Course Description

Mr. da Silva

                                   

IB Economics SL

Brief Course Description

In this course you will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of, and facility with, key economic concepts and principles. As a result of this course, you will become a better-informed and more effective participant in the local, national and world economies.

The following is a list of units that we will cover this semester.

-       An Intro to Economic Concepts, including scarcity, factors of production and types of economic systems.

-       How Markets Work, including supply and demand and the role of prices.

-       Market Structures, Business Organization and Labor, including monopolies and how wages are set.

-       Investment, including stocks, bonds and other investments.

-       Measuring Macroeconomic Performance, including GDP, inflation and unemployment.

-       Taxes, Government Spending and Fiscal Policy.

-       Money, Banking and the Federal Reserve System.

-       International Trade, including foreign exchange and trade barriers.

-       Developing economies around the world

Grading

There will be 4 areas of grading the course:

Participation Points: Awarded for active participation in the class. Can be taken away for students that are disruptive. Participation points are often awarded based on classwork. Participation is usually 40% of the grade in the class.

Tests/Quizzes: Expect a major test/quiz every two weeks in the course. End of unit exams will have two parts. One day will be a test created by the teacher, the second day will be an IB style test of the same content. Students will always be given study guides for these tests.

Commentaries: Four commentaries of between 650-750 words will be completed and submitted to IB by early March. Not only is this a HUGE part of your grade, usually around 30%, but it is 25% of your IB grade.

Homework: There are two types of homework you will be required to do: assigned and non-assigned. Assigned homework is given every two weeks, but this is often skipped in order to give you more time to work on commentaries, etc. Non-assigned homework is the daily studying you will need to do in this course. To do well in this class and on the IB test, you will need to become experts in the field of economics. This means being curious about the news, reading the textbook on your own time, thinking about economics constantly, and taking individual initiative. I will help guide you in this process, but in the end, it will be you that determines what grade you will get on the IB test.

Late Work: There is no late work. If you have an outstanding reason, I am willing to grant an extension. Extensions must be requested at least 24 Hours before any due date.

Absences: It is the responsibility of every student to inquire as to what was missed and if make-up work needs to be submitted. Weekly Class Planners are given on Monday of each week and these detail the work for the week, for the most part. Students are given an extra day after returning to complete late work and I am usually rather forgiving in this regard when the absence is excused. A portfolio for each week will be kept that includes copies of handouts and assignments given. If a student misses a day of lecture it is his/her responsibility to get those notes from another student.

This rule applies to tests. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to chase down students to make-up tests or any other work. In some cases, students will be excused from classwork if the absence is excused and the student has spoken with me.

Learning Expectations

Students need to be prepared to learn when they enter class. This means that they need to be punctual, be active, and bring required materials.

Class Objectives and Goals: Students will

1.     Come prepared to learn everyday

2.     Develop an academic writing and speaking voice

3.     Present ideas with an organized and persuasive style

4.     Acquire a firm understanding of the geography, culture, and history of places around the world

5.     Engage with world events as they happen and develop the skills necessary to do so

Material Requirements

You must bring the following EVERYDAY to class:

                  -Pens

                  -Paper (lots of it)

                  -Binder with at least three sections devoted to this class.

Classroom Rules

Students in this course are approaching adulthood. I treat my students as adults unless they decide not to act like adults. Students must comply with all school/district rules. At this age, I expect students to be well-behaved, responsible, courteous, polite, respectful of each other and the teacher, and prepared to learn when they enter class.

The following infractions will result in a loss of class participation points: Tardiness (without pass), unexcused absence, lack of materials.

When a student disrupts the class, they will be assigned 20 minute detention. This detention MUST be served within 2 days and must be served at lunch or after-school. For detention to be counted as served, students must sit quietly and not use electronic devices. If a student further distracts the class additional time will be added as appropriate.

Serious acts of disrespect to either the teacher or other students will result in a referral, removal from the classroom and/or and a call home.

Other Special Rules

-Students need to be in their seats unless turning in an assignment or getting materials.

-Electronic devices (ipods, cellphones, etc.) must not be seen or heard. There is no reason or excuse to have these out in the classroom. Electronic devices will be confiscated and handed to office personnel for pickup after school.

-Hats and Hoods: Should be off when you enter the classroom. Hats will be confiscated until the end of the period if it is an ongoing problem.

-Tardiness: Students will lose participation points for being tardy. Upon entering tardy for whatever reason, students will find their seat QUIETLY. At an appropriate time, I will do my best to catch the student up on what was missed. If doing so would disrupt the class, the tardy student must wait and/or sit quietly until specific directions can be given to him/her. Students who are habitually tardy will be enrolled in AIM. If a tardy student enters class and is disruptive, they will be asked to sit outside and wait.

-When the bell rings, be getting started on their warmup. Being inside the classroom is not enough. Students who need to be reminded about being on task will lose participation points and may be assigned detention.

-Restroom: As long as you do not abuse your restroom privileges, one student at a time may use the restroom. You may only do so once per class. You should not be using the restroom pass everyday. Three times in a semester should be ample.

-I only respond to students who raise their hands.

-If a student is sent outside, it is expected that they remain near the class and completely quiet. Failure to do this will result in a referral.

-Food and drinks are not allowed in class. Students may have bottles of water.

Parent-Teacher Interaction

I readily encourage parent-teacher interaction to inform parents of needs and progress of their children and to inform me of any circumstances that may be affecting student performance. I request that parents contact me through email. If a parent wishes to have a meeting with me, I ask that you first contact me and make an appointment. I encourage all parents to meet with their child’s teachers and I am always willing to make accommodations for such a meeting. If a parent would like special notification of their child’s academic progress or grades, this can also be easily arranged.

Contact Information

The easiest way to reach me is through gmail: Mrdasilvasjha@gmail.com. You may also call the school, (408) 535-6320 (ext: 313).