StockWatch Cheryl Beck Mayo High School for Math, Science and Technology Darlington, South Carolina

Overview

The ups and downs of the stock market are headline-makers in our news these days. But do our students know about the various companies involved and how each raises the capital necessary to produce efficiently and expand production?

Students are eager consumers of the products of our nation's major companies. However, one hopes that they will become investors for their own futures and the futures of America's businesses. The purpose of this activity is to acquaint students -- through the use of the Internet -- with selected corporations of interest to them, and help them learn about fluctuations in the value of those companies stocks.

Objectives

• Students use computer technology to identify company contacts, monitor stocks, and process reports.

• Each student monitors the changing values of the stocks of three different companies.

• Students identify the products and business activities of their three companies and make a presentation to the class.

• Students compile stock information into a written report, including an evaluation of the stocks' performances during the month of monitoring.

Time Required

• One month for stock monitoring and research, plus 2-3 days for class presentations

Materials

• Computers with connection to the Internet

• Any visual aids or props the students choose for class presentations

• Handout 1 StockWatch Computer Lab Assignment

Teaching Activity If a computer lab (with sufficient stations to accommodate all students) is available, arrange for one day in the lab to acquaint students with sites for choosing companies, monitoring stocks, and researching company information. With limited computer stations, divide students into teams for cooperative work. On computer lab day, each student should be given a packet that includes the following: instructions for choosing companies, monitoring stocks, and researching companies; pages from www.stocksite.com; and lists of companies and their symbols from the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ exchange. After students have registered their stocks and become acquainted with Web pages relating to their companies, they should contact these companies (by mail, e-mail, or telephone) to inquire about receiving annual reports and any other information that will be helpful to them in preparing for their class presentations. During the month of stock monitoring, the students will use the Internet resources suggested to retrieve the data involving closing prices and daily changes (+ or -). These data can then be recorded in tables or spreadsheet format. At the end of the monitoring month, students should submit a report with tables or spreadsheets reflecting the information gathered about the stocks of their three companies. Along with each company's stock monitoring report, students should write a paragraph analyzing the activity of that particular stock. Following the month of stock monitoring and information gathering, the students should give oral presentations to their classmates. Allow about 15-20 minutes for each presentation. Encourage students to use examples of their company's products, overhead transparencies, posters, and any other desired props to demonstrate their knowledge of their companies. Although the students may never actually invest in these companies, it is interesting to observe how a project of this sort may simulate a sense of ownership and cause the students to take great interest in their companies!