Playing the Stock Market Game
Bobby pointed to this large banner we have in the classroom.
So I did as promised. I went to SMG's website and registered all three classes. The spring 10-week competition started last week (Feb. 13), but the site was still letting me enter this period, so I did. There's still time to register for the "enrichment" period that will run from March 19 through May 25.
It was five years ago when I first got involved with SMG. The site is well developed and has a ton teacher resources, including a step-by-step teacher's guide for teachers new to SMG. I actually did many of the suggested lessons for the first couple of years, but of course this cut into our regular curriculum, so eventually I did just the bare minimum — enough for the students to understand a basic transaction of buying and selling.
SMG suggests that the students register in teams of 3 or 4 students. But this is too hard to manage since it has become mostly an outside-of-class-time assignment, the kids don't have time to collaborate to make decisions and trade. Therefore I just ask for an individual account for each student. Many of our parents like to get involved with this assignment, helping their kids keep a balanced portfolio — and it's fun to have a fantasy account of $100,000!
Three years ago our 6th grader Reese was the state's winner in his age group!! He was awarded an iPod nano with his name engraved on it. As his awesome teacher, I also got one too. :)
Teachers may also compete with other teachers. I was doing very well one year — holding Apple and Nike stocks, along with stocks from a green energy company — and I was ranked among the top three. Then out of nowhere, this high school teacher came along and beat me. Jerk.
Now that we've signed up, I'm really excited to get started! It's one more thing on my plate, but to hell with state testing review, this is way more fun.
So I did as promised. I went to SMG's website and registered all three classes. The spring 10-week competition started last week (Feb. 13), but the site was still letting me enter this period, so I did. There's still time to register for the "enrichment" period that will run from March 19 through May 25.
It was five years ago when I first got involved with SMG. The site is well developed and has a ton teacher resources, including a step-by-step teacher's guide for teachers new to SMG. I actually did many of the suggested lessons for the first couple of years, but of course this cut into our regular curriculum, so eventually I did just the bare minimum — enough for the students to understand a basic transaction of buying and selling.
SMG suggests that the students register in teams of 3 or 4 students. But this is too hard to manage since it has become mostly an outside-of-class-time assignment, the kids don't have time to collaborate to make decisions and trade. Therefore I just ask for an individual account for each student. Many of our parents like to get involved with this assignment, helping their kids keep a balanced portfolio — and it's fun to have a fantasy account of $100,000!
Three years ago our 6th grader Reese was the state's winner in his age group!! He was awarded an iPod nano with his name engraved on it. As his awesome teacher, I also got one too. :)
Teachers may also compete with other teachers. I was doing very well one year — holding Apple and Nike stocks, along with stocks from a green energy company — and I was ranked among the top three. Then out of nowhere, this high school teacher came along and beat me. Jerk.
Now that we've signed up, I'm really excited to get started! It's one more thing on my plate, but to hell with state testing review, this is way more fun.
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