These slides were presented during a webinar held 7:30PM, February 9, 2015. The webinar introduced teachers to the SIFMA Foundation's national essay contest, InvestWrite.

1. “How to InvestWrite”
Presented By:
Vincent Young
Assistant Vice President, Curriculum Initiatives
Jessica Bayer
InvestWrite National Program Manager
Lisa A. Donnini, Ph.D.
InvestWrite National Director
IF POSSIBLE PLEASE USE A MUTE BUTTON ON YOUR PHONE LINE
DURING THIS WEBINAR
We will answer questions via the written question option on
your screen. You may enter a question at any time by opening
the “Chat” box. Please type your question and we will hold
an “Answer” session at the end of the presentation if time
permits, or we will reply via e-mail to all attendees.

2. • A national writing competition
• Synthesizes and applies concepts
taught in The Stock Market Game
• Provides opportunities to meet writing
requirements
• Extends the portfolio trading
experience
What is ?

3. • The learning doesn’t stop when
the trading stops
• Builds a bridge between
classroom learning and the real
world
• Helps retain student interest

4. Basics
• Teachers and students must be registered in the
SMG program to be eligible
• Participate by writing essays in their grade
division: elementary (4-5), middle (6-8), and
high (9-12)
• Each topic introduces or relates to investment
principles linked to the SMG Program
• Prizes offer excellent incentives

5. Prize Patrols!!!
(sshhh, it’s a secret!)
Awards and Recognition

6. STATE WINNERS
Even more opportunities for students to succeed
and receive recognition!
Contact your local SMG Coordinator for
information regarding prizes, awards and
recognition events for winning teachers and
students in your local or state SMG program.

8. Is Teacher and Classroom Driven
• Higher Level Thinking
• Collaborative Learning
 Teamwork
 Communication
• Multi-Disciplinary
• Cross Curricular
• Assessment Tool
• Readiness
 College
 Workplace
 Career

9. Judging Process
Multiple Levels
• First Step: Your Classroom
• Second Step: Each essay is scored by four volunteers
from the financial services industry whose scores are
totaled
• Third Step: Ties are broken by a panel of “Power
Judges”
• Final Step: Essays are ranked by second panel of
“Power Judges”
• COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS, ALL ON LINE

10. How Essays Are Scored
Same for all grade levels
Equal weight
Understanding of the Subject Matter
• Does the student exhibit knowledge regarding
the concept of researching and planning an
investment strategy?
The student should address the scenario using relevant terminology
and display an understanding of the core concepts of the stock market
in the scenario.

11. How Essays are Scored
Same for all grade levels
Equal Weight
Rationale
• Is the essay thoughtful?
The written argument should be presented in a
manner that indicates there was a logical thinking
process involved in addressing the assignment.

12. How Essays Are Scored
Same for all grade levels
Equal Weight
Writing Style
• Is the student's work interesting to read?
• Does the written response encourage the reader to continue
reading to the conclusion of the essay?
Students have an opportunity in this exercise to exhibit the ability
to communicate thoughts in an engaging and inviting manner.

13. Everything you need can be found at:
www.investwrite.org
Questions and Support
Jessica Bayer
InvestWrite National Program Manager
help@investwrite.org

14. We Promise Our InvestWrite
Teachers…
• Submitting your InvestWrite essays is easy
• The web based program is VERY user friendly
• It has functioned without being down since 2004
• We are here to help you
• You will always receive our personal attention

15. Communication is Key
• Please contact your IT or system administrator
and ask them to allow incoming e-mails from
@investwrite.org
jessica@investwrite.org
lisa@investwrite.org
help@investwrite.org
info@investwrite.org

16. 10 Essays per SMG
Classroom
• FOR EXAMPLE: If you are registered as a teacher with 2
SMG classrooms you may submit 20 essays. If you are
registered with 3 classrooms you may submit 30 essays.
– It doesn’t matter which of the classes the student whose
essays you submit you are in
• Selecting the Top 10
– Have another teacher or school colleague provide the first level of
judging and choose the essays to submit nationally
– Involve someone from a financial institution such as a banker, or
financial planner, to be your classroom judge
– You could even have your own students choose which essays they
feel are the top ten

17. Word Count
Minimum 400 words
4-5 Grade maximum 700
6-8 Grade maximum 850
9-12 Grade maximum 1000
Does not include title, references, bibliography,
only the actual text of the essay itself

18. • Go to the website and click on “Submit InvestWrite
Entries”
• Teachers submit essays, not students
• To submit essays you must have your SMG Advisor ID
and Password with you
• You will submit the essay using the student’s first name
and first initial of their last name, along with their SMG
team ID
• Cut and paste the student essays into the system
– Be sure students submit to you electronically or on a
flash drive
– Also not in PDF - files will not cut and paste
Submit Your Essays!
It’s Easy!

19. Submit Your Essays!
It’s Easy!
• No names on the essay submission, nothing in body of
essay to identify student
• You will be able to go back into the system and edit
essays up until the deadline
• You will be asked to check a box to agree that each
essay you submit is typical and representative of each
student’s work
• National winners will sign “Media Permission Forms”,
due to privacy laws, allowing student and teacher names
to be used in press and outreach regarding InvestWrite

20. …and we’re available to help!
We remain on line right up until
the final moments of the
submission deadline to ensure
there are no problems for our
teachers.

21. Spring 2015 Essay
Submission Deadline:
Wednesday, April 8
11:59 PM Eastern Time
12:59 AM Central 1:59 AM Mountain 2:59 AM Pacific

23. Teacher Support Center
Filled with supporting lessons
and activities

25. InvestWrite “The Lesson”
How to InvestWrite
• All 3 grade levels
• Available on the Teacher Support Center
• Formatted like all other lessons
• Incorporates former winning essay to help students write
their own

26. English Language Arts
and Literacy in
History,
Social Studies,
Science and
Technical Subjects

27. CCR Reading Anchors
• Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text
says explicitly and to make logical
inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text
and analyze their development; summarize
the key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events,
and ideas develop and interact over the
course of a text.
• Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including determining
technical, connotative, and figurative
meanings, and analyze how specific word
choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including
how specific sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text (e.g., a section,
chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each
other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose
shapes the content and style of a text.
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in
diverse media and formats, including
visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, including the
validity of the reasoning as well as the
relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address
similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches
the authors take.
• Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary
and informational texts independently and
proficiently.

28. CCR Writing Anchors
• Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an
analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to
examine and convey complex ideas and
information clearly and accurately through
the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective
technique, well-chosen details, and well-
structured event sequences.
• Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or
trying a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing and to interact
and collaborate with others.
• Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects based on focused
questions, demonstrating understanding of
the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple
print and digital sources, assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source,
and integrate the information while avoiding
plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational
texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
• Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision)
and shorter time frames (a single sitting or
a day or two) for a range of tasks,
purposes, and audiences.

29. CCR Speaking & Listening
Anchors
• Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Prepare for and participate effectively
in a range of conversations and
collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information
presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view,
reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric.
• Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and
supporting evidence such that
listeners can follow the line of
reasoning and the organization,
development, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
5. Make strategic use of digital media
and visual displays of data to
express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts
and communicative tasks,
demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or
appropriate.

30. Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social
Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects
• History/Social Studies
– Differentiation between
primary and secondary
sources
• Speaking to a financial
advisor vs. reading an
article on the same
topic
– Specifies visual
information
• Charts, graphs, tables
• Science/Technical
– Similar to CCR Reading
Standards
• Writing
– Similar to CCR Writing
Standards

31. 21st Century Skills
Work in
teams of
2 to 5
Take on
leadership
roles
Create and
Manage a
$100,000
investment
portfolio
Suggest
investments
Evaluate portfolio
performance
Enter trades
Look up
stock quotes
Read stock
charts
Read market
news
ELA
Math Economics
Financial
Literacy

32. Guest Teacher
Kerry DiFusco
Gifted Resource Teacher
White Eagle Elementary School
Naperville, Illinois
3M Star in the Classroom Award-2012
Illinois Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year

33. • Comments
• Have you used InvestWrite
in your classroom?
• Questions?

34. Everything you need can be found at:
www.investwrite.org
Questions and Support
Jessica Bayer
InvestWrite National Program Manager
help@investwrite.org