A team comprised of Dogwood students Titus Brewer, Colton Watson and Lachlan Griffith recently earned first place in the SIFMA Foundation’s Stock Market Game. The game celebrates top-performing teams across elementary, middle and high school categories.

The Dogwood team achieved the highest portfolio values among Missouri students in the competition and was recognized alongside their teachers and school. Coached by fifth-grade teacher Lindsey Thomas, these dedicated students and other fifth-graders arrived at school bright and early once a week to study the stock market and strategize their investments.

“I’m so proud of these students and impressed by all the work they put into this experience,” Principal Kathleen Bahan said. “This is the kind of Project Based Learning that prepare our students to thrive and contribute to our community.”

Hosted by the SIFMA Foundation in collaboration with dedicated local partners, The Stock Market Game underscores the value of equipping young people with essential financial skills and knowledge. This dynamic program allows students to engage in the complexities of stock trading by managing a simulated portfolio with a virtual $100,000. Through this hands-on learning experience, participants gain valuable insights into economics, finance, and market dynamics.

“Congratulations to all the outstanding student teams who excelled in this semester’s Stock Market Game,” said Melanie Mortimer, President of the SIFMA Foundation. “This program is about more than just numbers—it’s about inspiring the next generation of leaders to think critically, make informed choices, and approach financial challenges with confidence.”

Participants explore the value of long-term investing through an innovative educational platform used by Missouri teachers to enhance knowledge in math, economics and personal finance. This comprehensive program improves test scores while imparting critical life skills essential for financial independence.

In teams of up to five, students simulate real-world investing, trading stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. They research market trends, monitor global news, and make strategic trades in real-time using the Stock Market Game’s online tools or smartphone app. Additionally, students can prioritize socially responsible investments aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Stock Market Game curriculum integrates lessons, hands-on activities and virtual events to develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills through an engaging real-world simulation. Teachers access a robust online support center, offering over 1,000 lesson plans that align with Missouri education standards, STEM requirements, and 21st-century learning goals. The program emphasizes the fundamentals of long-term saving and investing while enhancing core subjects like math, language arts, economics, and social studies.

Beyond the competition, students gain invaluable skills in research, risk assessment and decision-making. These lessons not only deepen their understanding of economic principles, but also instill a sense of financial responsibility and readiness for future academic, career and personal finance challenges.

The post Dogwood Students Win State Stock Market Contest appeared first on Early Education Center.

Southview Elementary School students practice Project Based Learning

Kearney, Mo., Oct. 22, 2021: Hunter Phipps learned that sometimes you’ve got to stop motion in order to start learning.

A fifth-grader at Southview Elementary School, Hunter and his classmates got hands-on experience today making stop-motion films while simultaneously learning about the dynamics of shadow and light.

In Rebecca Shaheen’s darkened classroom, they huddled in murmuring collaboration around rigs that held tablet computers over small paper sets and plastic animals. One student ran the camera while another rotated a light source to mimic the sun and manipulate the animal’s shadow across the set.

“This is so much better than just sitting in a chair and reading a science textbook because you get to try it yourself,” Hunter said. “It’s trial and error, so you can learn from your own mistakes.”

Kearney School District leaders have made Project Based Learning (PBL) a strategic priority this year and into the future in order to ensure that students are prepared to succeed in the 21st-century global economy. Hunter’s work is PBL in practice, according to Ms. Shaheen.

“From a standards standpoint, we are focusing on the change in the length and direction of shadows as the sun rotates,” she explained. “They are engaged in Project Based Learning using stop-motion to show what happens when the sun rises and what happens to those shadows as the sun continues to move across the sky and then sets in the west.”

Simply put, PBL involves teaching abstract, complex topics by having students address hands-on, personally relevant challenges. The hum in Shaheen’s classroom and the degree of focus by the students testified to the effectiveness of this innovative technique.

“Hands-on science definitely sticks with them,” Shaheen said. “Everyone’s interested, everyone’s engaged. We have three, four kids in a group and everyone has a role, everyone can really see what I want them to learn versus just having them read about it in a textbook.”

Back at Hunter’s table, it’s clear that he and his classmates are getting the picture.

“We’re learning how shadows move and are affected by the seasons, and why there are seasons,” he said. “But we’re also having fun.”

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