Edtpa Business - Planning Commentary

Business Education
Task 1: Planning Commentary
TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 9 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within
the brackets. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.
1. Central Focus
a. Describe the central focus and purpose of the content you will teach in the learning
segment.
In this learning segment, I will be teaching one of the most important topics of Economics, which
is demand. Demand and supply are the key concepts of Economics because of the influence
they have on purchases, revenue, and profit. In this segment, I break demand down into three
different parts: Understanding demand, shifts of the demand curve, and elasticity of demand.
My class consists of 11th graders, which is a very important age when talking about making
purchases. Most of my students have part time jobs and are starting to face key decisions of
what to do with the money they make. Understanding the economic world will significantly help
my students in their current lives as well in their immediate life after high school, which can and
will make a huge impact on their adulthood. Within demand, I talk and teach about the law of
demand. According to the law of demand, people buy less of a good when its prices rise. Once
my students grasp this concept they are able to make decisions more wisely. To measure the
fluctuations of demand we use demand schedules and curves. Demand schedules and
demand curves illustrate how people and markets react to different prices. Within these demand
schedules and curves there are situations when the whole demand curve will shift. Several
factors can change the demand for a good at any price. When discussing situations in which a
change in demand causes the entire demand curve to shift, the students must understand, what
influences will cause a shift to the left or to the right. The students also need to understand that
if the only thing that changes demand is price, then the demand curve does not shift, rather the
demand will move along the demand curve. Another influence of demand is elasticity. Elasticity
of demand describes how consumers will react to a change in the price of a good. Their reaction
depends on the original price of the good and the way that goods are used by consumers.
Knowing the difference between needs and wants is also very important for young consumers
such as my students to understand. Because these concepts are used in the majority of our
adult lives, it is very important for high school students to learn prior to being exposed to
situations that could negatively impact their pocketbooks.
b. Given the central focus, describe how the standards and learning objectives within your
learning segment address business-related
 conceptual understanding,
 technical skills, AND
 problem-solving strategies.
My central focus of demand is key to economic activity. I will dive deep into how demand
influences and impacts prices of consumer’s goods and services within an economy. I will
analyze how demand has an important relationship to the determinants of the prices of most
goods and services.
The standards and learning objective for this lesson will be to analyze the effect of
factors that can change demand. This is a microeconomic concept within standard 9.2.4.5.4.
Explain that market supply is based on each seller’s cost and the number of sellers in the
market; analyze the effect of factors that can change supply. For example: Factors—
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productivity of resources, price of resources, government taxes and subsidies, profit

expectations; a fall in the price of leather leads to an increase in the supply of baseball
gloves due to the lower cost of production. In addition to this standard I will also use demand
and supply curves to explain how the equilibrium price and quantity in a market is
determined as the buyers and sellers adjust their offers in response to shortages and
surpluses as described in standard 9.2.4.5.5. Use demand and supply curves to explain how
the equilibrium price and quantity in a market is determined as buyers and sellers adjust
their offers in response to shortages or surpluses. For example: If the price of houses is
such that the quantity offered by sellers exceeds the quantity demanded by buyers, a
housing surplus would exist which would lead sellers to offer lower prices. Finally, I will
explain how changes in the demand and supply of an item result in changes in its market
price and quantity as described in standard 9.2.4.5.6. Explain how changes (shifts) in the
demand and supply of an item result in changes in its market price and quantity; explain
how these shifts can lead to changes in prices and quantities in other markets. For example:
An increase in the price of oil increases the cost of producing gasoline. This reduces
(“leftward shifts”) the supply of gasoline, leading to an increase in the price of gasoline and a
reduction in the quantity of gasoline sold.
c. Explain how your plans build on each other to help students make connections
between business-related concepts, technical skills, and problem-solving strategies to
deepen their learning of business education through the completion of a project or
product.
This lesson builds on the previous lesson of Free Enterprise showing different types of
economies, including the economy structure that we know in America. Much of this lesson
and teachings are examples of the choices we can make based on the fact that we are a
free enterprise system. Within this chapter I start with the general overall topic of demand in
section one. In section two I branch out of the idea of demand and show how to measure
demand with demand curves. Finally, in section three I explain what influences the changes
in these curves. My plans to build a connection between these concepts will be to first dive
into demand and then into supply. Once the students have a good understanding of each of
these two theories then I will compare and contrast how one impacts and influences the
other. This problem-solving strategy will promote understanding of my content area and
build up to the next chapter that covers supply. A few techniques used to connect these
lessons include recapping from day to day and reminding the class of examples talked
about in the previous lesson. I will also mention from time to time when comparing demand
to supply that we will learn in greater detail about supply in the next chapter. This bridges the
gap between lessons and creates a situation where the students must make inferences in
their analysis and support their inferences from lesson to lesson.
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching

For each of the prompts below (2a–b), describe what you know about your students with
respect to the central focus of the learning segment.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support
(e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers,
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underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted

students).
a. Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the central focus—Cite
evidence of what students know, what they can do, and what they are still learning
to do.
Prior to the lesson on demand I did a brief open class discussion about what the students might
already know about the topics that were to be covered in the lesson. After that discussion I
realized the majority of the students had a good grasp on the difference between producer and
consumer and the differences between the one suppling the goods and the one that demanded
goods. In addition my students have also been introduce to economics in short fashion in their
Social Studies class. I did come to the conclusion the students knew very little about the
different influence on demand and few yet understood how price is the main reason that
quantity demanded changes. None of the students had any prior knowledge of elasticity of
demand and how a demand cure shifts.
b. Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central focus—What do you
know about your students’ everyday experiences, cultural and language
backgrounds and practices, and interests?
The students in Grand Meadow, and the majority that attend my class are traditional English
speaking. Most of my students’ families are in the agricultural industry. The majority of my
students are interested in how the economy works with farming and how it can impact the
agricultural lifestyle. There are many of my students that are looking into working on the family
farm after high school and will be working toward earning their bachelor’s degree in agricultural
management. Grand Meadow is a small rural town consisting of around 1139 people. My
students home life consists of mostly having both parents working either on the farm and/or
working at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Many of students are either athletes, in the drama club,
cheerleaders, and/or work at least part time.
3. Supporting Students’ Learning of Business Education
Respond to prompts 3a–c below. To support your justifications, refer to the instructional
materials and lesson plans you have included as part of Planning
Task 1. In addition, use principles from research and/or theory to support your
justifications.
a. Justify how your understanding of your students’ prior academic learning and personal,
cultural, and community assets (from prompts 2a–b above) guided your choice or
adaptation of learning tasks and materials. Be explicit about the connections between
the learning tasks and students’ prior academic learning, their assets, and
research/theory.
The classes leading up to the recorded lesson I had talk with my students many times about
demand and most importantly, what a key role it takes in economics. I was able to reflect back
on those conversations and discovered the student’s had many different levels of understanding
and used this information to come full circle and hopefully drive my objectives home. During my
instruction I used real life examples of situations my students may find themselves in during the
next few years whether at college or joining the work force. Realizing each and every one of my
students frequently shop at the local convenience store, I use many different examples from that
store to help students relate to the learning tasks. By providing these real life situations and
Business Education
referring to topics already discussed I look to link student’s prior knowledge with scenarios they
may find themselves in, so they can have a better understanding of the material covered.
b. Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and planned supports are
appropriate for the whole class, individuals, and/or groups of students with specific
learning needs.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
At this time, I do not have any students with IEPs or 504 plans, however in my past experiences
teaching in Early Childhood, and even more recently my daughter with an ADHD diagnosis, I
have had many opportunities to put many different strategies into practice for children who learn
“differently” than others. Taking into consideration all learning styles, students that are struggling
readers or fall under underperforming areas, but are slightly above receiving any
accommodations, I try and implement different ways for all students to learn. I implement and
use a variety of different teaching strategies to engage the attention of all student and their
learning types and drive my objectives home to students that have different levels of interest in
economics. I use reading content areas for the independent learners. I use short video clips for
the visual learners, and use group projects and discussions to help those students who need to
relate the material to their lives. By using these different strategies, I feel I make a connection
with all of the students and provide variety of different ways for my diverse learners.
b. Describe common preconceptions, errors, or misunderstandings within your content
focus and how you will address them.
A common preconception neither positive or negative, is that economics falls only in the social
studies content. Economics is in the social studies content but as a business major I use current
and historical examples of how economics is related to the business content. A true economist
has to have a deep understanding of the way the business world works in order to fully grasp
the ideas. A misunderstanding of economics is that students need to be going into a business
field for it to impact their lives. Economics makes an impact on everyone’s lives and is very
important to get an understanding of the key concepts to make decisions when making
purchases.
4. Supporting Development in Business Education Through Language
As you respond to prompts 4a–d, consider the range of students’ language assets and
needs—what do students already know, what are they struggling with, and/or what is new to
them?
a. Language Function. Using information about your students’ language assets and
needs, identify one language function essential for students to engage in learning tasks
related to your central focus. Listed below are some sample language functions. You
may choose one of these or another more appropriate for your learning segment.
Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe
Design Evaluate Explain Interpret Summarize

The language function that is essential for students to engage in learning tasks related to the
central focus in my class is to be able to explain. In this learning segment I want the students to
Business Education
be able to explain the law of demand, explain how the change in price of one good can affect
demand for a related good, and explain how firms use elasticity and revenue to make decisions.
b. Identify a key learning task from your plans that provides students with opportunities to
practice using the language function. Identify the lesson in which the learning task
occurs. (Give lesson day/number.)
In day two, October 17th, I provide the group with a guided reading and review worksheet that
each member of the group had to write a brief sentence to answer and then discuss it with the
members of their group. This allowed for the students to practice using the language function. If
the students do not use the language function correctly, then the answer to the written question
will not be correct and one of the other members will have an opportunity to correct them using
the correct language.
c. Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and learning task
identified above, describe the following associated language demands (written or oral)
students need to understand and/or use:
 Vocabulary and/or symbols

 Plus at least one of the following:
 Syntax
 Discourse
The language demand for the lesson on demand was to explain. In order to explain
demand, the student had to explain the law of demand and what is most important to them
when they consider buying something. The students need to explain how the change in the
price of one good can affect the demand for related good and how factors other than price
can influence demand. Students also had to explain how to calculate the elasticity of
demand with the understanding of what products they can do without and what products
they must have and how that relates to being elastic or inelastic.
d. Language Supports. Refer to your lesson plans and instructional materials as needed
in your response to the prompt.
 Identify and describe the planned instructional supports (during and/or prior to the
learning task) to help students understand, develop, and use the identified language
demands (vocabulary and/or symbols, function, syntax, or discourse).
Working with their elbow partner and in groups allows for scaffolding both between the students
and between student and teacher as I walk around the room. With the opinionated responses
comes comparing and contrasting the different conceptions of demand as the students learn
through discourse. This allows for full comprehension of material and integrating newly learned
material into existing schema.
5. Monitoring Student Learning

In response to the prompts below, refer to the assessments you will submit as part of the
materials for Planning Task 1.
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a. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments will provide direct
evidence of students’ business-related conceptual understanding, technical skills, AND
problem-solving strategies throughout the learning segment.
My formal and informal assessments will provide direct evidence of the student understanding in
a variety of ways. First I use verbal informal assessments by creating turn and talks, questions
that require factual information, and questions that require more of an opinionated answer with
feedback to deepen the students understanding. With the opinionated question and answers it
gives the students a chance to see different perspectives on the topic and shows how different
people use the economic concepts in different ways. I also use short fill in the black worksheets
to give the students a chance to apply the topics in different ways. After the discussions and
worksheets, I ask the students to give me a thumbs up or down to indicate the level of
understanding each student has on the content. At the end of each chapter I give a formal
assessment in the form a multiple choice and short answer test. The following day we then go
over the test to correct the thinking process of the ones who had a misunderstanding along the
way.
b. Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned assessments allows students with
specific needs to demonstrate their learning.
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students).
My planned assessments in the form of formal and informal allow students to demonstrate their
learning in a variety of ways. I randomly select student for an informal assessment by calling on
their group so the individual student doesn’t feel singled out. This style of assessment provides
the student an opportunity to give definitions and factual statements but also give more
opinionated answers they have concluded through experience. Throughout the lesson I ask
students to single how much they understand the lesson. If the student gives me a thumbs up,
that means they completely understand the lesson. A thumbs down means they are confused,
and a thumbs to the side means they somewhat understand the lesson. In a formal assessment
I give the students multiple choice to allow them to use the process of elimination and also
make fewer choices for each question. On the formal assessment I give the students feedback
so they hopefully understand it after the fact.

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Business Education

Task 1: Planning Commentary

TASK 1: PLANNING COMMENTARY

productivity of resources, price of resources, government taxes and subsidies, profit

2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching

underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted

Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe

Design Evaluate Explain Interpret Summarize

 Vocabulary and/or symbols

5. Monitoring Student Learning

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