Note: This lesson would be the third in a unit revolving around a modified Stock Market Game. Lesson #1 would introduce the game, explaining the objectives and rules of the game. At that time cooperative learning groups would be formed and roles of each students would be chosen. These roles include: group leader, technology coordinator, researcher, secretary or recorder, reporter, graphic artist, journal writer, etc. The objective of lessons #2-4 would be two read, interpret, and analyze stock reports, graphs and charts. During Lesson #6 students in grades 5-6 would be given a pre-selected list of 25 stocks to choose from in planning their investment portfolio. Stocks would be grouped by sectors such as banking, technology, transportation, oil, health, pharmaceuticals. For children in grades 7-12 students might be able to choose from an unlimited list of stocks. The criteria set up in lesson #5 would be used by the students in evaluating stocks as possible investment options during lesson #6. The above mentioned lessons will be posted to the TeachNet site at a later time.
 Although I refer to the following as a lesson, it may take 5-6 forty five minute periods, depending on the age level, ability level, and computer experience of the students, to complete this lesson.

Aim:
 1. To use the Internet as a research tool
 2. To appreciate the need to formulate criteria before investing in a stock.
 3. To analyze information to form criteria in choosing stocks to invest in
 4. To read factual information and discriminate between information which may or may not be valuable in formulating criteria.
 5. To use a drawing program to create a semantic web
 6. To use a database application to organize focus questions
 7.  To share ideas with other students
 8.  To develop respect for other students' opinions

Setting:
        This lesson could take place in a computer lab or in a classroom setting in cooperative learning groups. In class of thirty students, six groups would be formed.

Materials:
        Computer with Internet capabilities, drawing and painting application such as Superprint or Kidpix or tool software such as ClarisWorks, database application such as ClarisWorks or Microsoft Works.
 

Vocabulary:

investment	criteria	assets	liabilities	expense ratio
annual report	revenue	net profit	profile	sales
stock	net income	share	sector	split
price per share	stock	industry	earnings	capital
symbol	market cap	company name	price/earnings ratio

                              
Motivation:
        1.  Each cooperative learning group of students will be investing $100,000. in as part of the stock market game. The group with the greatest profit at the end of 8 weeks will receive trophies.
        2.  Students will obtain quick access to multimedia displays of information via the Internet.
        3.  Students will develop pride in being able to create a finished semantic web and/or database on the computer and print out the document.
        4.  Teacher will demonstrate with a LCD display projected for the entire class to see, how to find stock reports, quotes, and news article related to stocks on the Internet. On America Online's channels window, click on Personal Finance. Enter stock symbol or use the Symbol Lookup feature by entering the company name. Then click Get Quote. Use Dell Computers (symbol - dell) as an example of a stock to explore. Examine the information given in this section. Elicit from students which information will be important in ascertaining whether or not this company would be a good investment choice. Formulate into criteria and add to semantic map. (New criteria might include: 52 week high and low, market cap, p/e ratio).
 

DELL
LAST TRADE	32.7/8	Volume	25,860,400
CHANGE	-0.75(-2.23%)	Avg Volume	39,272,750
BID	32 13/16	Mkt Cap (mil)	$86,026.25
ASK	32 7/8	PE	48.3
OPEN	33 3/4	Div Yield	N/A
PREV. CLOSE	33 5/8	Annual Div/Shr	N/A
DAY'S RANGE	32 1/2-34	Ex-Div	N/A
52 WEEK RANGE	32.75-59.68	Market	Nasdaq

        At the bottom of this window is a News section. Click on links to available news articles related to the stock. Elicit the information from each article that would be useful in determining whether Dell is a viable investment company. What current events effect the stocks performance? Formulate additional criteria and add to web.
 
 

Wed Sep 27, 2000 . Dell cuts server prices Hosted by CBS MarketWatch - 01:17 PM EDT . Dell Cuts Server Prices -2: Cuts PowerEdge 6400 Price 47% Dow Jones - 01:15 PM EDT . Dell Reduces Server Prices by Up to 47 Percent Business Wire - 01:01 PM EDT . Zoho Confirms Buys National Content Liquidators Dow Jones - 10:25 AM EDT Tue Sep 26, 2000 . Does Microsoft have high-end computing mettle? Hosted by CBS MarketWatch - 08:51 PM EDT Older Stories

  
 
         Click on Select A Chart. What type of information is given in this section? Examine and interpret graphs for one month, one year, and three year. How would this information aid you in deciding on whether Dell is a good investment choice?
        Choose Investment Research. Enter Dell for company symbol. Elicit responses related to what children know about Dell. Choose Hoover's Capsule to read together as a class. You may also use the following URL to locate the Hoover's Capsule: http://research.web.aol.com/data/marketguide  or http://hoovers.com . Elicit which information from the article is important to know if students would be investing in Dell. Add criteria to semantic web on board. Additional criteria might include: sector, industry, number of employees, what the company manufactures or sells, net income, revenues, who else invests in this company.

Additional URL's to try containing quotes, analyst's reports, news articles, information on stock splits, and stock histories are:
http://wsj.com
http://marketwatch.com
http://bloomberg.com
http://multexinvestor.com
http://the street.com
http://money.com
http://stockplayer.com

Procedure:
        1.  Brainstorming and discussion: What would you need to know about a company before you invest in it? Responses may include but not be limited to: type of company, what the company produces, how much the company is worth, how much money the company made in the last year. Record responses on a semantic map on the chalk board.
        2.  Break into cooperative learning groups.
        3.  Repeat the process of finding information about a stock as demonstrated by the teacher in the motivation of the lesson. Students will explore AOL's investment snapshot window, charts, investment research, and news section for one or two other companies such as Mobile Oil or Ford Motor Corporation.
        4.  Students brainstorm with their cooperative learning group to set up additional criteria for choosing a stock and add the criteria to their semantic webs.
        5.  Students share their criteria with the class. Students evaluate each other's criteria.
        6.  Students use a drawing and painting application such as Scholastic's Superprint, Broderbund's Kidpix, or ClarisWorks to draw a semantic web with the stock criteria information on it. Students print and display their work. See sample semantic web.
 
 

        7.  Students use a database application such as ClarisWorks to list criteria in the form of focus questions and print out their work. See sample focus questions.

    

What are the expert recommendations?
What is the previous history?
Will the stock split?
Do I use the product?
What is the expense ratio?
What are the company's assets?
What are the company's liabilities?
What  the company's competition?
Who runs the company?
How long has the company been in business?
What is the price per share?

Evaluation:
        Students will be evaluated on the effectiveness of their finding locations on the Internet for researching stocks. The quality of the semantic web and database created as well as the criteria established will be evaluated by the teacher.

Follow Up:
        Students will use the database and semantic web as a template for evaluation stocks for possible investment. Students will record their findings on the template using one template for each stock they research. See sample database template.