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Unit: Stock Market Game Lesson: Using Statistical Data to Chart Stock Market Activity |
Aim:
1.
To use a spreadsheet application to calculate mean, median, range, percent
of change, high and low of stocks over a one month period.
2. To use spreadsheet formulas to perform calculations.
3. To uses the internet as a research tool.
4. To read and interpret information from a spreadsheet.
5. To share ideas with other students.
6. To work cooperatively and develop respect for other
students' opinions.
7. To appreciate the fact that stock prices change daily.
8. To appreciate the volatility of the stock market.
Setting: This lesson could take place in a computer lab or in a classroom setting in cooperative learning groups. In a class of thirty students, six groups would be formed.
Materials: Computer with Internet capabilities, spreadsheet applications such as ClarisWorks, AppleWorks, or Excel, printer
Vocabulary: spreadsheet statistics mean median range high low percent of change calculations formula
Motivations:
1. Students, within their cooperative learning
groups will be following the progress of the stocks they have chosen to
invest in over a period of four weeks.
2. Students will obtain quick access to multimedia displays
of information via the internet.
3. Students will develop pride in being able to use spreadsheet
formulas to calculate statistical information related to their stocks.
4. In this lesson Cooperative learning group members will be
assigned duties as researcher, who will locate stock quotes on the
previously made spreadsheet, analysts, who will use the spreadsheet to
calculate percent of change, mean, median, range, highs and lows
for the month, recorders, who will record the statistical data on
the spreadsheet and write about changes in stock prices for the group's
journal, and a presenter, who will report to class on the progress of the
stocks.
5. Teacher will introduce the meaning of statistical
terms such as mean, median, percent of change, high, low, and range and
explain the significance of using statistical analysis as tool in understanding
the changes in the stock market.
6. Teacher will exhibit previously made spreadsheets of each cooperative
learning group and demonstrate with LCD display projected during whole
class instruction how to find the high and low of each stock over a one
month period, how to use formulas to calculate the mean, median and range
and percent of change of each stock over a one month period.
Click on the link below to see
a sample spreadsheet.
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/chornik/spreadsheettables.htm
Additional URLs that provide
stock quotes, reports by analysts, graphs, historical research, and news
articles related to the stocks are:
http://wsj.com
http://marketwatch.com
http://bloomberg.com
http://multexinvestor.com
http://thestreet.com
http://money.com
http://stockplayer.com
Procedure:
1. Students, meeting in their cooperative learning groups
(which were set up at beginning of stock market game unit, see lesson on
Stock Criteria, review data from their spreadsheet and journals created
in previous lessons. (See links to previous lessons below).
2. Determine the high and low quote for each stock on
the spreadsheet.
3. Students will determine the median quote for each
stock by listing the quotes in numerical order from least to greatest.
They will find the median by finding the middle number in the list. If
there are two numbers in the middle of the list, those two numbers will
be averaged.
4. The students will use this procedure to determine
the range: They will take the cell with the highest quote for the month
and subtract the cell with the lowest quote from it. If the students are
using ClarisWorks or AppleWorks for their spreadsheets, they will use the
following formula =B18-B10 (B18 having the highest quote and B10 having
the lowest quote for AOL as seen on the spreadsheet created in previous
lesson on using spreadsheets to create graphs.
5. To determine mean, students will use this formula
=(B2...B20)/19. As per spreadsheet, the values in cell B2 through B20 are
added and then divided by the number of quotes listed for AOL.
6. To calculate the percent of change of each stock on
the spreadsheet over the month, students need to take the value of the
range and divide it by the opening quote at the beginning of the month.
This formula may be used in the case of AOL =(B18-B10)/B2. To see this
value expressed as a percentage, double click on the cell with the mean
value and choose "Percent" from the "Format Number Date And Time" window.
7. Statistical Information will be added to the spreadsheet
and described in narrative form in the group's journal and printed.
8. Groups will share their results for the one
month period studied. This will consist of oral presentations and presentations
of the graphical materials created by the groups.
9. All group participants will receive a certificate
for participating in the game. The group with the greatest increase in
assets due to their "investments" might receive trophies or other suitable
rewards.
Other Resources:
Learning From The Stock Market:
Integrating The Stock Market Game Across The Curriculum, published
by National Council on Economic Education, 1140 Avenue of the Americas,
New York 10036
Please use the following links to
view previous lessons in this unit.
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/chornik/stockcriteria.htm
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/chornik/graphingstocks.htm
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/chornik/spreadsheetgraphs.htm
http://teachersnetwork.org/teachnet-lab/ps101/chornik/stockportfolio.htm