Projects for Class

Current events portfolio                                                   Due Date- February 18, 2009

Five articles from a newspaper or magazine that is “economic in nature.” For each unit you will need to find specific articles that relate to the unit’s topic. Articles from newspapers should not be more than 2 weeks old, magazine article should not be older than 1 month. Everyone should be prepared to discuss his/her article if called upon to do so. Those who choose not to present this information will receive no credit.

Your current event response should be no less than three paragraphs. It must include:

1. Summarize the article in your own words.

2. Give significance to the event. Why is it important?

3. Give an opinion about the article and the topic in general. Back up your opinions with economic facts – this section should increase as the semester passes and you learn more about economics. Use key terms from this unit and previous units in your write-up. Underline these words. The more key words you use, the more points you will earn on this section.

4. Attach the article to your writing. Neatness, spelling, grammar and presentation all count.

5. All assignments MUST BE TYPED.

Business Structure Writing Assignment                     Due Date- Jan. 5, 2009

Pick a business in our area – sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation. Write out 20 questions and interview the owner, a partner or the CEO. Questions should discuss types of products or services offered, the number of employees, hours of operation, location and some history of the business. Other questions might include: Do they see any disadvantages in their type of business organization? Why did they select this type of business? As a class, we might brainstorm questions that people can include. Include a conclusion you’re your analytical discussion of this type of business structure. Minimum effort gets a minimum grade. To earn a higher grade, your questions must be unique and insightful, and the answers must be complete and informative. As always, spelling, grammar and presentation count.

Networking with the Philosophers                                Due Date- Feb. 2, 2009 (Optional for Extra Credit)

The newly elected President of the USA has asked that the noted economists of the world assist him in shaping policy for his administration.

You will have the opportunity to share with your peers (and the President) what you have learned about an economic philosopher/thinker. Your task is to choose an economist from the list provided and find out all you can about that person. The product you will produce will be a poster about this person. You can use a poster board or a presentation board.

You need to include:

The person’s name, birth (and death) dates, picture (if possible) and notable accomplishments.

School of thought, points of view, theories in economics, etc.

A fully annotated bibliography – MLA format (On a separate paper)

Sources might include, but not limited to:

Encyclopedias                       Internet

Trade bibliographies            Biographical indexes

Computer Databases           Bibliographies

Periodical indexes                Magazine indexes

Dictionaries                           Pamphlets

Government Documents