Pinecrest Eco-wiki - Recently Updated Pages

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pgericson — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:18:13 CST

Welcome to Mr. Ericson's Eco-wiki; a portal to on-line economic insights, a repository of economic news feeds, a source for course information, and the location of interactive discussions among and between Pinecrest's AP economics students. Important messages will be posted immediately below. Don't forget to check out the 'threads' posted by myself or one of your fellow students.

Hyperlinks to all the appropriate PowerPoint Presentations have been posted.

McConnell-Brue

Access supplemental materials and take economic quizzes online.

Economic Portal

Notable economic blogs, economic glossaries and encyclopedias, and key economic portals.

100 Best Blogs for Economics Students

More Blogs than you ever wanted to view. But its a great source of information.

Handouts and Directed Readings

Concentration Ratios in Manufacturing: find the industry concentration data
NAICS Lookup: find the industry classification for your particular industy

Macroeconomic Readings

Lecture Notes

UNIT ONE

UNIT TWO: PRODUCT MARKETS

UNIT THREE: FACTORS OF PRODUCTION

UNIT THREE: GOVERNMENT
INTERVENTION

UNIT FOUR: INTERNATIONAL TRADE

International Trade

Gradebook

The gradebook contains all your grades along with a calendar of past and pending assignments.

AP Preparation

Web sites and wiki pages that may be of use in preparing for the AP exams.

Economics Revealed

Mr. Ericson's Economics Blog that contains postings of required readings and provides opportunities for an economic dialogue

Contact Mr. E

Contact me directly via paul.ericson@gmail.com

Visit Mr. E.

Link to E's blogs, writings, and poetry.
SLICE OF LIFE

Economic Resources

pgericson — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:12:18 CDT

Economic Blogs

These blogs provide useful informed perspective on ongoing events. The Economist's View tends to view things from the left, while Greg Mankiw and the WSJ tend to be monetarist in their approach. Great reading, frankly.

Research Sites

These web sites can be very useful when you are having difficulty understanding the text or when you come up with a concept in your readings that you do not understand.

Economic Glossary	Maintained by the Economist
Amos-Ed Glossary	Straightforward and comprehensive.
McConnell Brue	Chaper by Chapter information, answers to questions, online tests.
Encyclopedia of Economics	Excellent one-page discussions on many, but not all topics.
Economy Professor	A dictionary of economic terms, concepts, theories, and economists.
Tutor2U	Another encyclopedia of sorts. I found the treatments straighforward.
Recession Watch	St. Louis Fed has a site with graphics and articles.

Microeconomic Online Articles

Economic and Statistical Portals

These web sites provide great starting points for accessing economic information on the web.

Welker's Wikionomics	A great AP economics classroom page.
Bureau of Economic Analysis Bureau of Labor	National Income Accounting statistical data
Cleveland Fed	Inflation Central
St. Louis Fed	Current and Historical Financial Data
Economagic	Economic Time Series

Macroeconomic Online Articles

Fiscal and Monetary Policy

Preliminary Impacts of the Fiscal Stimulus

Understanding Money, Monetary Policy, and Financial Matters

Understanding Money

Academic Calendar

pgericson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:24:55 CDT

August 2009

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

September 2009

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
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6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30

October 2009

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31 Halloween

November 2009

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26 Thanksgiving (U.S.)	27	28
29	30

December 2009

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
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6	7	8	9	10	11	12
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20	21	22	23	24	25 Christmas Day	26
27	28	29	30	31

AP Examination Preparation

pgericson — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:45:24 CDT

The following links may prove helpful in preparing for the final examinaton.

Test Taking	Strategies for Answering Free Response Questions: written by the Chief Reader who gives do's and don'ts for answering free response questions.
	Practice Tests: provided by the State of North Carolina for AP test takers in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.
	AP EXAM REVIEWS provided by North Carolina Virtual Public School
Macroeconomics
Course Descrition	AP Central outlines the concepts that will be tested: a good check.
Money Markets	Understanding the Difference between the Money Market and the Market for Loanable Funds: easy to understand / good graphics
Key Macroeconomic Graphs	Compilation of Top Ten Macroeconomic Graphics
Microeconomics
Course Description	AP Central outlines the concepts that will be tested: a good check.

International Trade and Finance

pgericson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:51:24 CDT

Macroeconomic Units

pgericson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:51:08 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Microeconomic Units

pgericson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:50:44 CDT

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Year-End Review

pgericson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:48:27 CDT

WE WILL BE VOTING ON EACH ACT USING THE CLICKERS.

UTUBE WORTHY
ECONOMICS RELEVANCE
BEST ALL AROUND

My AP is over and to economics good bye!
I leave this class with nary a tear nor sigh.

But wait! E says there's one more task-
Time to don my theatrical mask!

Let's hold an economics 'follies' -
Entertain each other, just for jollies!

So form up your groups and come up with your acts-

A Play, A Poem, a video, or dance, even trivial economic facts!

Let's end with a laugh and video it all! Maybe facebook, maybe U-Tube

We'll be eco-stars one and all
Something E can show to the students next fall!

WE WILL BE SPENDING OUR TIME WORKING ON OUR ACTS AFTER THE 15TH.

I'LL GET THE VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND WE WILL HOLD THE REVIEW ON TUESDAY, 27 MAY!

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS... BRING FOOD.. IT SURE BEATS WORKING.

Summer Reading

pgericson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:47:56 CDT

The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade

This is very interesting reading and I expect each student to read this book over the summer and answer the following questions.
The book can be purchased from Amazon for under $12.00.

Why are American cotton farmers so productive? Could the U.S. cotton industry survive without being so productive?
What do we mean by a ‘race to the bottom’? What is the ‘bottom’?
Why is the bottom better than it used to be?
Explain why the bottom is a ‘training ground’ that could lead to better things/
What would happen to American farmers if subsidies were removed?
What are some of the non-tariff barriers used to protect the US garment manufacturing industry? How would you characterize them in general?
Why have textile manufacturers been able to gain such protection?
How have quotas impacted on the cost and location of textile production?
How did politics and trade interact after 9-11?
What has happened since 2005 to textile imports from China [all students must answer this question].
What do we mean by clothing mining and why is it important?

Syllabus

pgericson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:13:52 CDT

Course Description

Advanced Placement Microeconomics and Macroeconomics are designed to prepare students for taking separate AP Examinations in each of these disciplines. Critically, coverage and learning assessment strategies will closely parallel expectations by the College Board for the successful completion of the AP Microeconomics and Macroeconomics examinations. The essentials of micro-economics will be covered during the first semester. Macroeconomic theory will be covered in the Spring semester, followed by an intensive test preparation for the mid-May examinations. Microeconomics provides students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the economic system. It places primary emphasis on the nature and function of product markets, and includes the study of factor markets and of the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy. Macroeconomics provides a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. The course places particular emphasis on the study of national income and price-level determination, and also develops students’ familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic, and international economics.

Resources

Economics Principles, Problems, and Policies (Sixteenth Edition). McConnell, Campbell R. and Brue, Stanley L. McGraw-Hill. 2005.

New Ideas from Dead Economists: An Introduction to Modern Economic Thought, Todd G. Buchholz.

The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade, Pitera Rivoli

Mr. Ericson’s Directed Readings

5 Steps To A 5 : AP Macroeconomics / Microeconomics. Dodge, Eric. McGraw-Hill. 2005. [Student-Purchase]

Economic Report of the President 2007, Government Printing Office

Expectations and Obligations

I expect that you are taking this class in order to gain a proficient understanding of economics and to score a four or five on the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics examinations. To this end I expect that you will:

Be prepared when you come to class each day: all assignments have been completed and the requisite materials are in hand.
Be working on the daily warm-up exercise when the bell rings.
Show respect to one another and to the learning process: behavior that distracts from learning will not be tolerated.
Be positive in your approach to learning: participate in class discussions and otherwise contribute to the class goal of gaining a proficient understanding of economics.
Be committed to taking and doing well on the Advanced Placement test in Microeconomics, to include spending the extra time necessary to meet AP course expectations.

As your instructor, I also have a number of obligations to fulfill.

I will position you to excel on the Advanced Placement Exams.
I will treat you with respect and grade you fairly.
I will maintain an economics blog covering current economic happenings and a detailed web page with electronic copies of materials handed out in class, a calendar of upcoming events, and hyperlinks to background information.
I will retain regular office hours every Wednesday after school, and will otherwise make myself available for consultation at our mutual convenience.
I will keep you informed of your academic progress and return graded tests, quizzes, and assignments on a timely basis. I will provide you with self-assessment and grading rubrics to help you undertake high-quality work.
I will host a luncheon ‘study hall’ in my room: you are welcome to come as long as you contribute to keeping noise to a minimum.

Student Evaluations

Each six-week grade is calculated according to the following weighted rubric. Individual tests, quizzes, projects, and essays will be individually weighted according to their relative importance. I will do my best to align my grading with your anticipated performance on the AP Microeconomics exam given next May.

55% Unit Examinations, Chapter Tests, and Announced Quizzes: I maintain the option of giving those who miss any examination either the same or alternative test. Students whose absence from a test is unexcused will receive a failing grade. For major units, tests will be given over two days. The first day will be multiple-choice; the second day is free response.

15% Homework, and Unannounced Quizzes: The purpose of homework is to prepare you for the day’s discussions: late homework will not be accepted unless you are absent from class.

15% Essays and Projects: Essays and projects will be assigned on a regular basis and will normally be accompanied by a grading rubric. Late work will be accepted, but substantial points will be deducted unless my approval has been obtained in advance.

15% Class Participation: Class participation grades will be assigned every three weeks according to the following rubric. I consider class participation to be a critical component of your learning experience, and consider participation to be about giving your best effort than in getting the answer right every time. Critically, you must have completed requisite reading and other homework assignments in order to participate effectively.

Course Descriptions

Microeconomics provides students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the economic system. It places primary emphasis on the nature and function of product markets, and includes the study of factor markets and of the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.

Macroeconomics provides a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. The course places particular emphasis on the study of national income and price-level determination, and also develops students’ familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic, and international economics.

Special Projects and Essays

Microeconomics

Working in teams, students will develop class presentations regarding the contributions of various economists – as detailed in New Ideas from Dead Economists- to modern day economic thinking.

Each student will be required to compete in the Richmond Federal Reserve’s essay contest.

Each student will be required to produce an investigative case study of an oligopolistic industry.

Macroeconomics

We will field one or more teams to participate in the Adam Smith division of the National Economics Challenge. This team will compete state-wide on the basis of multiple choice examinations and a quiz bowl. Winning teams advance to regional competition.

We will field a team or teams in the Fed Challenge, where we placed second in the spring of 2007. Team winners advance to regional competition.

Each student not participating in the Fed Challenge will be required to prepare an in-depth analysis of a foreign country’s macroeconomic history, policy tools, and current dynamics.

Current Events

Students are expected to keep abreast of current events as they relate to concepts covered in the course. In many cases articles will be provided for review and analysis. Students can also expect a weekly current events quiz based on information posted to my Economics Revealed blog.