From: Subject: CONDUCTING A VALUES AUCTION Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 19:45:14 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://frank.mtsu.edu/~u101irm/auction.html X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5994 CONDUCTING A VALUES AUCTION

CONDUCTING A VALUES AUCTION

Introduction: The idea of a values auction is not a new one. It = is often=20 used as a subtle way for people to determine their real values. = Basically, it=20 consists of bidding on items offered on a Bill of Sale. The bidders are = given a=20 set amount of money with which to bid or purchase. They can spend any = amount=20 they wish. Some may form corporations!

Procedure: A good method for running the auction is to have = students read=20 the Bill of Sale for homework the day before the Values Auction = begins.

The teacher can serve as the auctioneer, both to keep the auction = moving and=20 to operate it as fairly as possible. Two student helpers can serve as = clerks.=20 One collects the money from each buyer after the purchase has been made. = The=20 second records the name of the buyer and the price paid. Recording this=20 information on the blackboard helps everyone keep track of the = proceedings.=20 Clerks may or may not bid on the items depending on how busy they=20 are.

There is one condition that should be = attached to=20 the purchase. Nothing should be resold. This ensures that an = enterprising=20 student will not purchase an item like a cure for AIDS with the ulterior = motive=20 of making millions by selling the cure. Any items can be devised for the = Bill of=20 Sale, and all should be numbered for convenient reference.

The auction begins when the teacher calls out something like, "Who = will give=20 me a thousand dollars for number one?" Probably a sale will take the = whole class=20 period. Students should keep track on their Bills of Sale of every item = for=20 which they bid or purchase.

Follow-Up: On the day after the auction, the students are to = discuss what=20 the purchases reveal about the values of the class. If possible, the = clerk=92s=20 record on the blackboard should be saved. (You might want to use an = overhead=20 projector and save the transparency.)

As students discuss class trends in buying, they should be evaluating = their=20 own bids and purchases. The teacher can explain the categories a little = more=20 fully by discussing which item or items represent a desire for beauty or = a=20 strong religious outlook, for example. Depending on the final outcome, = relevant=20 issues might include questions about why world peace was purchased more = cheaply=20 than football tickets. Important questions to ask are what items brought = the=20 highest price? Why? Which item was the best bargain? In real life, which = items=20 would probably cost the most?

The depth of the discussion can be determined by both the class and = the=20 teacher. The auction and discussion can lead into real-life situations. = Students=20 can keep account of their own personal buying habits for a week. You can = incorporate this activity with several others or use it as a lesson = complete in=20 itself. After the values auction, students will be asked to write a = discovery=20 statement.

 

Values Auction Bill of Sale

1. A starring role in a movie

2. $50,000 for any charity you pick

3. Tutor to help with all assignments for one year

4. A contract to play professionally on a sports team of your = choice

5. A maid to keep your room clean for one year

6. World peace for a minimum of ten years

7. Unlimited credit card for ten years for any bookstore

8. Lifetime tutors to teach you anything you want to learn

9. A college degree in the major of your choice

10. Furnishings for a ten-room house

11. A recording contract for two years

12. A nutrition pill that will eliminate world starvation

13. Twenty hotel rooms anywhere for one week for you and forty guests =

14. A new defense weapon guaranteed to prevent nuclear attacks

15. Membership in a fraternity or sorority of your choice

16. Your student loan paid off in full

17. A Christian conversion for twenty people of your choice

18. A decent job for life with a minimum salary of $50,000 a year

19. A complete library for the city or school of your choice

20. A dream house built to your design anywhere in the world

21. Free medical treatment for ten years for twenty people of your = choice

22. Foster homes for seventy-five abused children

23. All-expense travel for six people for six weeks anywhere in the = world

24. $2,000 worth of food per month for one year

25. Unlimited credit card for one year for any sporting goods = store

26. Three new automobiles of your choice

27. Free tuition and books for five years

28. A national drug abuse program with free treatments for all

29. Complete wardrobe of new clothes each year for ten years

30. Tickets and transportation for four major sporting events

31. Tickets for eight people to three concerts of your choice

32. A cure for AIDS

33. 100 shares of any stock for sale on the New York Stock = Exchange

34. A church built at the site of your choice

35. Winning the Miss USA Pageant

36. One day with any famous person

37. Being a cheerleader at your college

38. A long and happy marriage

39. An "A" in all of your current courses

40. Lifetime beauty treatments

SCORE CARD

You are beginning with $6000. Keep up with what = you spend.=20 Remember that when you bid, you forfeit that amount of money whether = you=20 "win" the item or not. Bids must be in $1000 increments. Have = fun=20 with it.

Item bid = on

Amount bid

Amount of $ left

Value implied

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Activity for the Values Auction

 

Write at least 250 words about the Values Auction. You are to analyze = and=20 make discovery statements. Included in the analysis will be the = following=20 considerations: (Do not just answer the questions. Write it in paragraph = form.)

A. What did I bid on? Why?

B. What did I buy? Why was I able to do so?

C. On what did the class bid the highest? Why?

D. On what (if anything) did the class not bid? Why?

E. On what did the class bid the lowest? Why?

F. From the exercises we have done so far, I can say what about my=20 values?

G. How do you think this will affect your setting of life goals?

H. How do you think this will affect your choosing a career?

I. Think of two to three other considerations you might have become = aware of=20 because of this exercise and share them in your paper.