Ms. Bowling ECONOMICS 2012-2013

Ms. Bowling ECONOMICS 2012-2013

Course Description

This class is designed to give you a well-rounded understanding of Economics. We will focus on the basic concepts (like scarcity, choices, and opportunity cost) that drive economic thought. With that foundation, we will learn about supply and demand, labor, monetary and fiscal policy, the US market economy, international trade, and investments. Within these topics lie all the California State Social Studies Standards for economics.

Classroom Procedures & Expected Behaviors A well-structured classroom with detailed procedures and routines is the only environment in which I can effectively teach and you can effectively learn. Throughout the next few weeks, you will learn the specific procedures and will be expected to know and routinely follow them. Below are the more basic guidelines for the class.

• Respect all those around you and their ideas.
• Come to class ready to learn EVERY day, bringing required materials (homework, research, brain) to class every day.
• Accept responsibility for your performance and course grade. You will succeed if you give the course your best effort, complete your assignments, attend class,and prepare for tests.

Class Policies:

• Ending the class: Remain in your seat when the bell rings. I dismiss you, not the bell. Any packing up early will only result in a longer wait to leave class.
• Phones: Phones must be turned off and put away in the classroom. This is particularly true during tests in this class. If I find that you have a phone on your person (off or on, working or not) during an exam, you will receive a zero on the exam. There will be a place to put phones during an exam for those without backpacks.
• Absences: Make up work is your responsibility! All homework packets are available on line. If you miss a HWK’s Q & A session while absent, you only get one extra day upon your return to complete it. If you are present for a Q & A session, you must turn in your homework the day you return. If you are suspended, see DUSD, DHS, and social studies policies for makeup work. If you are absent on test day for any reason, you have a week to make up the test upon your return. If you get a CUT, you receive no credit for any classwork, homework, projects, tests given or due that day.
• Tardies: DO NOT BE LATE TO THIS CLASS!!! You will be considered late if you are not within the classroom when the bell rings. If you choose to be late more than once, you will lose participation points, the penalty increasing for each successive tardy (ex: 5 points for 2nd, 10 for 3rd, and 15 for 4th). Fifth and subsequent tardies will be referred to the administration. If you are tardy, your HOMEWORK will be late and therefore be reduced by 50%.
• Late Work: Assignments are due at the beginning of the period, unless otherwise indicated. All late work must be turned in, and be complete according to guidelines (over), by test day to earn partial credit.
• For projects due before 8AM, there will be 1 letter grade deduction for each hour (1-60min.) it is late. This deduction will come off of the grade of the person responsible for turning the group assignment in, regardless if it is an excused absence or not.
• Plagiarism: Plagiarized work is never acceptable on any classwork, tests, projects, homework, etc. and will earn you a zero.
• Unit Packets or Unit Agendas- All unit packets/agendas must be obtained from our class website, PRINTED AT HOME, and brought to class the day that they are due. Printing must take place at home NOT THE LIBRARY. If you find that your printer breaks or you run into other trouble, you are to come to me at least three days before the packet is due and I can get you a copy myself. The library can also sell you a copy of the current packet. If I, or the librarians, discover that you printed the packet out without permission, you will lose credit for it.

Grading: You will be assessed in the following ways. (Note: percentages are approximate and subject to change)

• Participation (5%) Each day you will receive 5 points for your participation in class. If you do not participate and/or cause disruptions, you can lose points. Being prepared with your materials and text, attending to the task at hand, listening to and following instructions are all considered part of participation. Anything you do that interferes with these things will result in the loss of points. Tardies will also result in the loss of participation points. The 2nd tardy is 5 points, 3rd is 10, 4th is 15, 5th is 20, etc. Again, if you are tardy, your homework will be reduced by 50%. Tardies can have a significant impact on your grade.
• Homework (15%) NOTE: Homework answers cannot be typed! Please see below and online for further details on grading.
• Test/Content Knowledge (25%)
• Problem-Based Projects: a. Group Collaboration (10%) b. Group Project (20%) c. Individual Performance on Project or Homework Quizzes(15%)

• Final Exam (10%)
• The grade scale will be: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C, 60-69%=D, 59.4-0=F Nothing is ever curved in this class.

Please review this with a parent or guardian and sign the form below.

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We have read the syllabus together and will strive for success in Mrs. Bowling’s class.

______

Student’s nameParent/Guardian’s name Parent/Guardian’s email address

(please print clearly)

______

Student’s signatureParent/Guardian’s signature

Unit Packets- All unit packets must be obtained from our class website, PRINTED AT HOME, and brought to class the day that they are due. Printing must take place at home NOT THE LIBRARY. If you find that your printer breaks or you run into other trouble, you are to come to me at least three days before the packet is due and I can get you a copy myself. The library can also sell you a copy of the current packet. If I, or the librarians, discover that you printed the packet out without permission, you will lose credit for it.

Homework Guidelines:

Terms/Definitions: All terms must be 1) defined AND 2) used in a sentence to prove your understanding of the term.

Format: All terms and questions must be defined and answered in Cornell Note form as demonstrated in class.

Assignment: Homework is due two days after it is assigned. For example, Homework should be worked on the first night it is assigned. Then, questions and clarifications can be asked the next day in class during Q & A sessions. REVISIONS SHOULD BE MADE at that time (see important note below about color requirements). But, the Homework is not actually due until the third day. This gives you time to ask questions in class regarding the homework. IMPORTANT NOTE: During Homework Q & A sessions, always done the day before homework is due, you must use a different color pen/pencil when revising your homework. If an assignment is missing color notes or highlighting, 1/4th of the points will be deducted.

Turning in Procedure: When homework is due, a "done" stamp will be given to indicate that it was completed on time. ONLY completed homework will be stamped! Students will keep all their unit homework and will turn it in together on that unit's test day. Assignments without the "done" stamp can be turned in but will receive only 1/2 credit (if they are completed).

REMINDER: Homework answers cannot be typed!

Sample Homework Assignment Using Cornell Notes format

• Title assignment with the appropriate unit in upper left and place your name, date, and period in upper right.
• Draw a new margin 1/3 of the way in from the left

• Questions go on the left, answers on the right

• To use for study/review: Fold your paper on the line, revealing only the questions, and use them to test yourself

1. price ceiling

1. property tax