2016-2017 Economics Course Syllabus
Contact information: Email is the most efficient method of contacting me: . (Please double check your spelling before you hit send!) I can also be reached by phone, at (256)428-8050, extension 249. Be aware, this is a classroom phone, and during school hours calls will go to voicemail.
About the instructor: I am Michele Olejnik, and I this is my 10th year at Huntsville High School. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Auburn University, with a dual focus in comparative governments and constitutional law. At Georgia State University, I completed a minor in economics and began work on a bachelor’s degree in communications, which I completed at the University of Missouri- St. Louis. Also at UM-St. Louis, I completed the teacher education program, with a focus on history and math. Before coming to HHS, I taught middle school math at Providence K-8, American History at Chaminade-St. Louis, and was a math resource teacher at Confluence Academy, a charter school in St. Louis.
Course Objective/ About the Course: Economics is a one-semester course that is mandated by the state of Alabama as a requirement for graduation. Throughout this course, we will explore the basis of our market-based economy and compare it to other systems in the world. The goal is to give students an overview of how economics impacts multiple areas of our lives, and to give students some of the tools they will need to become responsible participants in our national and world economies. This course is NOT a personal finance course.
This course is divided into six units of study: Basic Economic Principles; Supply and Demand; Business Organizations; Economic Challenges; the Government, the Federal Reserve System, and Financial Institutions; and the Global Economy.
Course Materials and Expectations:
Required Course Materials: This course uses the Prentice-Hall textbook Economics: Principles in Action. Students have access to this book online and they have an offline copy on the hard drive of their school issued laptop.
We will also utilize a variety of online resources to assist with learning and understanding content knowledge.
Students are responsible for using edmodo to stay abreast of class assignments. Many assignments will be turned in via edmodo. I encourage all parents to use a parent account to link to their student’s edmodo account- this allows parents to see class progress. Ask your student for the parent code, or contact me for assistance.
Students will also need a USB thumb drive, ear buds or headphones, and a notebook and writing utensils. Research shows that students who take notes on paper (as opposed to on the computer) have better understanding and retention of knowledge… I take notes the “old fashioned way” and I strongly encourage students to do the same.
Assignments and grading procedures: In order to fully understand course content, students will need to read assigned chapters, actively listen during class discussion, take additional notes based on their readings and assigned online materials, and complete assignments in order to reinforce learning.
Each unit will involve individual and collaborative assignments to aid in understanding economic concepts. We will utilize a variety of project-based and experiential learning activities to allow students to take learning into their own hands. These assignments are not busy work; they are designed to help students understand and apply concepts that are covered in class, as well as concepts that are found in the readings. In addition, each unit will have a mid-point quiz and a unit test. All assignments and due dates will be listed on the unit calendar, which is handed out to students at the beginning of each unit. This information is also posted in the classroom and on the class page at the Huntsville High website.
At the end of each nine weeks grading period, students will take the HCS benchmark to assess understanding of major concepts. As per 2016-2017 HCS policy, this will be counted as a test grade.
Course averages: Nine weeks grades are computed using category percentages. All assignments are graded on a 100 point scale; each grade is weighted based on the type of assignment. HCS has adopted a uniform grading policy:
· Classwork and homework assignments that support the course of study will be weighted as 40% of the nine weeks grade.
· Summative assessments (tests, quizzes, and major projects that support the course of study) will be weighted as 60% of the nine weeks grade.
The semester average is computed per HCS policy. The first nine weeks’ grade counts as 40% of the final grade, the second nine weeks’ grade counts as 40% of the final grade, and the cumulative semester exam counts as 20% of the final grade.
Late work: HCS has adopted a uniform policy regarding late work, based on the number of school days that have passed since the assignment due date:
If any student does not complete an assignment a “1” will be used as a placeholder in INow. The student has until the next test to make up a missing or late assignment. The highest possible grade that can be earned is a 70%.
1 day late=70%
2 days late=65%
3 days late=60%
4 days late=55%
5 days late=50%
6 days late=45%
7 days late=40%
8 days late=35%
9 days late=30%
10 or more days late=1%
Note: The percentages above reflect the highest possible grade that may be earned.
If there are any questions about grades, please contact Michele Olejnik at
Make-up work due to excused absences: Students are responsible for making up missed work due to an excused absence in a timely fashion. Students are responsible for ensuring that absences are coded as absent in iNow. I follow the HCS policy regarding makeup work due to excused absences. Assignments missed due to an unexcused absence will be accepted under the late work policy outlined above.
Test taking procedures: Tests will be given at the conclusion of a unit of study, and quizzes will be given as necessary. Tests and quizzes are an opportunity for students to demonstrate mastery of material, and students have access to conceptual study guides online. Study guides are NOT a list of test questions for the students to memorize; study guides are topical or conceptual in nature, involving broad questions to help students GUIDE their study. During assessments, students will clear their desks of extra material. Students caught cheating will receive a “1” and will be offered the chance to re-take a different test over the same material, with a maximum score of 50%.
Classroom rules and etiquette: I will follow all rules and regulations that are outlined in the student handbook that has been adopted by Huntsville City Schools. As a member of our classroom community, I ask everyone work to make sure that our room is a safe and respectful place to learn. In order for this to happen, students should make an effort to arrive to class on time, ready to work, and with a positive attitude. Be respectful of other students and teachers.
Cell Phone/ Electronics Policy: Students are required to place their cell phones in the numbered pouches at the front of the classroom at the beginning of each class period. Students who are found using cell phones during class will have the phone confiscated by the instructor.
Students are NOT allowed to use earbuds without specific directions from the instructor.
Units of study for this semester: This is a broad outline of the course. Each unit will conclude with a test. Topical study guides are available online.
1. Unit One: Basic Economic Principles (chapters 1, 2, and 3) AL COS standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
a. Basic concepts (factors of production, opportunity cost, scarcity vs. shortage, law of increasing opportunity cost)
b. Economic goals
c. Pure economic systems (traditional, command, free market)
d. Free enterprise
2. Unit Two: Supply, Demand, and Price Determination (chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7) AL COS standards 6 and 7
a. Law of demand and factors impacting demand
b. Law of supply and factors impacting supply
c. Interaction of supply and demand as a method of determining price
d. Impact of market structure on price determination
3. Unit Three: Businesses and the challenges facing the labor market (chapters 8, 9, and 13)AL COS 7, 8, and 9
a. Types of businesses and their strengths and weaknesses
b. How businesses are created
c. The labor market and impact on wage determination
d. Impact of unemployment, inflation, and poverty on the economy
4. Unit Four: The Government and the Federal Reserve (chapters 14, 15, and 16) AL COS 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12
a. Taxation in America
b. How governments create budgets
c. Fiscal policy and how it works
d. Classical, Keynesian, and Monetarist economy theories
e. The federal reserve system and banking institutions
5. The Global Economy (Chapters 17 and 18) AL COS standards 3,5,6, 7, and 12
a. Levels of global development
b. Benefits and problems of global trade
Where can I find additional help? How should I study?
Students often ask how they should study in order to be successful on tests. There are many things a student should be doing, in order to take learning into their own hands:
1. Reading the assigned chapters and taking notes on what you read
2. Taking notes on the assigned videos and online PowerPoints.
3. Rewriting notes at the end of the day, filling in missing information from the reading.
4. Using notecards or quizlet to drill on important concepts and vocabulary
5. Using the resources available on schoolnet. Students have access to online study materials through huntsvillecityschools.schoolnet.com. YOU DO NOT GO IN THROUGH SUCCESSNET OR SUCCESSNETPLUS. THESE PORTALS WERE DISABLED PRIOR TO THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR. They can do practice quizzes, look at interactive graphs, access the audio for vocabulary or the text, and access the conceptual study guide for each chapter, as well as a review for each chapter. I have uploaded a document on the class page at Huntsvillehigh.org with instructions on how to access some of these tools. Follow the directions step by step.
6. Ask for help! You may ask me for help, and I will do my best to schedule a time to help you with material you struggle with. See me after class to set up a time to meet. Do NOT leave someone else’s class, or interrupt a class in progress.
ECONOMICS COURSE SYLLABUS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Economics is a mandatory, one-semester course for students in Grade 12. The course goal is for students to develop the knowledge necessary for becoming active participants in the economy. Achievement of this goal prepares students to engage as responsible, informed participants in the economic system through their educational and career choices, as well as through their participation in the marketplace.
· To ensure compliance with the policies of Huntsville City Schools regarding computer use, all students taking the Economics class will abide by the rules outlined in the HCS Student Computer Use Contract.
· Cell phones should NOT be visible during class time, except when permission is granted by the teacher.
· All students have access to the textbook in three ways: online, through the offline copy on the hard drive of HCS laptops, and by checking out a hard-copy textbook.
I have read and accept the requirements for the Economics course at Huntsville High School as outlined in the course syllabus.
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Student Signature/ Date
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Parent Signature/ Date