Thursday, January 20, 2011

Secret Millionaires Club from AOL Kids - Tech Teaching FInance!

The Secret Millionaires Club is a video-based and interactive game website, sponsored by Toyota, that provides students with real life finance information and learning opportunities in a game format.  Students can manage a portfolio of virtual money and learn from none other than Warren Buffett.  I learned about this site from a special education math teacher in the NYC schools.  She uses the Secret Millionaires Club with her 8th grade students.  Thanks to Alessandra for sharing this great site with me.

Financial literacy is a topic that more students should learn.  My adult children have expressed their wish that they were able to take a course in budgeting and money management.  With packed curriculum and loaded schedules in schools, this website appears to fill a gap while engaging students through interactive games. 

The latest video episode is "Going Mental for Rental" and teachers students business techniques to consider for a rental business.  Warren Buffet offers words of wisdom about learning and earning.
The site is easy to navigate so the developers are keeping it simple.  I love the simple to read stock market prices that scroll across the top of the page.

In addition to the cartoon videos, the site offers money games like Earnings Expedition and Compounding Connections for older students and Lemonade Stand and Catch the Money for younger kids.  They will also learn more about Warren Buffett, his company and how he made his fortune.

The trivia game provides students the opportunity to answer questions based on past video episodes. This question ask students to define algorithms.

There are more advanced activities such as portfolio management but I am keeping it simple by sharing the basics today.

If you have middle or high school kids, share the site with them and if you teach, check out the site.  There is a lot packed into the site and I see it supporting more than just math.
I would love to hear what you think.  Maybe the next Warren Buffet is sitting in your class today!

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