Programs - Elementary

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Our Nation examines how businesses operate in the United States. Students role-play business ownership, interview for jobs, and learn different methods of production while exploring various economic issues that affect business. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

The key learning objectives listed beside each activity state the skills and knowledge students will gain.

Activity One: Three Forms of Business

Students learn what business is and how it has developed throughout U.S. history. They study the common forms of business organization in the United States today.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

define business and other key
business terms.
business terms.
describe the development of business in the United States.
identify the three common forms of business organization.

Activity Two: Business Resources

Students learn about the importance of human resources to a business. They discover the factors that influence one’s ability to obtain work, and they practice interviewing skills.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

identify resources as natural, human,
and capital.
list qualities employers look for in
their employees.
recognize the steps necessary to get
a job.
compare and contrast a good interview with a bad interview.

Activity Three: Production

Students are introduced to three methods
of production and demonstrate two of them by constructing pens. They develop an understanding of how different production strategies affect productivity, product quality, and profit.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

compare advantages and disadvantages of unit, mass, and batch production methods.
simulate unit and mass production methods.
recognize the importance of high rates, productivity, and high quality standards to the success of a business.

Activity Four: Advertising

Students learn about the importance of advertising. They evaluate how advertisements are targeted to specific audiences.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

understand why businesses advertise.
identify different types of advertisements.

Activity Five: Entrepreneurs

Students become entrepreneurs and formulate a business plan for their new business.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

identify the four Ps of marketing.
list the key elements of a business plan.
develop a plan for a business that provides either a good or a service.

Our Nation enhances students’ learning of the following concepts and skills:

Concepts–Advantages, Advertising, Business plan, Careers, Competition, Corporations, Division of labor, Employees, Entrepreneur, Goods, Jobs, Manager, Markets, Marketing, Partnerships, Price, Products, Production, Productivity, Profit, Quality, Resources, Salary, Services, Sole proprietorship, Specialization, Stock, Stockholder

Skills–Assembling products, Brainstorming, Building self-esteem, Conceptualizing and designing advertisements, Critical thinking, Decision-making, Drawing conclusions, Following directions, Formulating a plan, Giving reports, Interviewing, Listening, Making observations, Role-playing, Teamwork

Our Nation is a series of five activities recommended for students in fifth grade. The average time for each activity is 45 minutes. Materials are packaged in a self-contained kit that includes detailed activity plans for the volunteer and materials for 32 students.

All JA programs are designed to support the skills and competencies identified by the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. These programs also augment school-based, work-based, and connecting activities for communities with school-to-work initiatives.

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