Stock Tracking Assignment
(2nd Term Project)
October 11, 2011

Objective:
Students should understand that the securities markets have the potential of generating large amounts of wealth for investors, but that success is not guaranteed. Students should be able to identify and describe how the primary and secondary markets function, how securities are traded, and how and where to find sources of investment information.

Learning Outcomes:
Students will achieve a moderately to highly skilled status by showing proficiency in the following:

• Identify and describe the primary and secondary securities markets.
• Trade securities using a broker.
• Locate and use several different sources of investment information to trade securities.

Coursework Procedure:
Let's try to grow our money through a simulation on stock purchases. For this assignment, you will 'virtually' participate in the stock market. To do so, you will need to keep track of your investments using this spreadsheet. You have been given $50,000 to invest for your future from your grandmother. She says it's all up to you what you do with the money so you decide to try the stock market since you are young and can tolerate some risk. Once you have downloaded the spreadsheet, do the following:

1. Pick five companies you want to invest in. Be sure to diversify your choices so that you minimize risk. You are young and can tolerate risk, but you're not stupid (are you?)!
2. Using the spreadsheet, enter your purchases for Week 1 using the name of the company, the symbol, how many shares you are purchasing and the price per share. Be sure that the total for Week 1 (cell F9 on the spreadsheet) does NOT exceed $50,000. Good places to research stocks for this assignment are abundant on the Internet and include (these have quick quotes at the top of their pages):
   • Google Finance
   • Yahoo Finance
   • and CNN Money
3. Each week on the same day as you started this assignment, check your stock price and enter it on the spreadsheet for the corresponding week. The spreadsheet will calculate the results for you. Starting with the week this assignment is given, you will record your stock performance for 10 weeks ending around December 15, 2011.
4. On the due date, submit a printout of the spreadsheet page along with a one-page reflection of what you observed over time with respect to your specific stock choices. Please include in your reflection an analysis of the following:
   • Which stocks went up and why you believe they did so.
   • Which stocks went down and why you believe they did so.
   • What was the over performance of your portfolio?
   • Do you believe the current economic situation in our country affected your results? How? Elaborate.
   • How could you have done better with your investments? Explain.
   • What did you learn as a result of this assignment?

Either submit this assignment printed out (your reflection essay along with the spreadsheet page printout showing your results over the weeks), or by email to rathke(at)teacher(dot)com with both your reflection essay AND your spreadsheet attached.

NOTE: The due dates below are the absolute due dates. No late work will be accepted on this assignment.

Due Date(s) and Submission Instructions:
This assignment is due on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

FIN 1050 - PERSONAL FINANCE
Grade Levels: 11-12
Units of Credit: 3 credit hours (SLCC)
Course Number: FIN 1050
Prerequisite: None

Study of financial skills essential for economic success. Subjects: Financial planning, fin. services, income taxes, consumer buying, insurance, retirement planning & estate planning.