ED 305 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form

Teacher:
Anika Slauer, Evan Kroon
Date: 4-28-16
Big Idea:
Building a Better Business
Thread: History, Economic
Grade: 4th
I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?

The focus of this lesson is specialization, efficiency, and quality vs. quantity, within the context of business.
How does this lesson tie in to your units Big Idea? In this, the second lesson of our unit about
business students will explore important business concepts such as specialization, quality vs. quantity,
and efficiency in the context of Henry Ford and the assembly line.
What are your objectives for this lesson? (As many as needed.) Indicate connections to
applicable national or state standards. Include any themes or major concepts from the thread
(themes of geography, Core Principles of Economics, etc)
1. Students will experience how specialization of labor increases the efficiency of product production
4 E1.0.2 Describe some characteristics of a market economy (e.g., private property
rights, voluntary exchange, competition, consumer sovereignty, incentives,
specialization).
2. Students will explore the tension between quality vs. quantity
3. Students will be able to explain how Henry Ford changed the auto industry by introducing the
assembly line
4-H3.0.6 Use a variety of primary and secondary sources to construct a historical
narrative about the beginnings of
the automobile industry and the labor movement
in Michigan. (G, E)
4. Students will discover the efficiency of specialization by determining each workers role.
4 E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity
(e.g., assembly line).

II. Before you start

Prerequisite knowledge
and skills.

In the previous lesson students learned about marketing, knowing who their
target audience is, and where to build a business based on the amount of
natural resources available. Students then came up with a proposed
business based on their knew knowledge.
Formative:
1. We will walk around as the students are working through the
bracelet creation activity to see how they break up the workload.
Students will also be assessed on their answers to comprehension
questions.
Summative:
1. Students will work in the same groups as yesterday to come up with
how they are going to produce their product, who their workers are,
what their jobs are, quality vs. quantity, and if they need any
specialized products.

Assessment
(formative and
summative)

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines)

RECOGNITION
Multiple Means of Representation

STRATEGIC
Multiple Means of Expression
(Action)

AFFECTIVE
Multiple Means of
Engagement

Options for Perception

Options for action/interaction

Options for recruiting interest

Options for Language/Symbols

Options for Expression

Options for Sustaining Effort &

Persistence

Options for Comprehension

Options for Executive Function

Options for Self Regulation

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and do you have them?
Do you need to set up
your classroom in any
special way for this
lesson? If so, describe it.
III. The Plan
Tim
e Parts
Motivatio
n
(Opening/
Introducti
on/
Engageme
nt)
10
min

Henry Ford handout

String for each group
Beads for each group

Class desks will be grouped by fives and the front of the room will be set up
with all of the supplies for the groups to use. Each student will also have his
or her social studies book.

The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher
activities and student activities (indicate in parenthesis where you are
addressing standards and themes)
Today we are going to explore the topics of specialization and quality vs. quantity.
Instead of me telling you what these terms mean I want you to try and figure out
what they mean through an activity!
-Have students get into the same groups they were in yesterday and then have one
person from each group come up and grab a roll of yarn and a container of beads.
I want you to create as many bead bracelets in 7 minutes as you possibly can! But
you cant just make them any old way though the bracelets all need to be uniform
with a pattern of three white beads followed by four black beads and then repeat!
-Time students as they create their bracelets.
-Walk around and observe students noticing if any groups use an assembly line type
method to create their bracelets.
-After 7 minutes have each group record how many bracelets they made and then
bring the groups together for a discussion.

Developm
ent

Have you ever wondered how the items you use every day, such as the shoes you
wear and the pen with which you write, were made? They were probably made by

workers on a moving assembly line in a factory. Products have been made on

moving assembly lines for almost 110 years. But in 1908, when Henry Ford began
producing automobiles on the first moving assembly line, it was a major innovation
in the way workers did their jobs.

10
min

-Have students read pg. in their social studies text book which talks about Henry
Ford and the invention of the assembly
After doing the activity earlier and reading about Henry Ford and the assembly line,
can any one deduct what specialization might mean? Students should respond with
something like its when one person does a specific job over and over again. If they
cannot come up with a definition prompt them with more questions.

10
min

Just how much faster is specialization? Lets see! I want you to repeat the activity
we did earlier but this time I want each group form an assembly line with each group
member having a special job that they do over and over again. At the end record
your results and we will compare them with the results of the earlier bracelet
making session.
-After 10 minutes bring groups back together

4
min

What did you find? Which method produced the most bracelets? Why do you think
this is? Can you think of any drawbacks to this method of production? Guide
students towards the idea of quantity vs. quality by asking them questions such as.
Do you think you have more control over a product when you do all the work
yourself or when you only do a part of the work? Etc.

3
min

I want you to think about which is better for a business, having the best quality
products but because they take so long to make you cant sell as many or having
good but not great quality product and because they are less quality you can make
more faster. I want you to think for two minutes and come up with a stance. Be
ready to share your stance with the whole class!
-Have students share their opinions and the reasons why they chose what they did.

23
min
Closure

In your groups from yesterday I want you to review your business plan and think
about how you are going to produce your product? Are you going to use an
assembly line method? How are you going to balance quantity vs. quality? Who are
your workers going to be and what are they going to do? Take the rest of the class
period to answer these questions and write them in your business logs.

Explain how this lesson supports your Big Idea. What is the takeaway?