Overview of Sessions

Overview of Sessions

SESSION ONE:  Understanding Stocks  (45 minutes)

Students are introduced to the foundational concepts of stocks and the stock market through the analysis of an authentic, real-time stock market report. Then, they practice selecting stocks from a fictitious market to develop a portfolio.

SESSION TWO:  Stock Trading  (45 minutes)

Students explore how stocks are traded, how stock prices are affected by current events, and how investors make investment decisions and diversify their portfolios. They are introduced to stock indexes/averages and stock tables, and they practice buying, selling, or holding stocks from their fictitious stock portfolio.

SESSION THREE:  Exploring Dividends  (45 minutes)

Students analyze today’s stock market and explore the concept of dividends. They analyze their fictitious stock portfolio and calculate their dividend payments.

SESSION FOUR:  Best-in-Class Competition  (45 minutes)

Students put their new stock market knowledge and skills into practice as they compete to win an in-class competition. This session is designed to be flexible based on student’s grade level and experience, plus the online stock market simulation tool selected by local JA Areas.

SESSION FIVE:  Planning for the Future  (45 minutes)

Students reflect on their experience participating in the in-class competition and/or the JA Stock Market Challenge event and connect the simulations to the real world. They conclude the program by developing their own financial goals. 

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

The following optional extension activities are available for deeper exploration of topics and ideas in each session. Educators and volunteers may pick and choose from the extensions to address additional objectives or to extend the 45-minute sessions. Extension activities are designed for students to complete independently. Educators and volunteers may choose to lead the introduction and wrap-up with students in person (face-to-face in the classroom) or virtually (online in a remote classroom), or they can assign students to complete the work as an entirely self-guided activity. The extensions may be implemented at any time, but suggestions for the corresponding sessions have been provided.

EXTENSION:  Analyzing Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) (Suggested for Sessions Two and Three)  (15 minutes)

This extension activity focuses on initial public offerings (IPOs) and how the company’s initial stock price is determined.

EXTENSION:  Comparing Investment Channels (Suggested for Session Two)  (15 minutes)

Students learn about several ways in which investors buy and sell stocks, uncovering the upsides and downsides of each method.

EXTENSION:  Data Gathering (Suggested for Session Two)  (20 minutes)

This extension activity focuses on the importance of making informed investment decisions. It explains several ways to accumulate information about a prospective company’s stock and describes the importance of evaluating each source of information fully and objectively.

EXTENSION:  Diversification and Risk (Suggested for Sessions One and Two)  (15 minutes)

Students learn that, even though individual investors may have different risk tolerances, smart investors always seek to minimize their risk by diversifying their portfolios.

EXTENSION:  Evaluating Your Financial Plan (Suggested for Session Five)  (15 minutes)

This extension activity focuses on reviewing and assessing a financial plan and selecting investments that meet stated goals.

EXTENSION:  Factors that Influence Stock Prices (Suggested for Sessions One and Two)  (15 minutes)

Students learn the basics of supply and demand in the stock market, explore factors that impact stock price, and read and respond to scenarios related to determining stock price.

EXTENSION:  Financial Watchdogs (Suggested for Session Three)  (20 minutes)

This extension activity focuses on the agencies and organizations tasked with protecting investors and regulating financial markets and products.

EXTENSION:  Investing for the Long Term (Suggested for Session Five)  (15 minutes)

This extension activity, students learn why investing over the long term offers the best path toward success in the market and why day trading can be fraught with risk.

EXTENSION:  My Stock Portfolio (Suggested for Sessions Two, Three, and Four)  (no time limit)

This extension activity enables students to select real stocks on the stock market using an initial imaginary investment of $10,000. Students create a stock portfolio and then track and adjust their investments over time. This activity has no time limit, and students may track and adjust their portfolios for as long as they’d like.

EXTENSION:  Preparing for the JA Stock Market Challenge (Suggested for Session Four)  (30 minutes)

Students review the big ideas about stocks and the stock market that they must understand to participate in the JA Stock Market Challenge. They also learn about the different roles on the team and the rules of the competition.

EXTENSION:  Private vs. Public Companies  (Suggested for Session One) (15 minutes)

Students learn the basics of company ownership models using a pizza business scenario. They explore the advantages and disadvantages for a company of remaining private or becoming publicly owned.

EXTENSION:  Setting Stock Prices and Trading Stock (Suggested for Sessions One and Two)  (15 minutes)

Students learn why public companies sell stock, what happens during a company’s initial public offering, and how stocks are traded on a stock exchange.

EXTENSION:  Smart Investing (Suggested for Session One)  (20 minutes)

Students learn the basics of stock market investing, read and respond to scenarios about investing, and are introduced to three investing strategies.

EXTENSION:  Taxes and the Stock Market (Suggested for Sessions Three or Four)  (15 minutes)

This extension activity, students learn about short- and long-term capital gains and the ways in which they are taxed differently, depending on income.

EXTENSION:  The Animals of the Stock Market (Suggested for Sessions One and Two)  (15 minutes)

Students will learn about bull and bear markets, black swan events, dead cat bounces, and other turns of phrase that can describe individuals and situations related to investing and the stock market.