COURSE PLANNING SAMPLE

SMALL BUSINESS / ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSE

1 SEMESTER (75 hours)

This plan uses the REAL curriculum in a 1 semester (75-hour course) on Small Business/Entrepreneurship for high school youth. Focus skills are based on the Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, and Information, Media, and Technology Skills identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

Topics / Activities and Materials / Focus Skills / Time /

I. INTRODUCTION

/ 8 hrs
A. The REAL Course
1.  Course Outline, Materials, and Grading / REAL PowerPoint presentation (REAL Flash Drive)
Course outline, grading policies, expectations
Textbook
Business Planning Journals
REAL Participant Pack
/ Accountability, IT literacy / 0.5
2.  Goals and Expectations / “Smarties”
“I Dream of a Business” / Accountability, adaptability, creativity, diversity, lifelong learning, self-direction, teamwork, work ethic / 1.5
B. Intro to Entrepreneurship /
1.  Role of Small Business in the Economy
/ “Building Blocks”
Read: Building Blocks of Economic Development (REAL Flash Drive) / Collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, social responsibility, teamwork / 1
2.  Characteristics of an Entrepreneur / “Entrepreneurship Bingo”

Guest speakers: local entrepreneurs

Research on successful local and national entrepreneurs (HW) / Adaptability, critical thinking, diversity, ethics, IT literacy, leadership, lifelong learning, professionalism, self-direction, work ethic / 1
3.  Business Planning / “Mythical Creatures”
Review sample business plans (REAL Flash Drive)
“Get Up and Go” (end of unit) / Accountability, collaboration, communication (oral and written), creativity, critical thinking, innovation, self-direction, social responsibility / 4
II. FEASIBILITY / 16 hrs
A. Finding a Fit /
1.  Self-Assessment /
“Intro to REAL Templates”
“Personal Budget” / Critical thinking, ethics, leadership, professionalism, self-advocacy, self-direction, work ethic / 2
2.  Business Ideas / “Micro-Enterprise Ideas” / Adaptability, creativity, critical thinking, innovation, social responsibility / 1
3.  Community Analysis / “Surf City Boards” / Collaboration, critical thinking, diversity, IT literacy, social responsibility, teamwork / 2
4.  Products and Services / “What Business Are You Really In?” / Communication (written), innovation
/ 1
B. Market Feasibility
/
1.  Target Market / “Identifying My Customers”
“Zero In On Your Market” / Critical thinking, diversity, IT literacy / 2
2.  Competition /

“Mapping the Community”

/ Collaboration, ethics, IT literacy, teamwork / 2
3.  Supply and Demand
/ “Supply and The Band” / Adaptability, problem solving / 1
C. Financial Feasibility
/
1.  Breakeven Analysis / “Markolini” /

IT literacy, problem solving

/ 2
2.  Cash Flow Projections / “Go with the Flow” /

IT literacy, problem solving

/ 2
D. Business Proposal / “Elevator Pitch”
Oral presentations on proposed business ideas and their feasibility /

Communication (oral and written), creativity, innovation, professionalism, self-direction

/ 1
III. MARKETING / 15 hrs
A. Product / “Marketing Mix: Product”
“Why Buy?” / Collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, innovation, teamwork / 3
B. Price / “Marketing Mix: Price” /

Collaboration, critical thinking, teamwork

/ 2
C. Place / “Marketing Mix: Place” /

Collaboration, critical thinking, teamwork

/ 3
D. Promotion / “Marketing Mix: Promotion”
“Online Marketing”
“Slug Slime” / Collaboration, communication (written), creativity, innovation, self-advocacy, teamwork / 5
E. People / “Marketing Mix: People” /

Adaptability, collaboration, leadership, professionalism

/ 2
IV. OPERATIONS / 8 hrs
A. Ethics / “Good or Bad in Whose Eyes?” / Accountability, critical thinking, diversity, ethics, problem solving, professionalism, self-advocacy, social responsibility, work ethic / 1
B. Legal Structure / “Truth or Consequences” / Communication (oral), IT literacy, teamwork / 2
C. Customer Service / “And Then There Was the Time…” / Accountability, creativity, critical thinking, diversity, ethics, social responsibility / 1
D. Operating Procedures / “Geeks, Candles, & Caffeine” / Adaptability, collaboration, ethics, professionalism, social responsibility, teamwork, work ethic / 2
E. Key People / “No Entrepreneur is an Island”
Guest speaker panel: professionals who serve small businesses (attorney, banker, accountant, etc.) / Collaboration, diversity, leadership, teamwork / 2
V. FINANCIALS / 18 hrs
A. Pricing / “How Much Do I Charge?” /

Critical thinking, problem solving

/ 3
B. Sales Forecasting / “How Do I Forecast Sales?” /

Critical thinking, IT literacy, problem solving

/ 3
C. Breakeven Analysis (revisited) / “Toni’s T-Shirts” /

IT literacy, problem solving

/ 2
D. Financial Statements / “RV Making Money?” /

IT literacy, problem solving

/ 2
1. Income Statement and Balance Sheet / “Sweet Thang” /

Problem solving

/ 2
2. Cash Flow Statement / “How Sweet Is It?” /

IT literacy, problem solving

/ 2
E. Financing the Business / “How Much is That Money in the Window?” / Creativity, problem solving, self-advocacy, work ethic / 2

VI. THE BUSINESS PLAN

/ / 10 hrs
A. Executive Summary / “In a Nutshell” /

Communication (written), creativity, professionalism, self-direction, self-advocacy

/ 1
B. Business Plan, first draft / “Peer Editing, part 1” /

Communication (written), creativity, teamwork

/ 3
C. Review and Revision / “Peer Editing, part 2” /

Adaptability, collaboration, communication (written), critical thinking, teamwork

/ 3
D. Presentation and Feedback / “Drumroll, Please”
“While We Were Together” / Communication (oral), creativity, critical thinking, IT literacy, professionalism, self-advocacy, self-direction / 3

Italics = activities designed for individual students (instead of groups) BPJ = Business Planning Journal

Bold = includes technology element (computer, internet, etc.)