Business Blueprint

Unit Context

• Unit: Entrepreneurship in Action (Lesson 4 of 8)
• Topic: Creating a Business Plan: Part 1
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Year Level: 8
• Class Size: 20 students

Victorian Curriculum Alignment

Victorian Curriculum - Economics and Business (Years 7-8):

• AC9HE8K02: Different ways businesses adapt to market opportunities and respond to the changing nature of work.
• AC9HE8S05: Create descriptions and explanations, using economic and business knowledge, concepts and terms, and referencing information and data from sources.
• AC9HE7K03: Characteristics of entrepreneurs and how these influence the success of a business; introducing planning and organisational skills required for entrepreneurship.

General Capabilities:

• Critical and Creative Thinking: Developing business ideas and planning with clarity.
• Personal and Social Capability: Collaboration and communication.
• Ethical Understanding: Understanding mission and values of a business.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and describe the key components of a business plan—focusing specifically on the business idea, mission statement, and goals.
2. Begin drafting their own business plan incorporating these components.
3. Use appropriate economic and business terminology learnt in previous lessons to describe their business idea clearly.
4. Demonstrate collaborative skills by sharing and refining ideas with peers.
5. Show understanding of the purpose and importance of a mission statement in guiding a business.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Purpose: Set the context and importance of a business plan.
• Briefly review what a business plan is and why it is important (e.g., guides business success; clarifies ideas; attracts investors).
• Quick recap from previous lessons about entrepreneurship characteristics and recognising opportunities (Victorian Curriculum AC9HE7K03).

Teacher prompt: "Why do you think businesses need a plan before they start? What kinds of things might they need to include?"
Write responses on the whiteboard.

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2. Exploring Business Plan Components (10 minutes)

• Introduce the three core components for this lesson:

  • Business Idea: What product/service will the business offer?
  • Mission Statement: Why does this business exist? What values or purpose does it uphold?
  • Goals: What does the business want to achieve? (Short-term and long-term)

• Use a simple, age-appropriate example relevant to students (e.g., a school-based cafe, a lawn mowing service, or an eco-friendly product).

• Display example business plan excerpts for each of these components.

Activity: Whole class brainstorm to create an example for a 'business idea', 'mission', and 'goals'.

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3. Guided Practice: Drafting Your Business Plan (20 minutes)

• Distribute a structured worksheet with prompts to help students draft:

  • Their own business idea description.
  • A mission statement (2-3 sentences).
  • 2-3 specific, measurable goals.

• Encourage students to work individually but allow discussion with a partner for feedback.

• Teacher circulates to support and challenge students—ask guiding questions such as:

  • "What makes your business idea special?"
  • "What message do you want your customers and team to remember about your business?"
  • "How will you know if your goals are met?"

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4. Sharing and Reflection (7 minutes)

• Invite 3-4 students to briefly share their draft mission statement and one goal.
• Facilitate a positive feedback session focusing on clarity of purpose and realistic goal-setting.
• Highlight the importance of a clear mission and goals for entrepreneur success—linking back to the curriculum content descriptions on economic and business planning (Victorian Curriculum AC9HE8S05).

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5. Plenary and Preparation for Next Lesson (3 minutes)

• Summarise the key takeaways:
  • Importance of the business idea, mission statement, and goals.
  • The business plan is a living document that can evolve.
• Preview next lesson: Completing the business plan with financial considerations and marketing strategies.

Exit Ticket: On a small slip or sticky note, students write one new thing they learned today about business plans.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector/slideshow with examples
• Business Plan Worksheet (includes: space for business idea description, mission statement, and goals prompts)
• Sticky notes or small paper slips for exit tickets

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Assessment for Learning

• Observation during group discussion and individual drafting.
• Collection and review of students’ worksheets to assess understanding of business plan components.
• Exit ticket responses to check student reflections and comprehension.

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Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for students needing additional support when drafting their mission statements.
• Encourage more advanced students to think about SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to deepen understanding.
• Offer peer support opportunities.

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Teacher’s Notes

• Emphasise real-world application—entrepreneurs need mission statements and goals to steer their business.
• Reinforce Australian business examples where possible.
• Foster a supportive classroom environment encouraging creativity and constructive feedback.

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This lesson plan ensures alignment with the Victorian Curriculum’s Economics and Business focus on entrepreneurial skills, business planning and decision-making suited to Year 8 students. It balances structured introduction, interactive exploration, and independent application within a manageable 45-minute timeframe, incorporating clear learning objectives and formative assessment strategies .