CBC Archives

Ask students if they have ever saved money. As a class, brainstorm a list of the available options for saving money. Be sure to touch on bank accounts, mutual funds, and stocks.

Direct students to the topic Stranger than Fiction: The Bre-X Gold Scandal on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Have students view Clips #1, 4, and 5. As a class, discuss the effects of the scandal on investors. Discuss the risks that Bre-X investors were subject to and whether, and how, they could have prepared themselves for the scandal that eventually developed.

Explain that students will conduct an interview with an adult to learn more about investment options that are available to them and the risks associated with each one. Tell them that this knowledge will help them to protect themselves when they are older and can invest their own money. As a class, formulate a research objective such as “Research to learn more about investments and risks based on the experience and knowledge of my parent/relative/neighbour.” Students should follow these steps:

1. Identify in class whom they wish to interview
2. In class, devise 5 or 6 questions for the interview that relate to the objective
3. In pairs, test the interview questions and provide constructive feedback
4. Revise questions as necessary

Devising clear, unbiased questions may be more difficult than students initially expect. Students can test their survey a few times to see if the data they gather addresses the research objective, or whether they need to revise their questions. Once the questions are finalized, students will conduct their interviews.

Have students share their interview results with the class. As a group, reflect on the following questions:

Were the responses from adults consistent?

What differences were evident?

How might their advice affect each student’s future decisions about saving or investing money?

Students can research rates of return and the risks associated with a variety of investment options by referring to the Web sites of Canadian banks, and then graph their findings. They can discuss how rates of return and risk are related, based on their observations.