Sixth graders are immersing themselves in the world of Wall Street through the Stock Market Game (SMG), a year-long program in Lower School math teacher Teo Cutter's class that blends real-world finance with essential math skills like statistical measures, arithmetic, percentages, and data interpretation. Each 6th grade student is managing a mock investment portfolio that allows them to simulate stock trades on the NYSE. The portfolio tracks these trades over the course of the school year and provides data about the performance of each "investor." Class discussions cover basics about investing, financial mathematics, risk/reward, and adopting a long-term time horizon. The students make their own investment decisions and then experience the market's ups and downs in real time with their own "money" on the table. 

In a recent lesson, students tackled the concept of the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, connecting it to their math unit on ratios and rates. The thrill of real-world financial exploration was palpable— these sixth graders are on their way to becoming savvy mathematicians and investors!