Economics and Government

(20 customer reviews)

From: $92.00 / month for 8 months

Grades: 9th-12th

Class:  Thu 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET

Level: Regular (R) and Honors (H)

Dates: Aug 26, 2024–May 9, 2025

Prepaid: $649 (R), $699 (H)

Instructor: Nate Gilbert

Note: Students can also choose to enroll in one semester of economics or one semester of government. Also a Government and Economics full year course meets on Tuesdays or Friday.

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Course Description

This is a full-year course offered on Thursdays from 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET. Also, two sections of the Government and Economics full-year course meet on Tuesdays and Fridays.

In this course, students take the Economics half during the first semester and the Government half during the second semester.

Economics

Course Syllabus

The course introduces students to the world of economic thinking. Students will begin to define economic concepts, understand why economists choose to view the world through a particular lens and analyze the economic interactions of the people and businesses they observe in society. A primary goal is for students to become familiar with foundational market concepts such as scarcity, opportunity costs, comparative advantages, and inflation. Students should then be able to appropriately apply their economic understanding to personal decisions, business activities, and government policies. The course focuses mainly on microeconomics but will also touch on some macroeconomic ideas.

Honors Level

The honors level is designed for students that are advanced and would like to explored the topic in more depth. The honors section will have one extra assignment per week. It may require more difficult reading and writing elements. Everything else (including quizzes) will remain the same.

Course Structure

The course will be very engaging, including group discussions and activities. Students will be expected to contribute to class activities in the live classroom or through the class discussion board. Each student will also have weekly homework assignments, which will reinforce and expand upon the classroom discussions. Some examples of assignments include the following: running a virtual lemonade stand and identifying economic principles used, watching a video about minimum wage laws, making a government budget using certain economic and social goals, comparing the economic and government structures of two different countries in the world, playing a stock simulation game, and reading about the history of money and inflation. There is an estimated 3-4 hours of work per week outside of the live class. There is one quiz and assignment to be completed after the final live class session.

Here is a preview of some of the weekly topics:

  • Scarcity, Resources, Opportunity Cost, Cost/Benefit Analysis
  • Supply and Demand Shifts, Elasticity, Types of Goods
  • Diminishing Returns, Allocation of Scarce Goods, Specialization
  • Trade in Competitive Markets, Transaction Costs
  • Understanding Economic Institutions (Banks, Corporations, Cooperatives, Labor unions), Rules of the Game
  • The Role of Government in the Economy (Taxes, Externalities, Regulations)
  • Nature and Causes of Money (Valuation, Historical Development, Inflation)
  • Comparing Economic Systems (Market, Command, Traditional, Mixed)
  • International Trade and Economic Growth
  • Stocks and Investment Options (with simulation stock buying opportunity)

Who should enroll?

This class is recommended for 9th-12th graders. Eighth graders accepted if advanced in their studies and work ethic. The course is intended to fulfill the typical requirements for a half year high school level course.

Technology Requirements

  • High speed, broadband Internet
  • Web cam, sound card, and microphone (for live sessions)
  • Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures

Evaluation and Feedback

Students will receive comments and individualized feedback on their assignments via Canvas. Work will be graded, and student questions will be addressed, in a timely manner.

Communication

Parents do not need to contact me before registering for this class. I will confirm registration with parents and provide a welcome email to students. All parents should join Canvas as observers, and I will respond to any parental questions.

Government

Course Syllabus

Why should a high school student study US government? First, everyone in The United States will be thrust into the position of voter at the age of 18. Second, the growth of our national government has meant that the federal government reaches into more and more of our everyday decisions. Third, there are a variety of issues emanating from Washington, DC and the state capitals every day. In order to not be swayed by every passing fad, it is crucial that students understand why our political institutions exist. Lastly, an educated citizenry is necessary to carry on good public discourse and maintain our republic.

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the principles behind the United States’ government and political institutions and to enable the students to interact with various viewpoints. Students will understand the historical development of our current political situation, analyze the political process, and describe how various political groups function today. The goal is for students to become familiar with public policies, our Constitutional underpinnings, and political behavior in our society. Each student should then be able to appropriately apply their understanding to evaluate how just and appropriate various political actions are. The course will include engaging group discussions in the weekly live session.

Some weekly course concepts include:

  • What is legitimate government and how did the Founders envision it?
  • What different types of federalism have been debated and utilized in American government?
  • The three branches of national government (their functions, original design and current practices)
  • Political parties and their role in American government
  • How does policy making occur? What is the role of the bureaucracy?
  • The Constitution and the limits it places on government activities
  • How does the media shape perceptions?
  • America’s role in the world (past and present)

Honors Level

The honors level is designed for students that are advanced and would like to explored the topic in more depth. The honors section will have one extra assignment per week. It may require more difficult reading and writing elements. Everything else (including quizzes) will remain the same.

Course Structure

Students will have weekly homework assignments, which will reinforce and expand upon the classroom discussions. Regular assignments may include watching a video online, reading an article, or completing worksheets. Some examples of assignments include the following: playing a simulation game about the tasks of the president, writing an essay about the life of a founding father, comparing viewpoints about US foreign policy before WWII, evaluating media sources and their coverage of current events, and contrasting the platforms of various political parties. There is an estimated 3-4 hours of work per week outside of the live class. Every class is recorded and I post the recording for viewing after each class. Therefore, students can catch up if they happen to miss the live session. There is one quiz and assignment to be completed after the final live class session.

This course can be used to satisfy the prerequisite for my AP US Government and Politics course.

Who should enroll?

This course is designed for students in grades 9-12 to fulfill the typical requirements of a high school government course. The maximum class size is 16 students to encourage student engagement.

Technology Requirements

  • High speed, broadband Internet
  • Web cam, sound card, and microphone (for live sessions)
  • Streaming video capabilities to watch recorded lectures

Evaluation and Feedback

Students will receive comments and individualized feedback on their assignments via Canvas. Work will be graded, and student questions will be addressed, in a timely manner.

Communication

Parents do not need to contact me before registering for this class. I will confirm registration with parents and provide a welcome email to students. All parents should join Canvas as observers, and I will respond to any parental questions.

 

Required Texts

 

  • No textbook purchase is necessary. I pull information from various resources and from free online textbooks, such as Khan Academy and CK12 FlexBooks.

 

20 reviews for Economics and Government

  1. James Welfare

    I took both government and economics with Mr. Gilbert. I enjoyed both classes. He pushed the students to answer questions and think outside the box. His material was thorough and I gained a ton of knowledge while talking the courses.

  2. Camille Welfare

    Mr. Gilbert was a very good teacher who knew his subjects of government and economics very well. Both the government and economics classes made me voice my opinion as well as back it up with evidence of support. Even though I wasn’t the best at the subject, I still learned a lot of information from this class.

  3. Meredith Welfare

    These classes were very well taught! I loved how Mr. Gilbert brought up controversial topics and allowed us to form opinions on them. When teaching classes such as government and economics, it is probably difficult to keep one’s opinion out of the lesson. However, Mr. Gilbert did a great job of teaching without a bias. I also enjoyed how the homework didn’t just make us memorize facts and spit them back out. I worked through each question by forming an opinion and backing it up.

  4. Molly Slovinsky (verified owner)

    Both of Mr. Gilbert’s classes were very interesting and well taught! Mr. Gilbert is an excellent teacher and explains concepts in a thorough yet easy to understand way. The lectures are informative and helpful, and the assignments are very manageable and always expand on what we learn in the lecture. I would highly recommend both of these classes!

  5. Evan Rowlands

    Mr. Gilbert’s lectures during the class meeting are very interesting. He also gives a lot of extra information when he grades your work, to help you understand the topics better. In Economics I learned that the economy is about a lot more than just how much things cost. The Government portion of the class taught me about how complex our government system is and how the different branches have unique roles. I also learned about how it is my job as a citizen to interact with the government, and especially to vote.

  6. Summer

    This class was one of my favorites this school year! Mr. Gilbert made the concepts easy to understand and fun to learn about. Both the government and economics courses have helped me to gain a better understanding of our government systems. The workload was just the right amount and encouraged me to learn and not just memorize and repeat.

  7. Kaylee Jones

    Mr. Gilbert excels at teaching economics. He explains concepts in easy to understand terms and makes sure each student understands the concepts in class. His assignments are challenging but well worth it as they expand your knowledge on concepts. I’m eager to have him for Government next semester.

  8. Teagan Rude

    The class is very engaging and just the right amount of challenging. If you are thinking of taking this course it is a great overview of economics and government, and a bit of how the two work together. I hardly knew anything about the subject before this year but now I think I have a very clear idea of it.

  9. Phoebe

    I really enjoyed taking Economics and Government with Mr. Gilbert! All the lectures were helpful and informative as he does a great job in explaining concepts. The assignments were also interesting and really beneficial to my understanding of these subjects. Mr. Gilbert was always quick to respond to questions and gave helpful feedback on all the homework assignments. Highly recommend!

  10. Caia Shannon

    Mr. Gilbert was a great teacher! I took both his Introduction to Economics and Introduction to U.S. Government. He always made sure to answer anyone’s questions. He also was always very quick at responding if I would email him a question or concern. He also always offered feedback on all of my assignments, helping me learn if I had made a mistake instead of just marking it wrong. He was also very friendly. Every time we’d start a live class, he would greet each student by name and ask them how they were. His live classes were always informative. He explained the information in a way that was easy to understand and always clarified if necessary. He was always very good about respecting a student’s opinion on a subject and would often ask students’ opinions on matter. I would highly recommend Mr. Gilbert’s Introduction to Economics and Introduction to U.S. Government!

  11. Ethan Porter

    I am beyond pleased with Mr. Gilbert. I took both his Economics and Government courses and was very satisfied with both classes. Mr. Gilbert thoroughly teaches the subject providing numerous sources to aid in understanding. His homework assignments do not consist of busy work, but of carefully constructed assignments that teach the concepts learned in class in preparation for quizzes. I would immediately recommend both his Economics and Government classes.

  12. Jessy Roberts

    I have really enjoyed this class. The teacher always makes or breaks the learning experience and you have made government and economics my favorite subjects. You are an amazing teacher and I was glad to be under your guidance.  

  13. Olivia

    Mr. Gilbert’s classes were great! He helps his students to understand what they are learning, not just memorize facts. The homework and quizzes he assigns help you to retain and continue to think about what was discussed in class. Mr. Gilbert is a friendly teacher, and I would recommend him to anyone who has an interest in government or economics.

  14. Nicole M. (verified owner)

    My daughter enjoyed Mr. Gilbert’s class because he was thorough in his explanations, fair in his grading, and loved that topics were debated. She learned a great deal and had fun while doing so. Mr. Gilbert was quick in his responses to questions and helpful when further explanation was needed.

  15. Eliyahu Masinter

    Mr. Gilbert’s classes were, without a doubt, the highlight of my year. I always looked forward to the live sessions and the work itself was always very interesting. I learned so much in so little amount of time. He always wrote comments on all of my work that told me exactly what I had to fix and what I did a great job on. I’m sorry the classes are over. Mr. Gilbert was the best teacher I ever had. I really recommend taking his classes.

  16. Tammie Martin

    My son took two of Mr. Gilbert’s classes —Intro to Government and Intro to Economics. He was challenged and grew as a student and thinker in both classes. The format and layout of these classes is excellent —students are required to do assignments that demonstrate mastery and application of the material taught. Mr. Gilbert also grades homework quickly, gives great feedback, and positively engages the students in class discussions. 5 stars!!

  17. Daphne Patch

    I didn’t know anything about economics and Mr. Gilbert taught the class very well and I learned a lot from him. He explains very thoroughly and gave many examples about the material being taught. He keeps the class engaged and makes it enjoyable to learn. I will be taking his government class this semester.

  18. Jocelyn

    I was very impressed with Mr. Gilbert! My 12 year old dd wrote a review “I really like this teacher because, he is very thorough and makes sure that you know the subject before you move on. He is very nice, and he explains the topic simply so you understand. He taught me this class even though I was the only one there. He is a good teacher and I believe that I will be taking some future classes with him.” If he offers more classes She will definitely attend!

  19. A.J.

    Mr. Gilbert is an enjoyable teacher to take classes with. He is calm, relaxed, and knowledgeable. He covers a good amount of content, and he asks lots of questions to keep the students involved and thoughtfully interacting with what they’re learning.

  20. Jon Adler

    Mr. Gilbert was one my favorite high school teachers. He had a great knowledge and love for what he taught. He challenged me to see and understand the larger picture beyond just memorizing facts.

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Instructor Bio

Nate Gilbert

Nate Gilbert graduated from Cedarville University in 2002 with a B.A. degree in secondary social studies education. Since then he has taught and tutored many students, primarily in the subjects of history, government, and economics. Nate has worked in a variety of settings, such as teaching in Beijing, China, and at some local schools. He now focuses on utilizing his passion for social studies to teach online classes that stimulate his students’ critical thinking skills and understanding of society. Contact: ngilbert[at]aimacademy.online

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All classes taught by Nate Gilbert