Starter Activity - Pass the Buck
This is an excellent starter activity that adds pace and competition to a lesson. It’s also excellent for whole class involvement and differentiation. Its very simple and can be carried out in two main ways. I have just done it whilst revising private limited companies.
read more...»Starter Activity - Loop Cards
This is such a great activity for consolidation and reinforcement of learning.
read more...»Starter Activity - ‘You Say, We Pay’
This is an idea that I borrowed directly from ‘the Richard and Judy Show’ (for those of you who remember that late-afternoon classic).
read more...»Starter Activity - Set Your Students the 15 Word Challenge
Ask any pupil to read something, chances are that when they do they do so passively, thinking about what time the lesson finishes or what tonights bush tucker trial will be. Will they read it properly or critically?
I saw this activity done whilst observing another teacher and I did it today with great results…
read more...»What a 42 Carat Plonker you really are!
Many thanks ‘Nattybee’ for reminding me via TES of this truly great activity for teaching partnerships. Just done it again today. This really is Business Studies gold dust.
As part of my partnerships teaching, I show the Only Fools and Horses video, ‘Healthy competition’. In this classic episode, Rodney want’s to leave the partnership and ‘make his own decisions’. He ends up forming a new partnership with Micky Pearce which results in them buying a load of broken lawn mower engines. In then end Rodney ‘liquidates’ his partnership and goes back to Del, bringing his newly found ‘buying and selling’ experience to the reformed partnership.
I show the entire episode and then discuss all the issues followed by an exam style question on whether or not Rodney should go it alone. However, the first ten minutes which can be found in this blog covers most of the key areas of partnerships.
This lesson never, ever fails at both GCSE and A level.
A true, true classic.
Enjoy….......
Insights from an Entrepreneur - Fraser Doherty (SuperJam)
A terrific interview with Fraser Doherty here. Fraser has become well known not just for his superb Superjam product, but also for his community activities (the tea parties being one example) and his enthusiasm for meeting teachers and students as a guest visitor to schools. The video is well worth showing as part of AQA (GCSE Unit 1 & BUSS1) and Edexcel (GCSE Unit 1).
read more...»Lesson Worksheet - Aims & Objectives of Business
This lesson worksheet allows students to test themselves on the basics of the aims and objectives of businesses.
Download lesson worksheet on Aims & Objectives of Business
Business structure in the UK - the rise of micro companies
Here’s a term that ought to find itself into the next editions of the traditional business studies textbooks - micro-companies. Of course, it won’t (maybe in 2020) but it should. Because in the last five years there has been an increase of over 250,000 in their number in Britain.
read more...»Why we should encourage our students to start a business at university
The Year 13s of summer 2010 are long gone (well - most of them). So what were your final words to them as they picked up their A Level results or said farewell at the Sixth Form prom? Perhaps it should have been “enjoy Uni, and make sure you start that business there…”
read more...»Lesson Worksheet - Franchises
Here is a lesson worksheet that enables you to test student’s understanding of the basics of franchises as a form of business organisation.
Download lesson worksheet on franchises
Lesson Worksheet - Enterprise & Entrepreneurs
This new lesson worksheet allows students to test their understanding of the role of the entrepreneur.
Download lesson worksheet on enterprise & entrepreneurs
Lesson Worksheet - Gross Profit Basics
Here is a new lesson worksheet actvity which allows you to test student’s understanding of the basics of gross profit and gross profit margin.
Download lesson worksheet on gross profit and gross profit margin
Essential business reading for the summer!
Rachel Bridge (Enterprise Editor of the Sunday Times) has long been regarded as one of the UK’s best writers on business & enterprise. Her weekly columns (now sadly hidden behind Rupert’s paywall) provide detailed and realistic insights into the challenges and frustrations, as well as the upsides, of starting and growing a business.
However, Rachel’s new book - How to make a Million Before Lunch - has really raised the bar in terms of providing a blueprint for budding entrepreneurs. It is perhaps the most insightful and useful book yet written on how to start and build a business. It should be compulsory reading not only for entrepreneurs, but also for everyone concerned with teaching and studying business startups.
read more...»Crossword activity - AQA GCSE Unit 2 - Business Organisation
Here is a crossword activity with 15 clues designed to support students taking AQA GCSE Business Unit 2. It covers some of the key terms in section 1 of the Unit 2 spec - the Business Organisation.
A full pack of over 400 crossword and other lesson activities can be found in our AQA GCSE Business Unit 2 PuzzlePack which is now available.
Download Crossword activity - AQA GCSE Business Unit 2 - Business Organisation
Starter Activity - AQA GCSE Unit 2, Growing as a Business
In the process of planning some of my opening lessons for the above unit when I remembered this really cool map that Jim blogged about a while ago.
The map is of the United States, colored by the distance to the nearest McDonalds. The brightest parts of the map are locations that are right next to a McDonalds outlet -the colour gets darker as you get further away from the nearest outlet.
An excellent introduction into the unit by firstly getting students to think about what it shows and then asking students why Mcdonalds has grown. It also links nicely into franchising as a method of growth which is covered slightly later.
One map, several uses.
Jim’s original blog can be found here.
All the best
Income inequality around the world
Students taking Edexcel GCSE Unit 3 need to briefly consider the implications of differing incomes and pay levels around the world (3.5 Economic issues affecting trade). The superb Gapminder World website is a terrific resource to enable students to conduct some interactive research into income inequality and pay levels. Highly recommended. Here is a link to a relevant example of the many fantastic data visualisations that students can produce on the website:
Income inequality: USA v China v Income Gapminder
Edexcel GCSE Business Unit 1 Rapid Revision Guide Q&A
Our rapid revision Q&A guide for Edexcel GCSE Business Unit 1 is now available. Many thanks to Richard Young for writing this really useful resource which provides students with a comprehensive series of guided revision questions that covers the enter Unit 1 specification.
Download a sample of Edexcel GCSE Business Unit 1 Q&A
Order online directly from tutor2u store
Make the Most of ICT in the Business & Economics Classroom 2011
Here’s a great opportunity to discover some innovative and inspiring ways to enhance teaching and learning using ICT in the Business Studies classroom…
read more...»Entrepreneurs LIVE! 2010 - THE Enterprise Event for Students in 2010
I’m delighted to announce the initial details of our student enrichment event for Autumn 2010 - Entrepreneurs LIVE! 2010.
The event is being held at two of our favourite venues:
London Westfield (Vue Cinema) - Monday 15 November 2010
Salford Lowry Mall (Vue Cinema) - Ruesday 16 November 2010
Entrepreneurs LIVE! 2010 will be a fantastic student enrichment day for students taking part in Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010. It will also be invaluable for ALL BUSINESS STUDENTS who need to develop their underdstanding of how successful businesses are started and grown. The programme will provide your students with the insights, ideas and inspirations from some of the UK’s top entrepreneurs…and also give them the chance to compete for spot prizes by taking our business challenge quizzes and pitching business ideas to the audience.
I’m delighted that two of our speakers (for both London and Manchester) have already been confirmed….
read more...»New BBC Resource: Start Up Stories
This looks really promising. On 28 June 2010, the BBC website is launching a new video resource named Start Up Stories - interviews with ten successful entrepreneurs describing their experiences of setting up in business. Includes several US-based and online businesses too - which makes a welcome alternative.
Here is the introductory video
Play your cards right
You wait for one then two come along at once!
My garage; an aladdins cave of teaching activities.
Looking for something in my garage last week when I came across a full set of laminated A4 playing cards in colour. I remember the day as if it was yesterday. Teaching in Newcastle I was when I confiscated a pack of playing cards from a group of students. Got Mr Photocopying man to blow them up to A4 and laminate them.
Anyway, took them into school last week with a pack of blue tack. At the end of one of my lessons I split the class into two groups. I stuck two rows of the playing cards on my IWB and played ‘higher or lower’ with the two groups. Asked a question, they answered. If they go the answer right they got to choose higher or lower.
The students were buzzing. A great way to make a plenary interactive. Even had a student turn the cards over for me.
A real belter this one.
Enjoy…..........
The Forehead Post it Note
Its been a while…......
This is a cool activity that gets students talking the moment they walk through the door.
Before a lesson I put a key word on a post it note and as the students were walking through the door, stuck it on the forehead of a student (one that I know would engage with this activity)
The student then had to walk around the class asking the other students questions (to which they could only answer yes or no) to find out what the key word was.
A bit of fun to start the lesson with a splash of learning thrown in.
Now that can’t be bad…........
The Press Conference - Revision Activity
Being a big fan of the North East’s only current premiership football team, I use football quite a bit in my teaching. This is an activity based around football press conferences.
When Roy Keane was at the mighty Sunderland, he would give fantastic and forthright press conferences at the end of the match. This inspired me to this cool revision activity.
At the end of one of my BUSS2 lessons this week, I asked students to bring with them to the next lesson, a topic that they were weak on, but more specifically, a question to ask me on it. I would then hold a revision press conference whereby I would answer all of their questions.
To take this one step further, I made myself a Steve Bruce mask for the lesson, put the Sunderland logo on my interactive whiteboard and sat in front of it.
The students then took it in turns to ask me their questions. I answered in a broad Geordie accent. A real struggle for me.
It was one of the best lessons I have done. The students had really thought about their weak areas rather than me just doing blanket revision. The lesson was therefore tailored to every individual student.
Fabulous….....
Business Bullseye
This is a great activity for revision that is easy to setup and the students really, really love it.
A few weeks ago I bought a small velcro dartboard. I found a suitable place to hang it in the class room and marked a small oche on the floor.
Today, I used it to play Business Bullseye with my Year 11’s.
I split the class into 4 groups. Each group sent one person to throw 3 darts at the board. They were then asked a question. If they got it right, they got the points. The next time round, a different student threw the 3 darts.
The kids loved it. They were engaged, they were up and moving about and it created loads of competition in the classroom. I bought my dartboard of ebay but I have seen them in a number of shops.
From September, I intend to set a darts league up, using the same groups throughout the year and playing Business Bullseye at the end of each topic.
Enjoy…...............
25 Ways to Get The Startup Right
An interesting list of recommendations (modestly titled “commandments”) here in a new piece on Smarta.com. It is a good list, and there is plenty in there that is useful in the follow-up explanations for students building their understanding of what makes a successful start-up.
I like the focus on getting to market quickly rather than trying to perfect a business idea, and also the need to maximise cash and minimise costs in the early days.Those are good business disciplines that serve a start-up well and last for as long as the business wants to be successful.
I also agree strongly with the recommendation to reinvest profits made. Starting and growing a new business is rarely about paying dividends. Retained profit is the lifeblood of a start-up and is the most effective way of maintaining control.
A business that really takes acquisitions and disposals seriously
The investor presentations section of most quoted company websites is usually the best source of information for teachers and students looking to get a more detailed understanding of a company’s strategy and activities. Unilever plc is no different - and there are some terrific presentations from 2009 and 2008 which are a rich source of insight for students wanting to use Unilever as their research topic for AQA BUSS4. I came across this fascinating graphic in this presentation, which illustrates just how active some businesses are in their acquisition and disposal of businesses and brands.
read more...»Sustainable sourcing - Unilever and the Palm Oil Problem
Doing some research for the AQA GCSE case study on Unilever, I came across this great example of how external stakeholders can influence and ultimately change the actions of a global business.
read more...»Unilever Case Study Quiz (AQA GCSE)
Here is an interactive quiz which helps students taking AQA GCSE (legacy) Unit 3132 this summer test their understanding of the Unilever case study.
Launch interactive version of the Unilever case study quiz
The handout (pdf) and VLE version of the quiz is included in our AQA GCSE Unilever Revision Toolkit which is published on Monday.
Unilever in the recession - the CEO on strategy
Here’s a neat 4 minute video with Paul Polman (CEO of Unilever) which would be useful for BUSS4 students researching recession strategies + perhaps some stronger AQA GCSE (legacy) candidates looking at the pre-released case study on Unilever plc…
read more...»Wipeout Challenge - Total Quality Management
Many thanks to Lord Sutch for sending over this version of Wipeout Challenge, which his Lordship ran successfully with his GCSE Business students recently. it would work just as well with AS students covering quality control / assurance. The file download is below. it is a PowerPoint show (pps) format.
