Teen Entrepreneur

Scott Yamahata

Dos Pueblos High School, Santa Barbara Unified School District

Mini Description Using technology, Microsoft Office, and acquired business skills, students become business entrepreneurs by developing their own product and apply various marketing techniques to promote their product. By becoming entrepreneurs, students will reinforce Microsoft Office skills by creating a comprehensive business plan to present to members of the community. Students will study the techniques from the textbook, “The Teen Entrepreneur,” which provides simulation lessons for them.
After researching various entrepreneurs and their products, students will participate in “The Teen Entrepreneur” simulation, where they will develop their own product. Guest speakers from the business world will come in and speak to the students about the entrepreneurial spirit. Through Moodle, where students will get their on-line assignments and through the class website using Joomla, students will participate in group discussions and plot strategies for using e-marketing techniques. Students will develop their own business plan and marketing plan and determine how much money their business will cost to start. Students will then be shown episodes of “The Apprentice” and “Shark Tank,” which will show them what the real business world is like. Finally, students will then participate in a Venture Capital competition, where they will pitch their ideas to a group of business people, who will determine which idea deserves funding. Students will use Microsoft Word to create the business plan, business cards, advertisements and brochures and Microsoft Excel to create financial statements. In addition, students will use Microsoft PowerPoint for their presentation. Instead of using Microsoft Access, students will use Sugar CRM, which allows them to maintain their records and contacts on-line.
After developing their product, students will examine marketing techniques to help promote their product and come up with a 1-minute video commercial. As a final project, students will participate in a Venture Capital competition, where they will pitch their ideas to a group of business people, who will determine which idea deserves funding.
Major Goals
  • Give students vicarious experiences through business simulations
  • Give students real world experiences in business.
  • Give students the opportunity to work with outside business people
  • Introduce the concept of the entrepreneur
  • Introduce the concept of the business plan
  • Introduce the concept of the marketing plan
  • Reinforce skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
  • Introduce Internet software (Moodle, Joomla, SugarCRM)

Target student age/level, special needs/interests
  • 9th-12th grade ROP students (though it can be used for all students)
  • Students who are interested in being entrepreneurs
  • Students who are interested in learning more about business
  • Students who prefer hands-on learning

Time Required
  • 20 or more periods

Types of assessment tools
Along with on-line tests to check for comprehension, students will receive rubrics for their business plan, marketing plan, and oral presentation. Students will also participate in pitching their ideas to a group of business people and receive feedback. Students will keep both a physical and online portfolio of their business.
State Standards addressed
Professional Sales and Marketing: Language Arts: Informational text, main idea, supporting details, incorporating technology, persuasive essay, listening, speaking
Communications: oral, written, multimedia presentation
Technology: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), collaboration-online communication (Moodle, Joomla, SugarCRM), digital imaging (Photoshop, Fireworks, iPhoto, iMovie, Premiere).
Lessons. Briefly describe each lesson in a sentence or two.
Lesson #1 – What is an Entrepreneur?
Students will research and report on an entrepreneur of their choice. They will also watch episodes of “The Apprentice” and “Shark Tank” and respond to business elements that they’ve extracted by watching the show.
Lesson #2 – The Teen Entrepreneur
Students will participate in “The Teen Entrepreneur” simulation, where they will develop their own product. They will study the elements of a business plan and then use Microsoft Office to develop their own business plan. Members from the business community, Score, will be encouraged to come in and help mentor the students.
Lesson #3 – Marketing Plan
Students will create a marketing plan, complete with logo, business cards, brochures and letterhead. Students will create a 1-minute video commercial promoting their product, as well as a magazine ad.
Lesson #4 – Showtime!
Students will pitch their ideas to a group of business people in a “Shark Tank” like environment. This will be a Venture Capital competition in which the business people decide which of the projects that they would help fund. Students will practice among themselves in a mock simulation before doing the actual presentation to these business people.
Assessment and Evaluation
  • Tests/Quizzes on the Unit
  • Rubrics for Business Plan, Marketing Plan, Video Commercial, Oral Presentation
  • Portfolio of student work (both online and in hard copy)
  • Progress Logs (kept by students)
  • First hand observation

Resources
  • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) or iWork (KeyNote, Number, Pages)
  • The Teen Entrepreneur Textbook (simulation)
  • Moodle – online learning
  • Joomla – interactive class website/social networking
  • SugarCRM – client management online software
  • Internet connection
  • Computer Lab
  • Adobe Photoshop or Fireworks
  • IPhoto, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut
  • Color printer (inkjet or laser)