Diane's+Problem-Based+Lesson+Plan

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION FOR MEANINGFUL CLASSROOM USE
A Problem-based learning unit activity
 * A Standards-Based Approach **

My students (grades 9-12) will pretend they are Certified Financial Planners. A client, Chris, arrived at their office and has asked that a personal financial plan be prepared for him. If Chris is satisfied with the plan, the planner will receive Chris' investing business for the next 5 years, guaranteed.

 Chris graduated last week from a 4-year college with a Bachelor's degree in Business-Marketing. He is starting a new job next week, in his hometown, which pays $30,000 a year. He has no savings or investments. He does have a 4 year old car and a $20,000 loan at 3% APR. His loan is for 10 years with no prepayment penalty. His parents have offered for Chris to live at home for one year; paying them $300 a month, to help pay for food, utilities etc. Today Chris received a $150,000 check in the mail for an inheritance from his grandmother. Neither he, nor his parents were expecting for him to inherit anything. His grandmother's only request, was that he save/invest at least half of it for his retirement. He loved his grandmother dearly and will honor her request.
 * Here is the scenario. **

Students will prepare a personal financial plan for Chris, which includes setting financial goals, providing a Net Worth Statement and Income/Expense record, insurance plan and a savings/retirement investment plan.

The students will each research one company (of the Dow Jones 30 Industials) and post their findings on the class wiki for all to use in preparing their savings/retirement investment plan. No two students will research the same Dow Jones Industrial company. This lesson is done first to allow students access to each other's company research results near the beginning of the project. This will help them determine which companies might be good to invest in. For the balance of the project, students will work in pairs. Each set of three pairs (6 students) will have their own wiki site. =Daily Lesson GAME Plan Template = Wikis Work Wonders Show and Tell || Personal Financial Planning-Investing for the Future ||  1. Determine if a stock purchase matches a person's investment goals 2. Examine information for its accuracy and relevance to an information need. 3. Create a bibliography of sources in an electronic format.
 * Lesson Title: Sherlock Holmes to the Rescue || Future Related Lessons:
 * Each student will be researching one of the 30 Dow Jones Industrial Average companies. || Unit:
 * GOALS ||
 * Content Standards: **
 * **ISTE NETS-S **

o Creativity and innovation <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">X Communication and collaboration X Research and information fluency || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">

X Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">X Digital citizenship <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">X Technology operations and concepts ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Instructional objective(s): The student will **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontweight: bold;">1. Use and properly cite valid sources of information to research a stock. <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontweight: bold;">2. Evaluate a company's stock in relation to a retirement investment plan.

1. Prepare a class wiki, obtain all students' e-mail addresses and set them up as members of the wiki. 2. Prepare a list of the 30 Dow Jones Industrial Averages companies and save the list onto the school server. 3. Create a file with the questions students must research on their company, including directions for proper citation of resources. 4. Create a file, which describes the PBL scenario. || 4 class periods || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Instructional Activities || **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Materials & Resources- ** 1 class period
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">ACTION ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontweight: bold;">Before-class preparation:
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">During class ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Time
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">I have 28 computers in my classroom ** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">

3class periods || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Describe the PBL activity (including the sticky scenario, upcoming use of the wiki site for collaborative learning and reflection via digital storytelling.

Show students the location on the network server of the files they will need and have students each select 1 of the 30 companies to research. No two students will have the same company. Students will begin their research on day 1, if there is time.

Students will, using the Internet, research their company and answer the questions provided in the research file. They will provide a bibliography They will post their research results and investment recommendations on the class wiki. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Sticky scenario file

List of 30 DJIA companies file

Wiki site link Suggested investing information websites

Student daily log of attempts, accomplishments, problems/concerns and learning.

Research questionnaire file

Student daily log response sheet || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';"> Notes: Student groupings, environmental modifications needed, etc.

Students will be seated with a strong student on either side of a weaker student so they can help each other out.


 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">MONITOR ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Ongoing assessment(s):I will be monitoring their Internet research to ensure the sites they are using are reputable and that the students are on task. When they hit a 'roadblock' I will suggest possible 'detours' that will re-route them to their destination.

Accommodations and extensions: Students will be permitted to come in before/after school and during study halls as well as work on this outside of the classroom. Most, if not all, of my students have computers at home.

Backup plan: If there are computer problems on any day (which has only happened twice in 12 years in my classroom), we will use paper copies of current annual reports to extend their understanding of how to research companies via their annual reports. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Lesson reflections and notes: Students will be evaluated on the thoroughness of the research they complete, including their bibliography. Their daily reflection log will be used as a formative assessment, and as content for their digital storytelling.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">EVALUATE AND EXTEND ||

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">I will have a Certified Financial Planner come and speak with the class before the project begins and again to view and comment on their personal financial plans.