Starter Activity - Perfect Recall
A really, really simple idea based on Terry Wogan’s perfect recall gameshow.
Simply 12 key words on the board arranged in a grid formation. For example, recently I used words like working capital, acid test, current ratio (having just done ratios’ with Year 11) as well as general business terms like objectives, primary research, secondary research etc.
I then read out the definition’s 1 - 12 and the kids needed to match the definition with the key word. Brilliant for differentiation as the answers are on the board allowing all students to access the material.
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
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
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
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.
Download Wipeout Challenge - Total Quality Management
The 40 Schoolboy Errors Made by Startups
This article is 100% gold dust for teachers and students covering the business startup process (AQA BUSS1 in particular)...
read more...»Source of finance - SMEs turn to the private alternatives to banks
A fascinating piece of research on the sources of finance used by small businesses has hit my desk this morning. Great materials for Edexcel/AQA GCSE Unit and for AQA BUSS2 - the textbooks look even more outdated now!
read more...»Primary v Secondary Market Research for a Startup
A very useful article on Startup Donut examines the differences between primary and secondary market research for a start-up. Ideal for everyone preparing for BUSS1 and similar exams in Jan + great for Edexcel & AQA GCSE Unit 1. Well worth a read - here
Innovation & Protecting a Business Idea - Classroom Video
A huge hat tip to Angela Aldridge for suggesting this terrific short video clip on the process of invention and innovation at Dyson. This has to be one of the most useful videos you’ll ever have as a lesson starter on product innovation….
read more...»The Jenson Button Business Lesson
This brief article provides some useful insight into how the right mix of talent, persistence and a little bit of luck is needed to be a success both as a business and as a Formula 1 racing driver!
read more...»Quest-cussion
I did this one today with my Year 10’s, with incredible results.
read more...»Setting Budgets - The Wedding Planner
Re-visiting my old AS Unit 1 Lesson plans I found this good activity to get the students thinking about the limitations of setting budgets.
read more...»Icing on the cake for entrepreneurs
This niche market is growing at 50% per year and is attracting dozens of business start-ups in the UK…
read more...»Third Age Entrepreneurs drive start-up successes
A research report from Nesta has highlighted the importance of older people in enterprise activity in the UK. Entrepreneurs aged 50-65 years created 27 per cent of successful start up companies in the UK between 2001 and 2005, according to the research which has just been released (somewhat late?).
read more...»More trouble in the skies
The ongoing turmoil in the airline industry continues, with the Irish national airline Aer Lingus announcing worse losses in this BBC news article
read more...»They’re Here! Our new Business Influence Card Game
They are here - tutor2u’s new Business Influence Cards!
This is a new teaching resource which can be used again and again in the business classroom.
read more...»PuzzlePacks for the new GCSE Business Specifications
We’re hard at work putting the finishing touches to a new collection of PuzzlePacks for the new GCSE Business specifications…
read more...»
