best to
integrate knowledge, understanding, and insights in order to develop applied
skills that will help them to orient themselves with greater clarity in the real world
of the 21st century.

Course Outline:

I. Why Economics?
a. Scarcity and Opportunity Cost
a. Important Vocabulary: Incentives, Capital, Labor, Goods
a. Specialization, Trade and Production
b. Types of Economics Systems: Planned and Market Economies;
Traditional Economy, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism

III. A Microeconomic Worldview
a. Supply and Demand
b. Market Equilibrium
c. Production Possibilities & Budget Constraints

IV. A Macroeconomic Worldview
a. Economic Growth and Recession
b. Measures of Growth: GDP vs. GNP and Real Per Capita GDP
c. Employment and Cost of Living
d. Ination, Deation, and Money Supply
e. Banking, Interest, Loans, and Stock Market
f. Taxes and Government Spending

Grading:

The academic year is divided into two semesters. Progress reports will be
issued mid-semester with report cards being issued at the end of each
semester. Reporting is based on the assessment of the expected school-wide
learning results (ESLRs) and the benchmarks for each specic course.

Letter grades are used to
summarize the assessment
of expected school-wide
learning results (ESLRs)
and benchmark
performance.








The following benchmark qualiers are used:


Class Norms/Procedures:

Respect your classmates: treat their ideas, their classwork, and their property as
you would like others to treat yours. One basic example of showing respect is not
talking when someone else is speaking to the class.

Go big: your biggest, most enthusiastic effort on all assignments for this class will
bring you results you can be proud of.

Communicate: when you have a question, ask it. When you need help, talk to
your classmates or come visit me after school. Its pretty hard to learn in silence.

Dont misuse technology: when you use your computer or any other device in this
class, you should be working on assigned Economics-related tasks. With teacher
permission, you can work on tasks for other classes, check email, etc. Playing
games and social networking is not allowed in class (unless were playing an
Econ game!)

Be here: you need to be present and on time for class in order to learn best and
be best prepared for our tests and projects. When the bell rings, you should NOT
be running for your seat. Be in your seat when class begins, and do not begin to
pack your things until the end bell rings.

Do your own work in class. If you work collaboratively with your classmates, be
sure to write answers in your own words. When you use someone elses idea,
give them formal credit. If you plagiarize someone elses work (either by copying
their words exactly, or referencing their ideas without giving credit), you will need
to write your teacher and your parents a letter of apology, and you will re-do the
assignment.

Try to always speak English in class. If you do not understand something, and
need a classmate to explain concepts to you in Korean or using Korean words,
that is acceptable. Chatting with your friends in Korean in class is not acceptable
(because I cannot gauge the appropriateness of your conversations).

If you get a C or lower on an assessment, you may re-do that assessment or an
alternate version of that assessment if you meet with the teacher and complete a
corrective assignment.