For Educators

Dear Educators and Students:

Each year, the Christmas Price Index is used in classrooms as an entertaining, simple way to introduce basic economic concepts. The change in the prices of Christmas gifts, year over year, provides an excellent lesson on inflation and other economic trends. Plus, similarities to the U.S. Consumer Price Index make it a fun and easy way to study economic indicators.

For 2009, PNC has enlisted a group of children to help deliver the information. The updated site includes a video presentation, an interactive chart, and fun games and activities that can be used for:

A discussion on inflation
A math lesson about reading charts
A history lesson on wages for skilled and unskilled workers

New in 2009! Get fun facts and trivia about each of the gifts in the "Twelve Days of Christmas."

Webinar for Teachers

This video, presented by PNC and The Stock Market Game™ suggests ways to use the Christmas Price Index in the classroom. Watch now.

Live Chat

Sign up to join our third annual live chat on December 17, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. ET here at www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com. Jim Dunigan of PNC Wealth Management, Stuart Hoffman, chief economist for PNC, and Joelle Keats, an economics teacher at North Allegheny High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will be available to answer your questions. Click here to get more information or to register.

Lesson Plans from The Stock Market Game™

Available in English and Spanish, these comprehensive lesson plans give you everything you need to use the Christmas Price Index as a teaching tool. The Stock Market Game™ a program of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation for Investor Education (www.sifma.org/education), provides teachers with grade-specific materials to help students learn about saving, investing and the economy.

The Stock Market Game™ was recognized August 2009 in an independent study by Learning Point Associates for yielding substantial gains for student achievement in mathematics and financial literacy.

Lesson plan in English. Lesson plan in Spanish.

More Resources

Learn more about the Christmas Price Index team. Download additional materials. Give feedback or ask a question.

Contacts:

Alan Aldinger
(412) 768-3711
pncchristmaspriceindex@pnc.com

Meghan Cole
(412) 762-5654
pncchristmaspriceindex@pnc.com