Investment Cartoons

The one great thing about teaching economics is that a lot, no almost ALL, of my examples I use in class are real-life ones.  It was so great to be able to pull up an ad for a local bank and show them exactly what their interest rate was on their savings accounts, or CDs.

In social studies we've just wrapped up our investment cartoons.  The students studied 4 types of investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and savings accounts) and the risks and rewards associated with each of them.  Students then had to choose 2 of the investment types that stuck out to them and create a cartoon detailing the 2 they've chosen.  Here's the directions they were given:

We did this same activity two years ago the last time around when I taught economics.  I was impressed then, and am even more impressed now with the cartoons these 7th graders came up with!  They are so darn creative, and I love how they take characters from cartoons, movies, and even themselves and put them into their cartoon!  It's really great to give them an outlet where they can use things they're familiar with to discuss content.  Here's some of the cartoons they created.  Enjoy!

Investment Cartoon 1

Investment Cartoon 2

Investment Cartoon 3

Investment Cartoon 4

Investment Cartoon 5

Stock Market Game

Two years ago, my first go-around teaching economics, I decided to have the kids learn first-hand what the stock market is and how it works.  So we got signed up to play MarketWatch's Virtual Stock Market Game.  This year for our economics unit, I decided to go ahead and launch my 7th graders into this game again.  OHHH EMMM GEEEE.  I could not have anticipated the HUGE amount of engagement and positive response this game would have on my students!  I mean, two years ago, the kids liked it and got into it, but nothing like these current 7th graders are.  Throughout the different team classes we are literally having to pull kids away from checking their stocks (I love it!) because they're so entranced with the game.  Anyways, I am just so happy and proud of how engaged these students are with not only the game but with how the stock market works.

If you are an economics or social studies teacher, definitely check out the Stock Market Game through MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal.  It's free, you can customize your game however you'd like, and students can join by simply creating an account with an email address.  This is hands-down my favorite part of our economics unit, and it really gets students not only involved with the stock market it gets them first-hand experience on how stocks, shares, holdings, etc... all work.