Since 1977, The Stock Market GameTM program has given educators a way to improve the learning experience in thousands of classrooms. Teachers have successfully used The Stock Market GameTM Program to enliven core academic subjects - including math, social studies, and language arts-and research has shown there's no better way to teach the importance of saving and investing.
Students who participate in The Stock Market GameTM Program start with a virtual cash account of $100,000, and strive to create the best-performing portfolio using a live trading simulation. They work together in teams, practicing leadership, organization, negotiation and cooperation as they compete for the top spot. This resource has inspired many teachers to incorporate the program into classes in creative ways-at all levels, from fourth grade to college, all across the curriculum. More information on The Stock Market GameTM Program can be found at
http://www.sia.com/smgprogram/. Additional information is also available at
www.bestprep.org and
http://www.stockmarketgame.org.
To aide instructors, BestPrep offers teacher training sessions. Each workshop provides instructors with the information needed to successfully advise student teams. Participants will receive a complete curriculum guide with activities and lessons for all levels of students, as well as information on how to begin. Items discussed include how the program works, the rules of the game, lesson and activity ideas, and information on the stock market. No previous knowledge is required. New instructors are encouraged but not required to attend a training session. Click to download their
Quick Guide for your review.
Take Stock in Minnesota, a competition that is part of The Stock Market Game, encourages students in grades 4-12 to learn about the stock market, economics, and finance. To make the task of investing less daunting and to encourage learning about business specific to Minnesota, Take Stock in Minnesota only allows students to invest in Minnesota based companies. This stimulating competition incorporates all of the educational benefits of The Stock Market Game while also teaching students about Minnesota businesses and economics.
Take Stock in Minnesota provides teachers with a curriculum that meets core educational requirements, including 16 worksheets that cover such topics as scarcity, goods, services, producers, consumers, interdependence, opportunity cost, choice, economic wants, productive resources, demand, profit, and markets. A list of Minnesota companies, their ticker symbols and their web links, and access to The Stock Market Game online Teacher Support Center are also provided to teachers who participate in this competition.
With Take Stock in Minnesota, students quickly become comfortable with the concept of the stock market due to the limited list of companies that they can invest in. Instead of having to choose among 8,000 companies, students only choose among 200 companies. Students also become familiar with Minnesota businesses and learn to appreciate economics within their own state due to this limited selection. The competitive nature of the game, as well as the prospect of winning a prize, keep students interested and excited as their rankings are posted online each week.
As a teacher, you can register teams of students to participate in this new, exciting version of The Stock Market Game. Please contact Ryan Tews, Stock Market Game Program Manager, at 612-337-5252 ext. 233 or by
email.
The SMG, administered locally by BestPrep and nationally by Securities Industries Association, is supported in Minnesota by individuals, businesses and financial institutions. BestPrep is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Minnesota students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be best prepared to face the economic challenges of the future.
If you are interested in learning more about this activity, please email
Ryan Tews for more information.
Since 1977, The Stock Market GameTM program has given educators a way to improve the learning experience in thousands of classrooms. Teachers have successfully used The Stock Market GameTM Program to enliven core academic subjects - including math, social studies, and language arts-and research has shown there's no better way to teach the importance of saving and investing.