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Week 4: Wall Street vs. Main Street

The Axe Method Financial Literacy Curriculum

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🎯 Learning Objectives

  • - Understand what the stock market is and how it works
  • - Learn the difference between bull and bear markets
  • - Discover the power of index funds
  • - Think like a market participant, not just a bystander

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📉 What Is the Stock Market?

  • It’s a place where companies sell pieces of ownership (stocks) to investors.
  • Wall Street = the market. Main Street = the everyday people it impacts.
  • Ownership = power. It's time to stop getting left out.

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🐂 Bull vs. 🐻 Bear

  • - Bull Market: Prices rising, optimism high
  • - Bear Market: Prices falling, fear rising

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  • Most people sell in bear markets. Smart investors buy the dip.

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📘 What’s an Index Fund?

  • - A bundle of many stocks (like the S&P 500)
  • - Safer than picking one stock
  • - Low-cost, long-term growth tool

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  • Example: Buying VOO = owning 500 companies at once.

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🧠 Real-World Example

  • In March 2020, markets dropped 30%. Fear led many to sell.
  • By 2021, the market rebounded with huge gains.
  • Lesson: Time and consistency beat panic and guessing.

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✍️ Guided Activity

  • 1. List 3 companies you spend money on often
  • 2. Look up their stock prices
  • 3. If you had invested in them 5 years ago, what would it be worth today?

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🧠 Mini Glossary

  • - Bull Market: Long-term rising market
  • - Bear Market: Long-term declining market
  • - Index Fund: Group of stocks tracking a market/sector
  • - Volatility: How much a price moves up/down

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🧨 Weekly Challenge

  • Watch a video about the S&P 500 index fund.
  • Write down 3 reasons it could be a great first investment.

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🗣 Journal Prompt & ✅ Recap

  • Journal Prompt:
  • “What do I spend money on that I could instead own a piece of?”

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  • ✅ Recap:
  • - The market rewards patience
  • - Index funds are simple and effective
  • - Think like an investor—not just a shopper

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