Week of 10/13 - 10/17

This week we will be wrapping up our unit on National Income Accounting. We will be getting into how all the factors we looked at in this unit can be influenced to try and produce the desired results of Economic Growth and Stability. First we will build up the older model of the Keynesian Approach (Aggregate Expenditures) before we get into the composite Aggregate Supply and Aggregate Demand of the following unit.

This is our tentative plan for the week. Keep in mind our scheduled quiz for Thursday.

Day	Plan	Homework
Monday	1) Economic Growth and Stability Go Over p. 157 #2,6,8,10 Activity 11: Measuring Broad Economic Goals Business Cycle and Unemployment Revisited Economics U$A #16: "Boom and Bust"	Chapter 8 Problems
Tuesday	1) Economic Growth and Stability Go Over Chapter 8 Problems Activity 15: Who Is Hurt and Who Is Helped by Unanticipated Inflation Economics U$A #19: Inflation	Activity 18: Test Your Understanding of Macroeconomic Indicators
Wednesday	1) PSAT Time Practice Problems from Mankiw Book	Study for Tomorrow's Quiz
Thursday	1) QUIZ - Unemployment & Inflation Including Nominal & Real GDP Conversion 2) Introduction to Aggregate Expenditures Activity 19: Keynesian Equilibrium	Read and Note Chapter 9 pages 159-166
Friday	1) Consumption Function Consumption (C) and Savings (S) APC, APS MPC, MPS OLD Activity 24: What Is an MPC?	Activity 20: Practice with APC, APS, MPC and MPS

Week of 09/29 - 10/03

This week we will be wrapping up international trade (for now). We will finally be getting into the US government and the way it is able to measure the economy and eventually influence the domestic economy.

Well, we did not get 1st place in the JDRF drive but we have earned two consolation prizes: 1) LRHS has raised more money for JDRF this year than any other year; 2) 2nd place still gets us a breakfast sponsored by Executive Council. We should also thank Connor for bringing in donuts last week - who doesn't love donuts?

This is our tentative plan for the week. Keep in mind out scheduled quiz for Tuesday.

Day	Plan	Homework
Monday	1) International Trade Go Over Chapter 37 & 38 T/F & MC Chapter 37 & 38 Problems 2) GDP Introduction to Expenditures Approach to GDP Business Cycle Activity 17: The Business Cycle	Study for Tomorrow's Quiz
Tuesday	1) QUIZ Exchange Rates & International Trade 2) GDP Introduction to Expenditures Approach to GDP Business Cycle Activity 17: The Business Cycle	Read & Note pp. 116 - 131 (chapter 7)
Wednesday	1) Unemployment Any Questions Activity 16: Types of Unemployment 2) GDP: Constructing & Deconstructing Components of GDP Expenditures Approach: Activity 12: All About GDP	View online PPT on Income Approach to GDP Take Notes
Thursday	1) GDP: Income Approach Practice Constructing & Deconstructing - Chapter 7 Problems #1&3 2) Economic Goals Discuss what should the economic goals of a nation be? Activity 11: Measuring Broad Economic Goals	p 134 #8&9 Chapter 7 T/F
Friday	1) GDP Go Over Chapter 7 Problems #1&3 2) Inflation Nominal v. Real Converting Consumer Price Index Activity 13: Price Indexes	Price Indexes pp 134-135 #11&12

Week of 09/22/14

This week is a little different with a day off on Thursday (at least for the students). Seems we are beginning to get a little behind so from now I am going to try and make sure that I have a definitive plan that we will try to stick to. To help, I will be posting that plan here for all to see. It will also help in getting ahead with assignments as I will be able to post them over the weekend for the week ahead. This should aid you in planning your week with your busy schedules from academics to extra curricular.

It also seems that some people could be dedicating more time to preparing for the course. I know that everyone in the class is capable of outstanding success but not everyone is demonstrating it. My guess is that my attempt at creating a comfortable and easy-going atmosphere in the classroom has become the approach to student preparation for the course, also comfortable and easy-going. Please be sure to put your best foot forward, you will see the rewards.

Day	Plan	Homework
Monday	1) Comparative Advantage Go Over Friday's Problem 2) QUIZ Comparative Advantage & Gains from Trade 3) Exchange Rates Appreciation/Depreciation Go Over HW (Activities 52&53) Exchange Rate Problems (Ch 6 Problems #3-4)	Read & Note 752-768 (Chapter 38)
Tuesday	1) Exchange Rates Go Over HW (Ch 6 Problems #3-4) Economics U$A #28: Exchange Rates 2) International Trade Entertain Student Questions Dealing with domestic surpluses and shortages in an open economy	Read & Note 737-747 Chapter 37 T/F & Multiple Choice
Wednesday	1) Trade Barriers Tariffs, Quotas, Nontariff Barriers, Voluntary Export Restrictions Impacts thereof Economics U$A #27: International Trade Activity 51: Barriers to Trade	Chapter 38 T/F & Multiple Choice
Thursday	Teacher Workday
Friday	1) International Trade Entertain Student Questions Chapter 37 Problems #2-3 Chapter 38 Problems #1-3	Finish Problems for HW if Necessary

Week of August 25

Welcome back for another year at Leesville! I am excited about this year, I am excited about teaching AP Macroeconomics. As you know, the course if offered every other year, so that one semester in four that affords me the opportunity to teach it is a welcome change and challenge.

We have already jumped right in discussing the basic concepts and thought processes involved in economics. It is important to remember that economics tries to apply science to human behavior claiming that people behave in predictable ways. The truth is, when taken as a whole, the mass of people will behave predictably, but there will be those who will behave contrarily. Of course that is acceptable, people make rational choices and do what they believe is best for them at any given moment, ergo, what is best for one person may not be what is best for someone else. So when we try to discuss what choices people make or I make a generalization, there will be exceptions. To get a better grasp on the course we must try to focus on the rule and not try to come up with exceptions (unless specifically asked to do so).

I also apologize at present, I am presently having issues scanning some of the course documents and am not able to put them all online. Once I have these issues resolved (most likely by acquiring a new scanner) I will get the documents up and available to you. I thank you in advance for your patience.