MYP COURSE OUTLINE
Name of the Course: Business Essentials
Level: IV
I. Course Description:
Business Essentials is a one-credit foundation course. Students develop an understanding of how
academic skills in mathematics, economics, and written and oral communications are integral
components of success in commerce and information technology careers. Students examine current events
to determine impact on business and industry and legal and ethical behavior, acquire knowledge of safe and
secure environmental controls to enhance productivity, determine how resources are managed to achieve
company goals, and identify employability and personal skills needed to obtain a career and be successful
in the workplace. As students learn about different types of business ownership, they interpret industry laws
and regulations to ensure compliance, identify principles of business management, and analyze business
practices to determine ethical and social responsibilities.
Areas of Interaction:
1-Approaches to Learning: students will acquire skills such as the ability to complete given tasks, the
ability to collect, interpret and use information obtained; the ability to plan work and meet deadlines; the
ability to communicate ideas, and good organizational skills.
2-Community and Service: students will contribute to the community and help others by collecting tabs
during the football season and after the season students will take the tabs to the Ronald McDonald House.
The student will spend the day cleaning the house for the residents. Students will support Lee Lott by
collecting money for Breast Cancer Awareness.
3-Homo faber; students will use mathematical formulas/functions in their basic business math. The “order
of arithmetic” is incorporated in Marketing Education Students with the use of Microsoft PowerPoint. They
will use clip art and text in their presentation. The BE students will include the Homo faber through the use
of expression, opinions and ideas.
4-Envrionment: Internet research and PowerPoint will be completed on a subject pertaining different safety
topics that affect the environment.
5-Health and Social Education: Students will research different health and social education careers using
Microsoft Word and report their finding.
II. Topics
Marketing contributes to the students’ growing awareness and appreciation of the areas of interaction. The
knowledge, skills, and attitudes obtained through the study of the marketing concept, business ownership,
and entrepreneurship are all linked to aspects of these areas. (1)Environment-how does my environment
(workplace and work ethics) impact my life at home, school, and in class? (2)Homo Faber-how does
marketing affect the world? Why produce? Why develop? Why create? (3)Health and Social Education-are
communication skill important? Why? (4)Communication and Service-how do we live in relation to one
another? Can good communication skills make a difference? (5) Approaches to Learning-Learn good
organizational skill, communication skills, and the importance of high-quality work.
Various questioning techniques, varied means of assignments and multicultural activities will be
implemented to effectively teach concepts of marketing, ethics, cultural awareness, and internationalism.
Microsoft Word will be used to prepare written reports. Microsoft PowerPoint is use to develop
professional-quality slides presentations.
III.
Teaching and Assessment:
TeachingCommunication and Interpersonal Skills
Students will:
1. Apply oral and written communication skills needed in the workplace, through the use of technology, to
facilitate information flow in commerce.
Leadership
3. Demonstrate personal traits needed to develop leadership and teamwork skills.
4. Utilize knowledge and skills obtained through student organizations to enhance leadership.
Entrepreneurship
5. Describe unique characteristics and traits of the successful entrepreneur.
Ethics
6. Analyze roles of consumers and businesses in commerce for ethical responsibility.
Business Management
7. Analyze functions of management, including planning and organizing, to determine effects on the
business environment.
8. Use terminology commonly associated with business.
9. Distinguish among basic business functions by comparing various forms of business
organizations and examining responsibilities of commerce.
10. Utilize research results to analyze international trade for its impact on commerce.
Business Finance
11. Compare several business financial statements to make business decisions.
12. Analyze protection options against risk and financial loss for commerce and consumers.
13. Illustrate the process involved in developing a budget.
Examples: designing a plan for money managements, evaluating information available to
make wise buying decisions
14. Create financial records fundamental to business.
Examples: budgets, bank reconciliations, payroll, taxes, invoices, purchase orders
Safety
15. Demonstrate proper safety procedures needed in the workplace.
Legal
16. Analyze legal issues related to government regulations of commerce for the effect on
consumers.
17. Differentiate among risks involved in operating a business.
Marketing
18. Demonstrate an understanding of marketing concepts.
Career Opportunities
19. Utilize various forms of communication and technology in the successful pursuit of
employment.
Assessment-To satisfy state and local assessment requirements, numeric grades will be given for daily
work, weekly tests, mid-term exams, final exams, and participation. To satisfy IB assessment requirements,
Five levels of criterion will be used to determine the students’ level of achievement: investigate, plan,
create a product/solution, evaluate, personal engagement and independence. Within each criterion, eight
levels of achievement will be possible.
IV.
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Resources:
Textbook: Introduction to Business, Betty J. Brown & John E. Clow; Glencoe McGraw-Hill
Publishing Co., 2008 (provided by the school system).
Miscellaneous books and supplementary materials will be used as needed (provided by the school
system).
Software: Microsoft Office Suite will be used (provided by school system).
This outline was developed by Mrs. Gladys Patterson (gladys.patterson@dcs.edu).