Doug's+Lesson+Plan

__**Course:**__ Stock Market Investing


 * __Topic:__** "Choosing your stock"


 * __Duration:__** 85 minute class period


 * __Lesson Overview:__** The goal of this lesson is to have the students research and choose a stock from the S&P 500 that they will track and monitor throughout the course. Each student will use tools and procedures previously discussed in class in order to research company stocks. Students will use sites such as Google Finance, BigCharts, and Earnings in order to find and evaluate data on current and previous selling prices for the stocks as well as the companies financials. The students will also be expected to search for other sources in order to determine the financial stability, organization structure, and overall quality of the given company. Based on the criteria given, the students will be able to given specific rationale to why they chose this stock and why they believe this company's stock will rise in the future.


 * __Objectives:__**
 * Students will learn how to use a KWL sheet in order to evaluate the stability of a company.
 * Students will independently practice completing KWL sheets on different companies.
 * Students will choose a company they feel has the greatest growth potential in stock price in the future.
 * Students will write a summary stating rationale for their decision.


 * __Materials:__**
 * Computers
 * Handout "Startegies for finding quality stocks"
 * Activity Worksheet
 * KWL Sheet

__**Procedures**__:
 * Students will take 4 KWL sheets as they come in the room.
 * Briefly review "strategies for finding quality stocks" handout from the previous day.
 * Students should take out 1 of their KWL sheets.
 * Students will complete the first column of the KLW sheet on the company Wal-mart.
 * Discuss as a class what things the students know about Wal-mart.
 * Students will complete the middle column of the KLW sheet on the company Wal-mart.
 * Discuss as a class the things the students want to know about Wal-mart
 * Students will research Wal-mart in order to answer the questions from column two.
 * Have the students list some sites they went to in order to find information on Wal-mart and open those sites on the Promethean Board in the front of the class.
 * Pass out 'activity worksheet' for the class period.
 * Have the students read the instructions for the assignment and then go over the instrucitons as a class.
 * Give students the remainder of the class period to complete the remaining three KWL sheets on the three companies of their choice.
 * __Evaluation/Product:__**
 * Students will submit three completed KWL sheets from their three companies.
 * Students will submit a summary on the company they are choosing as the best company for the future.

Google Finance- provides data for company stock prices as well as change in stock prices Earnings- provides information on the financial stability of companies and industries. Big Charts- another source for collecting data on specific companies in order to formulate an opinion on where that company's stock might be going.
 * __Data/Document Sites:__**

Dough- This is a really good project. Many people invest in stocks and have no idea why they pick the stocks they do. I have a similar project I use with my students where they develop and updat a stock portfolio. We do two different applications where they track six to eight stocks and I pretend I give them each $200,000.00 to spend. They must spend as close to this amont as possible, but not go over. The first run we do no research. Then, we do research on the companies they pick at the end of the unit on stocks. They have to justify with their findings the reasons for picking what they did. Usually, students do better the second time around. I have an Excel spreadsheet that they use to record the changes in stock prices each day. Students can see if they are gaining or loosing money. Your idea is great for teaching students how to think like an investor. It requires alot of critical thinking to do this. Here are a couple of links you may like: Lawrence [|investopedia.com] [|bankrate.com]