Page 24 - Krugmans Economics for AP Text Book_Neat

Preface “If you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening.” —Marge Piercy

FROM MARGARET AND DAVE The Organization of This Book
and How to Use It
W e understand the unique challenges of teach- The organization of this book is inspired by our goal of
ing and learning AP Economics. This book is
adapting the parent book to best support AP Economics
the culmination of our combined 35 years of
teachers and students. The sequence of sections and mod-
work with AP Economics students and teach-
ules conforms to both the AP Topic Outline and a tradi-
ers. We have seen the challenges first hand, and
we have listened to the concerns and solutions
pedagogically effective. The sections and modules are
of the many remarkable teachers with whom it has been tional sequence of material that has been found to be
our privilege to work. The creation of this book draws grouped into building blocks in which conceptual material
from our experience in every facet of AP-level education, learned at one stage is built upon and then integrated into
from teaching high school classes to leading AP the conceptual material covered in the next stage. All mate-
Economics professional development programs. We have rial included in the AP Economics Course Description is
designed this book and its ancillary resources to be the included here, and all material included here is related to
most effective possible resources to help teachers and stu- AP course requirements. Following is a walkthrough of the
dents succeed in AP Economics. sections in the book:
It is clear that the foundation of any effective AP Note: The material covered in sections 1 and 2 is found
Economics course is a high quality, college level textbook. on both the AP Macroeconomics and the AP Micro -
The impetus for this project was the recognition that, economics Topic Outlines
while any college level introductory textbook can be adapt-
ed for use in an AP Economics course, no existing textbook Section 1: Basic Economic Concepts
is sufficient for the task. The existing textbooks cover large The first section initiates students into the study of eco-
amounts of material that is not included on the AP Course nomics, including scarcity, choice and opportunity cost.
Outline and omit important topics that are on the Module 1 provides students with definitions of basic terms
Outline. Teachers using existing textbooks must navigate in economics. Module 2 provides an overview of the study
around unnecessary chapters, cover chapters with some of macroeconomics, including economic growth, unem-
relevant topics but lots of superfluous information, and ployment, inflation, and the business cycle. Modules 3 and
search for supplementary materials to cover topics not 4 present the production possibilities curve model and use
addressed in the text. These problems hinder the effective- it to explain comparative and absolute advantage, special-
ness of standard textbooks and make extra work for both ization and exchange.
teachers and students. While some other college level
books have been printed as “AP Editions,” the changes in Section 2: Supply and Demand
those editions are little more than new labels and covers.
This book is different. It is made specifically to satisfy the Section 2 begins with an opening story that uses the mar-
goals of the AP Economics teacher and student. ket for coffee beans to illustrate supply and demand, mar-
Intent on promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of ket equilibrium, and surplus and shortage. Modules 5, 6,
AP Economics courses, we started with the best available and 7 introduce the important parts of the supply and
college-level introduction to economics–Krugman and demand model; demand, supply, and equilibrium. Module
Wells’ Economics, second edition. The first edition of the 8 and 9 teach students how to use the model to analyze
Krugman and Wells textbook was a resounding success, price and quantity in markets.
quickly becoming one of the best-selling college econom-
ics textbooks. AP Economics teachers embraced the text- Macroeconomics
book for its clear explanations and storytelling approach.
Sections 3–8 cover the material found exclusively on the AP
The second edition of Economics became even more popu-
Macroeconomics Topic Outline.
lar and successful. We knew that it would be the best foun-
dation for an AP adaptation. Our goal was to retain the
features of Economics that make it a winner, while crafting Section 3: Measurement of Economic Performance
it to closely follow the AP syllabus and speak to a high In Section 3, we provide an overview of the topics in macro-
school audience. We hope the result will serve as the best economics that provides the foundation for models that
possible textbook for teaching and learning AP are covered in later sections. Modules 10 and 11 introduce
Economics. the circular flow model and gross domestic product.

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