Hat tip to Big Picture Blog which pointed to this Jason Zweig article about whether our brains are wired for wealth. It's a great read and buried within it is a reference to the Iowa Gambling Task, which provides a good proxy for decision-making and risk-taking. Here's the premise of the game: you start The game takes about 5-10 minutes and I created a set of reflection questions (below) and here's link to a PBS video explaining the brain science behind the game.

Here's the opening screen of the game. Good luck!

Reflection questions (don't hand out until AFTER they have completed the game):

• What was your strategy while playing the game? Describe in detail. 
• Did you notice any patterns while playing the game? If so, please describe in detail.
• Did you have a favorite button? A least favorite button? Why?
• Describe your emotional state while playing the game. 
• Which led to stronger emotional reactions? A loss or a gain? Explain.
• How do you think this game applies to how you might react to investing in the stock market?  
• How would you play the game differently the next time you play? 
• What was your final score?  

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Looking for another investing interactive that students love? Your students will enjoy trying to "beat the market" in this one! 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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