Entrepreneurship Essentials

Lesson Duration: 40 minutes
Class Size: 50 students
Subject: Business Studies – Entrepreneurship
Curriculum Reference: KS3 Business Studies (specific focus on community and entrepreneurial challenges).
Age Group: Year 9 (13-14 years old)
Teaching Context: Learner-centred, highly interactive, targeted lesson with a focus on analysing real-world situations within Namibia’s cultural, social, and economic context.

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Objective

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Understand the definitions of enterprise, entrepreneurship, and entrepreneur.
2. Identify entrepreneurial challenges and propose solutions to overcome them.
3. Recognise and evaluate entrepreneurial qualities and characteristics required to overcome challenges.
4. Effectively apply entrepreneurial traits – such as problem-solving, risk-taking, and creativity – to real-world scenarios in their school or community.

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Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge: Understand key terms (enterprise, entrepreneurship, entrepreneur) and entrepreneurial challenges.
• Application: Address entrepreneurial challenges using applicable traits/qualities.
• Analysis: Critically evaluate entrepreneurial skills applicable to community issues.
• Problem Solving: Craft innovative solutions to challenges using opportunity-seeking and risk-taking.

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (5 minutes) – Hook

1. Begin by showing a fictional scenario on the board:
   "Imagine your town experiences regular power outages. A 15-year-old named Mary comes up with a solar-powered phone charger rental business. She starts using old solar panels and mobile chargers collected from neighbours. Her business expands, and she begins using profits to provide school supplies to children in the community."
2. Ask the class:
   • "Is this an example of entrepreneurship?"
   • "What characteristics or skills might Mary need to succeed?"

Students will discuss in pairs for one minute. Then, take quick verbal contributions from 4–5 students. Write key terms they mention (e.g. "creativity," "problem-solving," "opportunity") on the board.

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Core Instruction (10 minutes)

Teacher-Led Explanation

• Use the board/PowerPoint to provide concise definitions:

  • Enterprise: A project or business venture undertaken to achieve specific goals.
  • Entrepreneurship: The process of designing, launching, and managing a new business or initiative.
  • Entrepreneur: Someone who identifies opportunity, takes risks, and creates a business to solve problems or meet needs.

• Discuss entrepreneurial challenges, focusing on a Namibian or localised context:

  • Resource scarcity (e.g., water, energy, or funding).
  • Cultural or societal barriers.
  • Fear of failure or aversion to risk-taking.

Interactive Group Exploration (7 minutes)

• Split students into groups of five. Assign each group one entrepreneurial challenge to discuss. Examples include:

  • Limited educational resources in their school.
  • Lack of entertainment facilities for teenagers in their community.
  • Environmental issues such as waste management.

• For their assigned challenge, groups must:
  (a) List entrepreneurial qualities (e.g., persistence, creativity, goal-setting).
  (b) Develop a feasible solution using these qualities.

Encourage detailed, age-appropriate group discussions. Use probing questions like:

• "How can risk-taking help overcome limited access to resources?"
• "Why is problem-solving crucial in this scenario?"

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Activity: Entrepreneurial Traits in Action (15 minutes)

1. Provide each group with a printed Trait-Evaluation Worksheet. Instruct students to evaluate how traits like creativity, innovation, and perseverance can be applied to solve their given challenge. (Example below.)

Worksheet Example:

• Challenge: Limited school supplies.
• Proposed Solution: Start a supply recycling programme and a ‘rental’ system for textbooks.
• Traits Applied: Creativity (repurposing materials), Independence (initiating the project), Commitment (sustaining the programme).

2. Groups will present their proposed solutions and the traits applied to the class (2–3 groups due to time). Use a scoring/reward system to encourage participation (e.g., most feasible solution, most innovative trait).

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Plenary: Reflect & Evaluate (3 minutes)

• Facilitate a reflective discussion, asking:
  • "What did you learn about entrepreneurial traits and problem-solving?"
  • "Which trait do you think is the most important for entrepreneurs?"
  • "How will these concepts apply to your own life?"

Students can raise hands or write brief responses on sticky notes, which the teacher collects for review.

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Differentiation

• Higher-Ability Learners: Challenge these students by introducing multiple challenges for comparison or requiring more complex solutions.
• Lower-Ability Learners: Provide sentence starters on their worksheets (e.g., "One possible solution to this challenge is…"). Pair them with stronger oral communicators for group presentations.
• EAL Students: Offer key terms and their definitions on printed glossaries.

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Materials/Resources

• PowerPoint or board for definitions and scenario.
• Printed Trait-Evaluation Worksheets.
• Sticky notes or small whiteboards for plenary responses.

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Assessment

1. Formative: Evaluate group discussions, ensuring that students identify traits and apply solutions appropriately.
2. Peer Assessment: Students score each other’s presented ideas using a rubric (provided by the teacher).
3. Reflective Feedback: Review sticky note responses from the plenary to track individual understanding.

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Homework Extension

Task: Students will write a short reflection (150–200 words) on how they could personally apply entrepreneurial characteristics to improve an aspect of their school or community. Examples may include starting a recycling initiative or tutoring peers.

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Teacher Notes

• Tailor discussions to include local examples from Namibia, enhancing cultural relevance.
• Maintain an engaging and fast-paced environment due to the class size.