Curriculum

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Curriculum Components
Future Entrepreneurs consists of the following eight lessons:

• Lesson 1: What is an Entrepreneur?
• Lesson 2: Finding a Business Opportunity
• Lesson 3: Market Research
• Lesson 4: Introduction to Marketing: Product, Price, Place
• Lesson 5: Introduction to Marketing: Promotion and Advertising
• Lesson 6: Starting Up Your Business: Finances, Personnel, and Location
• Lesson 7: Sales and Customer Service
• Lesson 8: Putting Together Your Business Plan

The curriculum is made up of activities and readings designed to help students understand the concepts presented in each lesson. Additional discussion topics, mentor activities, and instructional resources are also included. A business plan template allows students to work on smaller, manageable components individually.

Sample Class Schedules
The Future Entrepreneurs curriculum is structured so that there is no discrete time frame in which it must be delivered. In the past, schools have implemented the course as a daily class over a 9-10 week period or spread out over an entire semester with classes meeting once a week. Some determining factors for scheduling include the following:

• Time allotted for each class period - shorter classes may require more than one meeting per week.
• Student level - younger students may need to spend more time on some of the activities due to their level of education and experience.
• Class objectives/requirements - students may need more time to work on their business plans depending on the level of expectation from the teacher.
• A school career or business fair may determine the time and duration of the course - preparation time for student displays will need to be factored into the curriculum.

Following are two sample class schedules that have been utilized with success, although each school should structure the program as they see fit:

Sample Schedule A: 9-10 week schedule with daily classes:

Weeks 1-8
Mondays - Introduction to a new lesson by guest instructor from a local business.
Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays - Group and independent work on lesson activities and business ideas. A field trip may also be scheduled on one of these days. Field trips included visits to local businesses, banks, and county economic development organizations.
Fridays - Small groups of students meet with "mentors"; volunteers from area businesses and business schools who follow student progress throughout the program.

Weeks 9-10
Complete business plans and prepare displays for business fair. Depending on the level of detail required for the students' business plans and the preparation needed for a business fair, one to two weeks may be used for individual work or small group work with mentors.

Sample Schedule B: 5-month (semester) schedule with once-a-week classes:

Week 1 - Introduction to Lesson 1 by guest instructor.
Week 2 - Independent or class work on lesson activities or business plans.
Week 3 - Introduction to Lesson 2 by guest instructor.
Week 4 - Small group work with mentors.
Week 5 - Introduction to Lesson 3 by guest instructor.
Week 6 - Independent or class work on lesson activities or business plans.
Week 7 - Field trip to a local business.
Week 8 - Small group work with mentors.
Week 9 - Introduction to Lesson 4 by guest instructor.
Week 10 - Independent or class work on lesson activities or business plans.
Week 11 - Introduction to Lesson 5 by guest instructor.
Week 12 - Independent or class work on lesson activities or business plans.
Week 13 - Small group work with mentors.
Week 14 - Introduction to Lesson 6 by guest instructor.
Week 15 - Independent or class work on lesson activities or business plan.
Week 16 - Small group work with mentors.
Week 17 - Introduction to Lesson 7 by guest instructor.
Week 18 - Field trip to a local business.
Week 19 - Introduction to Lesson 8 by guest instructor.
Week 20 - Small group work with mentors.

View a Lesson from the Curriculum
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Access the Entire Curriculum
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