AP Macroeconomics

Syllabus and Expectations

Christine Thompson
Richland High School
(817) 547-7203
christine.thompson@birdvilleschools.net

Tutorials: 2:45-3:30 on Tuesday and Thursday

Conference: 1st period (7:30-8:18)

Course Description

AP Macroeconomics is a one semester survey of the concepts and tools that economists use to analyze trends and solve
problems on a national scale. Topics covered will be derived from the material included in the AP Economics Course
Description provided by the College Board. Content covered will include, but not be limited to, an analysis of national
income and its components, economic indicators, inflation and unemployment, money and banking, stabilization policies,
and the United States and world trade in preparation for the AP Macroeconomics exam in May.

Required Text

McConnell, Campbell and Stanley Brue. Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. 15th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill,
2002.

Supplemental Resources

Morton, John and Rae Jean Goodman. Advanced Placement Economics Macroeconomics: Student Activities. 4th ed. New
York: NCEE, 2012.

Shmoop.com – Online review topics and test preparatory materials (Instructor will provide login information)

A variety of articles from the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and other publications on current economic conditions
and policy

NOTE: Students will also be provided a copy of the AP Macroeonomics Crash Course by Jason Welker for their use
throughout the semester. These books were purchased by the district with the intent that they be a reusable
resource for future AP Government students. Damages to the study guide may result in a fee of $13.00 (the
replacement cost of the books) being assessed to the student’s account.

Course Expectations

Students must take primary responsibility for their learning. Students are expected to participate in all activities in a
positive, constructive manner. Students must be prepared to contribute. This is a college-level course. Students must
commit to a college-level attitude. This means completing all assignments on time and being prepared. A schedule for this
class will be posted each day. Students are expected to enter the class ready to learn, and to read the schedule to determine
what actions (if any) they need to take to be prepared to begin. Students will work “from bell to bell.” At the ringing of
the bell signaling the end of class, I will release students. They are not to leave without being dismissed.

Supplies

Each student should bring the following to class:

1. Pencil AND pen
2. Notebook paper
3. Two 70 count spiral notebook
Grading

The instructor of this course will strictly adhere to the district grading policy for AP courses, as follows:

60% Tests and major grades (exams, free response essays and projects)
40% Daily work (quizzes, class discussion, skills practice, and other homework)

You will have the opportunity to improve your test grade by completing test corrections in class for half the points missed.
You will be required to complete these by a set due date for each test.

Reading

Students must complete outside reading to create a foundational understanding of macroeconomics and fundamental
terminology, so they may apply their study to current economic conditions. Therefore, it is essential that AP
Macroeconomics students keep up with the outside reading assignments, which may be in the form of textbook pages,
online articles, or handouts provided by the teacher. Much like other college level courses, the reading load for the course
will be intensive. A reading schedule for each unit will be posted on my website. Reading quizzes will be given to
determine students’ levels of understanding the reading material. Students will also take vocabulary quizzes for each unit
to check for understanding of key terms.

Homework

Homework for this course will generally consist of reading assignment/reading notes, practice problems for application,
and studying for quizzes and tests. There will be projects and other homework assignments on occasion. All homework
for this course is due at the BEGINNING of class and should be turned in to the appropriate inbox.

Attendance

Excellent attendance is crucial to your success in this class. Since the course is only one semester, we must cover a
substantial amount of material in a short amount of time. Every single day must be productive in moving us towards our
goal of success on the AP exam. While I understand that some absences are unavoidable, please do your best to minimize
missed class time. In the instance where attendance is not possible, it is your responsibility to communicate with the
instructor about make up work.

Per district policy, you will have one day for each day absent to complete your make up work. Any work due on the day
of your absence should be turned in immediately upon your return. Please make arrangements before a scheduled
absence (field trip, etc.) to make up any quizzes, tests, or essays that will be missed. These must be completed on or
before their due date. If you miss class or know you will be out, please check my website to see what you miss. Handouts
and notes given in class can also be found on my website. If, after consulting my website, you still have questions or
concerns about completing makeup work, please see me.

Late Work

Students will be issued three “late work certificates” each semester. If you choose to use a certificate, you will have a
maximum of three additional days to turn in the assignment without penalty (EXCEPT at the end of the six weeks – as I
must receive any late work by the last day of the six weeks). If you do not use all of your certificates, they can be
exchanged for extra credit on the semester exam. Students who have used all of their certificates will not be allowed to
turn in additional late assignments. Excessive late work will warrant a parent conference. I encourage all students to sign
up for Remind 101 to receive text reminders of due dates, quizzes and tests.

Discussions

Formative assessment will be completed by the teacher during class discussions, in which every student will be expected
to participate. This will allow the teacher to gauge student understanding and to clarify the study material. Hopefully
these discussions will allow the students to expand on their own understanding by trading ideas and interpretations with
their peers.
Free Response Questions

Students will practice extensively with released free response questions from previous AP exams. In class free response
questions will be assigned frequently, as individual assessments and in conjunction with multiple choice exams. All free
responses will be timed to help students learn to complete these within the time restraints of the AP exam. Students will
also participate in peer review of free responses in order to familiarize themselves with the grading process and rubric
standards.

From the AP Economics Course Description:

When answering the AP Macroeconomics free response questions, a student should respond clearly and concisely.
Including paragraph or even full-sentence responses is not always necessary; however, it is important to address the verb
prompts appropriately (as explained below). Definitions of the following terms that are frequently used as prompts in free-
response questions are:

 “Show” means to use a diagram to illustrate your answer. Correct labeling of all elements including the axes of the
diagram is necessary to receive full credit.
 “Explain” means to take the reader through ll of the steps or linkages in the line of economic reasoning. Graphs and
symbols are acceptable as part of the explanation.
 “Identify” means to provide a specific answer that might be a list or a label on a graph, without any explanation or
elaboration.
 ”Calculate” means to use mathematical operations to determine a specific numerical response, along with providing
your work.

Course Outline

The presentation of course material will coincide with the percentage of multiple choice questions from each content area
on the Advanced Placement test, as stated by College Board. The scope and sequence of this course is largely reflective
of this weighting, with consideration given to the instructional calendar and textbook treatment of these subjects.

 Basic Economic Concepts – 8-12% (approximately 3 weeks)

 Measurement of Economic Performance – 12-16% (approximately 2.5 weeks)
 National Income and Price Determination – 10-15% (approximately 2.5 weeks)
 Financial Sector – 15-20% (approximately 3 weeks)
 Inflation, Unemployment, and Stabilization Policies – 20-30% (approximately 3 weeks)
 Economic Growth and Productivity – 5-10% (approximately 1.5 weeks)
 Open Economy: International Trade and Finance – 10-15% (approximately 2 weeks)

Advanced Placement Exam

Birdville ISD will be unable to pay the entire cost for all students enrolled in AP classes to take the exam. Students will
be asked to pay a fee of $15 (or $5 if the student qualified for Free/Reduced Lunch) to help cover the cost of the exam for
each AP course they are taking. This fee will be collected in January. Every student will sign a contract upon enrollment
stating that they agree to take the exam seriously. If students choose not to take the AP exam, they will be charged an
additional $30 fee.

The AP exam for Macroeconomics is 2 hours and 10 minutes long . It includes a 70-minute multiple-choice section
consisting of sixty questions and a 60-minute free-response section consisting of three questions (one longer essay and
two shorter essays).

While excellent performance on the AP exam is a goal of this course, the main focus should remain on learning the
material and developing good study and analysis skills. The instructor will provide many opportunities for students to
prepare for the AP test, including multiple choice tests with questions from released exams, and in-class practice with free
response questions from previous exams. Students will become familiar with the grading practices for the AP exam, to
understand the scoring guidelines and process. All students will be required to sit for a mock exam in March to gauge
preparation for the actual exam. This mock exam will count as a test grade.
Class Rules

1. Students will behave in accordance with all BISD and Richland High School rules as stated in the Student
Handbook and Code of Conduct.
2. Students will use technology for educational purposes only. (See “Cell Phones” below.)
3. Students will treat the teacher, other students, and all property with respect.
4. Students will be in their desk when the bell rings with all necessary materials and ready to learn.
5. Students will not behave in any way that prevents Mrs. Thompson from teaching and other students from
learning.
6. Cheating is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. (See “Academic Honesty” below.)

Discipline Plan

1st incident - Student will receive a verbal warning.

2nd incident - Teacher will hold a short conference with student and parents will be called.
3rd incident (or serious infraction) - Student will be referred to the Assistant Principal for disciplinary action.

Cell Phones

Cell phones and other electronic devices may not be used for personal business during class. Students will not use any
personal electronic devices (cell phones, iPads, iPods, laptop computers, etc.) during class without prior permission.
Recording audio or video without permission is forbidden. All electronic devices must be put away during tests and
quizzes in purses or backpacks. Evidence of electronic devices visible during tests and quizzes will be considered an
attempt to cheat and will result in a zero for the assessment.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s original ideas or writing as one’s own without giving credit to the true author.
This might include copying assignments from another student, copying from a book, or from websites. Plagiarism is
cheating, and students who cheat – including those who provide answers as well as those who copy – will be subject to
both an academic penalty and punishment for the behavior. For daily assignments or major grades, students will receive a
permanent grade of zero and be referred to the Assistant Principal for disciplinary action.