CUSD 200 Entrepreneurship
Description
Subject Area: Middle School Elective
Grade Level(s): 8
Estimated Amount of Instructional Time: one semester
Course Description: This course helps students gain an understanding of the business/marketing
principles necessary to start and operate a business. Students will learn basic economic principles related
to business ownership. They will identify and assess common traits and skills found in entrepreneurs,
explore business opportunities, and compare the risks and rewards of owning a business. The primary
focus of the course is to help students understand the process of analyzing a business opportunity,
determining feasibility of an idea utilizing research, developing a plan to organize and promote the
business and its products/services, and finally, to understand the capital required, the return on investment
desired, and the potential for profit.
Established Goals for Middle School Courses
1. Learning and innovation skills increasingly are being recognized as those that separate
students who are prepared for a more and more complex life and work environments
in the 21st century, and those who are not. A focus on core content knowledge,
creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration is essential to prepare
students for the future.
2. People in the 21st century live in a technology and media-suffused environment,
marked by various characteristics, including: 1) access to an abundance of
information, 2) rapid changes in technology tools, and 3) the ability to collaborate and
make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. To be effective in the 21st
century, citizens and workers must be able to exhibit a range of functional and critical
thinking skills related to information, media and technology.
3. Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content
knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the
globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to
developing adequate life and career skills.
Desired Results
Transfer (5 years from now)
Students will be able to independently use their learning to…
1. Understand basic business, economic, and financial knowledge and skills in order to
become financially stable and economically productive members of society.
2. Demonstrate teamwork, critical thinking, communication, leadership and other life
skills.
3. Recognize and embrace entrepreneurial opportunities and understand the importance
of critical issues such as business ethics.
Board Approved 03_14_12
Essential Understandings
Students will understand…
1. The basis of entrepreneurship and business: design, manufacturing, marketing,
finance.
2. The value of teamwork, creative and critical thinking through problem solving, and
communication in the business world.
3. How to design and market goods or services.
Essential Questions
What “student friendly” questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of
learning?
1. Do I have what it takes to successfully start a business and make a profit?
2. How do I design and market goods or services?
3. The business world isn’t sports, so why do I need to be a team player?
Essential Standards: Knowledge and Skills
Students will know and be able to…
1. Identify and understand the important contributions made by entrepreneurs to our local
and global economy and society.
2. Understand and know themselves better through examining their own interests and
likes and dislikes.
3. Demonstrate a basic understanding of economic, business and financial concepts.
4. Evaluate ethical issues and apply ethical principles to business practices.
5. Develop workplace literacy through communication and collaboration.
6. Identify areas of interest which they want to study further in high school and college.
7. Research and create a market to meet consumer needs.
8. Execute critical thinking skills.
9. Design and market a product, goods, or service.
10. Assess the risk (failure vs. success) of the startup.
Assessment Evidence
Performance tasks: (What do you expect student to do–What criteria will be used in each assessment to evaluate
attainment of the Essential Standards?) (How will students demonstrate what they have learned in an engaging and real life
way?)
Students will develop and present a business plan following a course template.
Students will collect, synthesize, and communicate information from research and interviews
with community members.
Board Approved 03_14_12
Students will complete a pre and post written assessment.
Student Self-Reflection:
Students will maintain a learning log throughout the course.
Other Possible Evidence:
Students will create a digital portfolio.
Students will participate in a business fair.
Students will present their business plan to the public.
Students will publish an e-business plan.
Students will participate in fundraising and philanthropic events.
Board Approved 03_14_12