Economics Assignments
- Instructor
- David Irie
- Term
- Fall 2011
- Department
- Social Science
- Description
-
ECONOMICS COURSE OUTLINE Course Description: This course offers an understanding of economic problems and institutions of our nation and the world. In this course, the students will examine their perspective involvement in our economic affairs. By participating in simulations, learning economic terminology, and measurement methods, they will be ready to take an active role in our economy. Students will learn the role of consumers, producers, and the government in the marketplace. They will understand the limited resources we have and the opportunity cost of our decisions. By examining the circular flow of economic activity, they will see the role that buyers, sellers, and the government play in our economy. They will also learn about alternative economic systems and their impact on our society. In microeconomics, they will study the basic ideas and concepts that deal with supply, demand, and the equilibrium point. In macroeconomics, students will also be able to analyze the current state of our economy and rationalize the decisions made by our government. Students will be able to explain a business cycle and explain fiscal and monetary policies. Students will also see the role the United States of America has in our world as a major power in trade. They will analyze our current economic affairs and anticipate future changes. Course Content: The course is divided into six units: 1. Basic Living Skills #1 – the Securities Industry 2. Introduction to Economics 3. Microeconomics 4. Macroeconomics 5. International Trade 6. Basic Living Skills #2 – Personal Finance Standards addressed: All standards are addressed in the curriculum. In addition, we cover two additional standards. They are: 12.7 The student will demonstrate an understanding of basic securities investment skills. 12.8 Students demonstrate an understanding of basic personal finance skills. ESLRs Addressed by Curriculum: • Critical Thinking • Technological Literacy • Post Secondary Preparation • Civic Responsibility Textbook: Wilson and Clark’s Southwestern Economics International Thomson Publishing 1997 Prerequisites: Students are required to be a junior or a senior. Special feature of this course: 1) Stock Simulation: 12 week project in which they buy, sell, chart and analyze their own stock transactions using an internet account. They will also learn to use the internet to download graphs and research materials on securities. a. Standard addressed: 12.8 2) Students will write a one page editorial regarding anti-trust situation. In the editorial, they must reference a literary source that they have used to assist them in analyzing this particular anti-trust situation. a. Standards addressed: 12.3 3) Students will create a unique product that they feel the public will want to buy. They will also be asked to make a power point presentation on their product and display a working prototype / sample of their product. a. Standards addressed: 12.2 4) Students will write a one page editorial on protectionist trade policies in our country. In the editorial, they must reference a literary source that they have used to assist them in analyzing this case. a. Standard addressed: 12.6 5) Students will be asked to identify the elasticity of their entrepreneur project and an investment in their stock simulation. a. Standards Addressed: 12.1 and 12.2 6) Students will be asked to identify the state of the economy and recommend fiscal policy in order to stabilize the economy. a. Standards addressed: 12.5
Upcoming Assignments
No upcoming assignments.
Past Assignments
Due:
Assignment
Some housing terms that you need to be familiar with and a web site to help you with the definitions.
Created by David Irie:
Saturday, November 12 12:28 AM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Credit Cards"
Attach a file with comparison of two credit cards.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Credit Cards"
Attach a file with comparison of two credit cards.
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts on time value of money.
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Budgeting"
Read assignment and email me a budget and a graph.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Budgeting"
Read assignment and email me a budget and a graph.
Due:
Assignment
Read articles on credit cards and credit card debt.
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jan/28/business/fi-58467
http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditcard/#
Created by David Irie:
Monday, December 5 12:15 PM
Due:
Assignment
Read article on the pro's and con's of capping credit card rates.
Created by David Irie:
Monday, December 5 12:14 PM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Resume and Cover letter"
Attach your final revised draft of your resume and cover letter.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Resume and Cover letter"
Attach your final revised draft of your resume and cover letter.
Due:
Assignment
Look at links on basic checking account information. Download handouts on bank reconciliation and balancing your checkbook.
http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/flash/bank_tutor/index.html
http://www.investopedia.com/university/banking/banking2.asp#axzz1dRqzCD4l
Created by David Irie:
Monday, December 5 12:15 PM
Due:
Assignment
Bring a one page cover letter and one page resume to class. The cover letter can be for any job that you might be interested in.
Also, read link on thank you letter.
Created by David Irie:
Friday, November 11 8:26 PM
Also, read link on thank you letter.
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts on budgeting.
Due:
Assignment
Read articles on interview skills and pumping up your past.
http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/careers.aspx
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002609,00.html
Created by David Irie:
Friday, November 11 8:21 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download review sheet. Visit websites to assist you with cover letters and resumes.
http://www.poly.asu.edu/students/career/files/Cover_Letter_Tips_and_Samples.pdf
http://www.workplacestaff.com/flash/PowerfulResume/engage.html
Created by David Irie:
Friday, November 11 8:20 PM
Due:
Assignment
The link below will help you if you ever need to convert currency. Also, the link below will help you if you are confused on how currency exchanges work. Finally, download 7-8-1 and revised currency values for classroom use.
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2167689_calculate-currency-conversions-dollars-anyth...
Created by David Irie:
Thursday, November 3 8:14 PM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Protectionism Questions". The attached article will help you answer the questions.
1. Briefly summarize the position of editorial A.
2. What does the phrase, "tariffs breed tariffs" mean?
3. Briefly summarize the position of editorial B.
4. Why does editorial B claim that the solution proposed is not "popular"? How does editorial B respond to this?
5. Which editorial do you agree with more? Why?
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Protectionism Questions". The attached article will help you answer the questions.
1. Briefly summarize the position of editorial A.
2. What does the phrase, "tariffs breed tariffs" mean?
3. Briefly summarize the position of editorial B.
4. Why does editorial B claim that the solution proposed is not "popular"? How does editorial B respond to this?
5. Which editorial do you agree with more? Why?
Due:
Assignment
Download handout 7-7-1 and handout 7-7-2. Also, the LA Times article might help you further understand currency values.
Created by David Irie:
Thursday, November 3 8:14 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download slides on protectionism. Read articles on protectionism from Time magazine.
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1872565,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2082959,00.html
Created by David Irie:
Thursday, November 10 10:51 AM
Due:
Assignment
A good article on human rights and protectionism. Also a good article (or you can listen to it) on the Asian Rice Bubble.
http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/commentary/data/000050/:pf_printable?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/11/02/141771712/how-fear-drove-world-r...
Created by David Irie:
Tuesday, November 15 6:59 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts Computing and Graphing and 7-3-3. Also download slides on trade advantages.
Due:
Assignment
Download review sheet on International Trade. Download slides on balance of trade v balance of payment. Download handout on balance of payment and handout 6-5-1.
Due:
Assignment
Download macroeconomic data slides
Due:
Assignment
Download slides on Federal Reserve Board. Read article on Furious at the Fed. Read article, "Handout 5-4-3". Download handouts 13-3 and Federal Reserve questions,
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Inflation"
Answer the following questions:
1. Pick an item that you recently bought.
2. What was the price?
3. Think back to a previous time period (year) and the price that it cost.
4. Figure out the rate of inflation.
5. Hypothesize the reason for the rate of inflation of your item.
6. Visit the government link. If a shirt cost $10 in 1999, and if the price of the shirt increased at the same rate as the CPI, how much would the shirt cost in 2010.
Created by David Irie:
Thursday, October 27 5:04 PM
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Inflation"
Answer the following questions:
1. Pick an item that you recently bought.
2. What was the price?
3. Think back to a previous time period (year) and the price that it cost.
4. Figure out the rate of inflation.
5. Hypothesize the reason for the rate of inflation of your item.
6. Visit the government link. If a shirt cost $10 in 1999, and if the price of the shirt increased at the same rate as the CPI, how much would the shirt cost in 2010.
Due:
Assignment
Upload slides on fiscal policy and the national debt. Read the article on the national debt. Also download handouts 19-1 and 19-1 (concluded)
Due:
Assignment
Upload slides on taxes. Read Time magazine article on soda tax.
Created by David Irie:
Monday, October 17 1:21 PM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Unemployment"
Answer the following four questions:
1. Is the unemployment rate an accurate depiction of the number of people who are not working in our society? Explain your answer.
2. Which two types of unemployment are least damaging to an economy? Explain your answer.
3. What can be done to solve the problem of cyclical unemployment? Explain your answer.
4. What can be done to solve the problem of structural unemployment? Explain your answer.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Unemployment"
Answer the following four questions:
1. Is the unemployment rate an accurate depiction of the number of people who are not working in our society? Explain your answer.
2. Which two types of unemployment are least damaging to an economy? Explain your answer.
3. What can be done to solve the problem of cyclical unemployment? Explain your answer.
4. What can be done to solve the problem of structural unemployment? Explain your answer.
Due:
Assignment
Download inflation slides. Download handouts 14-2 and 14-2 (Part 2).
Due:
Assignment
Download unemployment slides. Read article on Unemployment Rate.
Created by David Irie:
Monday, October 17 1:15 PM
Due:
Assignment
Email to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Stock Sim Midpoint"
Stock midpoint check. Complete both spreadsheets. One of yourself and one for your classmates. Attach document.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Stock Sim Midpoint"
Stock midpoint check. Complete both spreadsheets. One of yourself and one for your classmates. Attach document.
Due:
Assignment
Download Macroeconomics review sheet, and power point in Economic Growth. Also print out Handout 12-1 and Handout 15-2.
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Anti Trust Editorial"
Write an editorial about a current anti trust situation. You must clearly integrate and cite one literary source. A strong editorial will emphasize your own perspective on the issue. The citation should support your perspective, but it shouldn’t dominate your piece.
The critical Thinking Rubric will be used in the grading.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Anti Trust Editorial"
Write an editorial about a current anti trust situation. You must clearly integrate and cite one literary source. A strong editorial will emphasize your own perspective on the issue. The citation should support your perspective, but it shouldn’t dominate your piece.
The critical Thinking Rubric will be used in the grading.
Due:
Assignment
Download productivity power point, handout 7-1 and handout 4.3 The Limits of Maximizing. We will go over them in class.
Due:
Assignment
A couple of sample quizzes for you to look at.
Due:
Assignment
Download slides for anti-trust laws. Read article, "Plucky Little Competitors."
Created by David Irie:
Monday, October 3 12:14 PM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Business Organizations"
Answer the following two questions:
1. Name a proprietorship or partnership. Would you advice them to become a corporation? Explain your answer.
2. Levi Strauss was at one time a corporation, but the Levi Strauss family decided to buy back all their shares of stocks and become a proprietorship. Explain the possible rationale of their decision.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Business Organizations"
Answer the following two questions:
1. Name a proprietorship or partnership. Would you advice them to become a corporation? Explain your answer.
2. Levi Strauss was at one time a corporation, but the Levi Strauss family decided to buy back all their shares of stocks and become a proprietorship. Explain the possible rationale of their decision.
Due:
Assignment
Download slides for market organization and chart on market organizations.
Due:
Assignment
Download minimum wage and rent control articles and read them.
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Minimum Wage and Rent Control"
For each article, answer the following two questions:
1. Is this an example of a price floor or an an example of price ceiling?
2. Would you vote in favor or against this particular type of price control? Give two reasons.
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Minimum Wage and Rent Control"
For each article, answer the following two questions:
1. Is this an example of a price floor or an an example of price ceiling?
2. Would you vote in favor or against this particular type of price control? Give two reasons.
Due:
Assignment
Download slide for business organizations and chart on business organizations. Read article on In n Out.
Created by David Irie:
Monday, October 3 12:03 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download slides for floors and ceilings and handout 9-1.
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts 11-1 page 97, 11-1 page 99, 11-1 page 100, 11-1 page 101, and handout 11-2. Use articles to answer questions on 11-2.
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Elasticity of Supply and Demand"
Answer the following three questions:
1. What is your entrepreneur project? How would you make your project an inelastic demanded product?
2. Is your product an elastic or inelastic supplied product? Explain your answer.
3. Pick a stock in your stock simulation. Does the company's product have an elastic or inelastic demand? Explain your answer.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Elasticity of Supply and Demand"
Answer the following three questions:
1. What is your entrepreneur project? How would you make your project an inelastic demanded product?
2. Is your product an elastic or inelastic supplied product? Explain your answer.
3. Pick a stock in your stock simulation. Does the company's product have an elastic or inelastic demand? Explain your answer.
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts 6-2, 6-3, 7-1, 7-2
Due:
Assignment
Download slides on price elasticity of supply and demand. Also, download handout 10-1, Building Thinking Skills, and Handout 10-2
Due:
Assignment
Download handouts 2-2-2, 5-3, 5-5. Students will have time to complete 5-5 in class before submitting it to me.
Due:
Assignment
Download review sheet, supply and demand slides, and handout work or play.
Due:
Assignment
Read article, "Gourmet on the Go" and email the answers to the following questions to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
1. Who is the producer?
2. What is the finished product?
3. What are the resources needed to produce the finished product?
4. Who provides these resources to the producer?
5. Explain how this story is an example of consumer freedom and consumer sovereignty (power)?
Created by David Irie:
Thursday, September 8 11:52 AM
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
1. Who is the producer?
2. What is the finished product?
3. What are the resources needed to produce the finished product?
4. Who provides these resources to the producer?
5. Explain how this story is an example of consumer freedom and consumer sovereignty (power)?
Due:
Assignment
Download slides on 5 step decision making power point. Download info on City Government Example - Side 1 and 2. Also read, the cooperative learning rubric, but you do not need to bring it in.
Due:
Assignment
Download microeconomics v macroeconomics power point. And finally, download production possibility fronteir and budget line constraint.
Due:
Assignment
Download 3 Economics System Slides for presentation and What Makes it a Mixed System.
Due:
Assignment
Download files for circular flow presentation.
Due:
Assignment
Download review sheet, day one slides, and entrepreneur project information sheets.
Due:
Assignment
Stock Simulation instructions and grading criteria. Be sure to register by Sept. 9 and buy / sell at least one stock by Sept 16.
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
This assignment title is "Trading on the Inside Edge"
Answer the following questions:
1. How do investors benefit by insider information?
2. How does public disclosure prevent insider trading?
3. What are the problems with the Securities and Exchange (SEC) in trying to stop insider trading?
4. If the SEC suspects any illegal activity in a stock, it may halt trading of that particular stock. Why?
Now, find an article dealing with a company that has recently had a public disclosure.
5. What is the article headline?
6. What is the URL?
7. What is happening to the company?
8. Why would this make a difference to the investors?
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
This assignment title is "Trading on the Inside Edge"
Answer the following questions:
1. How do investors benefit by insider information?
2. How does public disclosure prevent insider trading?
3. What are the problems with the Securities and Exchange (SEC) in trying to stop insider trading?
4. If the SEC suspects any illegal activity in a stock, it may halt trading of that particular stock. Why?
Now, find an article dealing with a company that has recently had a public disclosure.
5. What is the article headline?
6. What is the URL?
7. What is happening to the company?
8. Why would this make a difference to the investors?
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Stock Exchanges and Day Trading"
Answer the following two questions:
1. If you were a new company that wanted to IPO, would you list your company on the NYSE or NASDAQ? Explain your answer.
2. What are the potential risks and rewards of day trading?
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
Assignment Title: "Stock Exchanges and Day Trading"
Answer the following two questions:
1. If you were a new company that wanted to IPO, would you list your company on the NYSE or NASDAQ? Explain your answer.
2. What are the potential risks and rewards of day trading?
Due:
Assignment
Download the slides for classroom presentation on selling short and also read, "How to Read a Stock Table" on Chapter 7.
Look at article on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and handout on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Also, you can watch the brief video on the collapsing market.
Look at article on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and handout on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Also, you can watch the brief video on the collapsing market.
http://www.nyse.com/pdfs/nyse_chap_07.pdf
http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/dow-jones...
Created by David Irie:
Tuesday, August 23 12:05 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download slides on Insider Trading for classroom presentation. Read article on illegal trading from Investopedia.
Also, the article on short sales from investopedia may help you.
Also, the article on short sales from investopedia may help you.
http://www.investopedia.com/university/shortselling/shortselling1.asp
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/100803.asp
Created by David Irie:
Monday, August 22 11:27 PM
Due:
Assignment
Submit assignment to [email protected] by 8 am.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
This assignment title is "Put Your Money to Work for You."
Assuming you had $10,000 to invest, write a paragraph defending your choice that you would make from the four selections on the attached handout. You must give at least three different reasons defending your choice. Be sure that your reasons are explained and the ideas are developed. The critical thinking rubric (decision making) will be used to grade your assignment.
On the subject line, please write, "Period, Last Name, First Name, Assignment Title"
This assignment title is "Put Your Money to Work for You."
Assuming you had $10,000 to invest, write a paragraph defending your choice that you would make from the four selections on the attached handout. You must give at least three different reasons defending your choice. Be sure that your reasons are explained and the ideas are developed. The critical thinking rubric (decision making) will be used to grade your assignment.
Due:
Assignment
Read article on day trading.
Download slides on Stock Exchanges for classroom presentation.
Created by David Irie:
Monday, August 22 11:25 PM
Download slides on Stock Exchanges for classroom presentation.
Due:
Assignment
Download slides for classroom presentation on Mutual Funds and download and examine article on "How a stocks is bought and sold."
Also, you may wish the read the mutual fund article as well.
Also, you may wish the read the mutual fund article as well.
http://www.nyse.com/pdfs/StockBoughtAndSold.pdf
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/money101/lesson6/index2.htm
Created by David Irie:
Monday, August 22 11:22 PM
Due:
Assignment
Download Review Sheet.
Download slides for classroom presentation on Securities. Also download handout on Stock Exchanges and Corporate Capital Needs.
Download slides for classroom presentation on Securities. Also download handout on Stock Exchanges and Corporate Capital Needs.
Due:
Assignment
Handouts on classroom policy and procedures.