Math RWLO Template Title Placeholder



To Invest or Not To Invest

Project Overview

Are you interested in having enough money to retire? In order to retire one must have some type of savings or investment plan. In this RWLO, students will collect data from the DOW or S & P 500. Students will use this data to construct line graphs showing stock prices over a three-week period. Students will calculate percent increase or percent decrease for the different stock prices. They will calculate mean, median, and mode for their different stock prices. They will use all of this information to make predictions about one or two of the stocks that they have tracked.

This RWLO is intended for use by students enrolled in a developmental mathematics course such as Basic Mathematics or Prealgebra.

Student Learning Objectives

For this RWLO, the student will be able to:

• Construct line graphs that show the stocks prices for each of their stocks.

• Find the percent increase or decrease for each of the stock prices.

• Calculate the mean price for each stock.

• Calculate the median price for each stock.

• Calculate the mode price for each stock.

• Determine whether they would have made money or lost money if they had invested money in each of the stocks that they chose.

Procedure

Time: 15–30 minutes class time the week before collecting data

3 weeks outside of class to collect data

2 class periods of about 45–60 minutes each day after data is collected

Materials: Internet access, scientific calculator, and Student Handouts: Stock Prices, Graph Paper and Class Activity

Prerequisites: Students should have knowledge of basic mathematics operations with whole numbers, fractions and decimals. They should also be familiar with percents and know how to calculate percent increase or decrease.

Implementation: This RWLO is to be initiated in the classroom by forming groups of 3 students. The activity involves data collection outside of the classroom. Once the data is collected, then the second part of the activity is to be completed in the classroom.

Steps:

1. The week prior to the start of student data collecting use about 15–30 minutes of a class period to introduce the RWLO.

a. During this introduction put the students in groups of 2 to 3.

b. Distribute the “Content Material” and Stock Prices handout to each student.

c. Have each group read the Content Material and discuss what they are supposed to do. This activity will help to make sure that the students understand their assignment.

d. Each group must track the stock prices for a financial institution, a pharmaceutical company and a retail company. Students may not know what the different types of companys mean. You may want to give a brief description of each type and provide several examples of each one.

e. You may want to have each group turn in their stock choices for your approval before they start collecting data. If you decide that students need your approval for their stock choices, then give them a due date for your approval.

f. The Stock Price handout has room for three stocks and 15 entries for each stock. Students will be collecting data for three weeks and it is recommended that they check and record their stock prices at the close of the market. This should be done at least three times a week. Be sure to tell the students how many times you want them to check the stock prices each week. You may need to share with the students what is meant by “the close of the market”.

g. Tell the groups that they should include a short description of the company that they are tracking.

2. The next three weeks the students should be tracking their stocks. They should be recording this information on the Stock Prices handout that was given to them.

a. Sometime during this three-week period review how to graph a line.

b. Distribute the Graph Paper student handout and have the students construct a graph for the stock they are tracking. The finished graphs should be brought to class the day the class activity is planned.

c. Have each student describe at least 3 things that they notice about their graphs. Require the students to record their observations below each graph prior to coming to class.

d. If you want the graphs to be completed in class instead of outside of class, then wait until the day of the class activity to do parts b and c. However, it is recommend that you have them complete the graphs outside of class to minimize the amount of class time needed for this activity.

3. Once the data is collected, you will use one or two class periods, about 45-60 minutes each, for the last part of this RWLO.

a. Review how to find percent increase and decrease. This can be done the day that you have them work on the class activity or the week before.

b. Review the definitions of mean, median, and mode. This can be done the day that you have them work on the class activity or the week before.

c. Have your students get into their groups.

d. Distribute the Class Activity Student Handout 3.

e. Have the groups complete the requested information.

f. It may take two class periods to complete the Class Activity. If two class periods are used, you should have each group complete Parts I, II and III on the first day and Part IV on the second day.

g. Have each group give a report on their findings. Each group member should report on the stock that they tracked. The group report should be given on the second day.

Content Material

Student Directions:

Project Overview: Are you interested in having enough money to retire? In order to retire one must have some type of savings or investment plan. You will collect data from the DOW or S & P 500. You will use this data to construct line graphs showing stock prices over a three-week period. In groups, you will calculate percent increase or percent decrease for the different stock prices, and calculate mean, median, and mode for the different stock prices in each of the groups. Also, you will use all of this information to make predictions about one or two of the stocks that have been tracked.

Part 1 is in class.

1. Form groups of three and spend about 5 minutes getting to know your group members.

2. Read through the Content Material and discuss in your groups what you are required to do for this activity. Make sure that each group member understands the directions.

3. On the handout, Stock Prices, record the name of each of your group members.

4. Each group needs to decide which group member will track the financial institution, the pharmaceutical company and the retail company. Be sure to record on the Stock Prices handout which group member is doing which stock.

5. If you are given a due date for the approval of your stocks, write this down on the Stock Prices handout.

Part 2 is outside of class.

1. Access

Each group must choose three stocks: a financial institution, a pharmaceutical company and a retail company. To find the stocks click on DOW or S&P 500.

2. Record the names of your stock on the Stock Prices handout and a short description of your stock.

3. If you are required to have your instructor’s approval before you start collecting data, then turn in your choice by the due date for your instructor’s approval.

4. Start collecting data by recording the stock price at the close of the market day

and record the date. You should record stock prices at least three times a week for the next three weeks. Check with your instructor to see if you need to record data more than three times a week.

5. During the third week, use the graph paper and start graphing your data.

6. The day before the class activity is scheduled, finalize your graph and record at least three things that you notice about your graph.

Part 3 is in class.

1. Get into your groups. Spend about 10 minutes looking at each group member’s graph and discussing each of the graphs.

2. In your groups complete the Class Activity Student Handout 3. This may take two class periods to complete.

3. If two class periods are need to complete the Class Activity, then complete parts I, II and III on the first day and complete part IV on the second day.

4. On the second day each group will report to the class their findings. Each group member will report on the stock that they tracked.

Referenced URL:

• This site is for Bloomberg. You can find stocks by clicking on DOW or S&P 500.

Assessment

• Stock Price Handout: 15 points

o The handout should contain a good description of each stock – 5 points

o Each stock should have at least 9 dates and prices – 10 points

• Graphs: 15 points

o Each graph should be constructed on a separate sheet of graph paper. The axes should be clearly labeled for each graph and the plotted data should be easily read from the graph. – 10 points

o Below each graph there should be at least three items stated about the graph. – 5 points

• Class Activity Handout: 60 points

o Part I – 10 points

o Part II – 20 points

o Part III – 15 points

o Part IV – 15 points

• Group Report: 10 points

o The points can be assigned to just the oral presentation or you could have the groups turn in a short written report.

Links to Course Competencies

This RWLO could be applied in the following courses: Basic Mathematics, PreAlgebra, Introductory Algebra, Elementary Algebra and an algebra course designed for Fine Arts majors. Specifically, this RWLO meets the following course competencies:

• Students will be able to use percents to calculate percent increase or percent decrease.

• Students will be able to construct line graphs.

• Students will be able to draw conclusions about line graphs.

• Students will be able to analyze data by finding the mean, median, and mode of the data.

• Students will be able to use real world data to make predictions.

Supplementary Resources

• This is the home page for the New York Stock Exchange. To find stocks click on “Listed Company Directory”.

• This site is part of the NASDAQ website. It is a good reference site for definitions pertaining to stocks.

• This site is the Chicago Sun-Times stock market data. The site contains a ticker, which shows current trading prices when the market is open and closing prices when the market is closed. Stock companies can also be located at this site.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Integration:

This RWLO consists of two parts. The students are to collect data outside of class. The data is to be analyzed in the classroom with the students working collaboratively in groups of 2-3. It is recommended that each group discuss their findings in class as a group report.

This RWLO could be divided into several different activities. The different activities could be 1) Graphs, 2) Percent Increase/Decrease, 3) Statistics and 4) Applications.

Back-up:

If students do not have access to the Internet or an instructor wants all of the project to be completed in class, then newspapers that contain stock prices could be brought to class for the students to use.

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