KENOSHA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES
MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE SYLLABUS
8th Grade Business
Course Description
In this Business Education course the student will learn basic concepts in the following areas: management, leadership, economics, entrepreneurship, human resources, information technology, production and operations, marketing and sales, advertising, personal finance, web page design, careers, and honing presentation skills.
Relevance
Students will gain an understanding of basic business concepts so that they will be able to make informed decisions as to which classes to choose at the high school level. The student will gain relevant knowledge and experience in utilizing Microsoft Office Applications that he/she will need throughout their lifetime in both school and the workplace.
Course Standards
Most essential benchmarks may be viewed at: www.kusd.edu.
Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Business:
A.8.1 Write, edit, and revise business correspondence, outlines, summaries, and reports using correct grammar, mechanics, and word usage
A.8.5 Plan, draft, and revise a spontaneous piece that demonstrates effective language use, structure, style and correctness
A.8.6 Present brief impromptu remarks pertaining to topics of current or general interest
A.8.7 Research and present a speech relating to career choices
A.8.8 Ask appropriate questions when more information is needed
A.8.15 Describe the characteristics of an effective teamB.8.2 Have a basic understanding and use of file managementB.8.3 Use a medium to store, retrieve, and backup informationB.8.4 Explain when to use word processing, spreadsheet, and desktop publishing.B.8.5 Demonstrate touch keyboarding skills at acceptable speed and accuracy levelsB.8.6 Use word processing software to compose, organize, and edit informationB.8.7 Use spreadsheet software to create, store, retrieve, update, and delete data.B.8.9 Proofread and edit documentsB.8.10 Demonstrate the use of print functionsB.8.12 Use the internet to obtain informationC.8.1 Calculate Sales TaxC.8.2 Make change in a sales transactionC.8.3 Determine the amount of savings needed for a short-term goalC.8.4 Verify the accuracy of financial calculationsD.8.5 Apply economic concepts to consumer decision making, buying , saving, and investingE.8.1 Explain the role of entrepreneurs in a market system and explain the benefits and risks of becoming an entrepreneurE.8.2 Recognize opportunities that would lead to a successful business E.8.3 Give examples of how businesses meet societal needsE.8.4 Explain the impact of competition on profitsE.8.5 Explain how supply and demand interact to determine priceE.8.9 Describe major business activities that occur in any businessE.8.11 Explain the basic operation of a small business J.8.2 Demonstrate the ability to work with othersJ 8.8 Expand vocabulary to include simple business termsJ.8.9 Demonstrate respect for others who are different from oneselfJ.8.10 Describe characteristics of a team working together successfullyK.8.1 Identify own talents and interestsK.8.2 Identify own strengths and weaknesses with examplesK.8.3 Assess how one’s strengths and weaknesses relate to a variety of career optionsK.8.4 Compare one’s skills and aptitudes with various career optionsK.8.11 Describe habits needed for career successK.8.12 Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in a work team relationshipH 8.1 Identify why business decisions need to be madeH.8.3 Analyze outcomes as a result of business decisionsH 8.4 Identify personal traits of successful business owners and managersWisconsin Model Academic Standards for Marketing:
A.8.1 Define characteristics of successful entrepreneurs
A.8.2 Explain the role and significance of the contributions made by entrepreneurs, including men and women of different ethnic and nationality groups
A.8.3 Analyze the responsibilities and tasks of an entrepreneur
A.8.4 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of being an entrepreneur
A.8.6 Explain how and why people who start new businesses take risks to provide goods and services, considering profits as an incentive
B.8.3 Identify and explain basic economic concepts: supply; demand; production; exchange and consumption; labor wages and capital; inflation and deflation; market economy and command economy; and, public and private goods and services
D.8.1 Define the importance of marketing related to consumer choice
D.8.2 describe different types and purposes of promotion
D.8.3 Contrast different types of positive and negative promotions
D.8.4 Explain the difference between buyer and a supplier/vendor
D.8.5 Give examples to show how media may influence the behavior and decision-making of individuals and groups
D.8.6 Explain the significance of marketing in the United States economy
D.8.7 Illustrate how different products and services meet the needs of consumers
F.8.1 Describe the interdependent activities of a business: e.g., marketing, finance, operations, human resources, etc.
F.8.2 Describe the interrelationship of production, distribution, and consumption
F.8.3 Report on marketing functions observed during field trips, job shadowing, or through presentations by guest speakers
F.8.4 Operate a business or a business simulation as a classroom project
G.8.1 Demonstrate how to acquire and use relevant resources to explore choices in education and work
G.8.3 Identify personal and academic strengths, relating them to potential education and occupation options in the area of marketing
G.8.4 Describe what additional potential areas of work need to be explored in order to have an adequate base of information for education decision-making
H.8.1 Describe uses of technology in consumer and business activities
H.8.2 Access information using appropriate technologies
H.8.3 Use appropriate technologies to assist in research activities
I.8.1 Prepare and give oral presentations to individuals and small groups
I.8.5 Identify and describe the various kinds of leadership and leadership behaviors
I.8.6 Identify and apply the various roles and responsibilities of a leader within an organization Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Math:B.8.1: Read, represent, and interpret various rational numbers with verbal descriptions, geometric models, and mathematical notationB.8.2: Perform and explain operations on rational numbers, D.8.1: Identify and describe attributes in situations where they are directly or easily measurableD.8.3: Determine measurement directly using standard unitsE.8.1: Work with data in the context of real-world situations E.8.2 Organize and display data from statistical investigations E.8.3 Extract, interpret, and analyze information from organized and displayed data E.8.4 Use the results of data analysisWisconsin Model Academic Standards for Language Arts:A.8.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literatureA.8.4 Read to acquire informationB. 8.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposesB.8.2 Plan, edit, and publish clear and effective writingC.8.1 Orally communicate information, opinions, and ideas effectively to different audiences for a variety of purposesC.8.2 Listen to and comprehend oral communicationsC.8.3 Participate effectively in a discussionD.8.1 Develop their vocabulary and ability to use words, phrases, idioms and various grammatical structures as a means of improving communicationE.8.1 Use computers to acquire, organize, analyze and communicate informationE.8.2 Make informed judgments about media and productsE.8.3 Create media products appropriate to audience and purposeE. 8.4 Demonstrate a working knowledge of media production and distribution E. 8.5 Analyze and edit media work as appropriate to audience and purposeF.8.1 Conduct research and inquiry on self-selected or assigned topics, issues, or problems and use an appropriate form to communicate their findingsWisconsin Model Academic Standards for Science:G.8.1 Identify and investigate the skills people need for a career in science or technology and identify the academic courses that a person pursuing such a career would needWisconsin Model Academic Standards for Social Studies:D.8.2 Identify and explain basic economic concepts: supply, demand, production, exchange, and consumption; labor, wages, and capital; inflation and deflation; market economy and command econmy; public and private goods and servicesD.8.3 Describe Wisconsin’s role in national and global economies and give examples of local economic activity in national and global marketsD.8.8 Explain how and why people who start new businesses take risks to provide goods and services, considering profits as an incentiveD.8.10 Identify the economic roles of institutions such as corporations and businesses, banks, labor unions, and the Federal Reserve SystemE.8.1: Give examples to explain and illustrate the influence of prior knowledge, motivation, keep abilities, personal interests, and other factors on individual learningE.8.6: Describe and explain the influence of status, ethnic origin, race, gender, and age on interactions of individuals
E.8.7: Describe the general structure of the solar system, galaxies, and the universe, explaining the nature of the evidence used to develop current models of the universe
Lifelong Learning Standards
· Knowledgeable person· Complex thinker
· Effective communicator· Self-directed learner
· Quality producer· Contributing citizen
Lifelong learning benchmarks may be viewed at: www.kusd.edu.
Course Outline
Week 1: Introduction to Business
Week 2: Monster’s Inc
Week 3: Virtual Business & Advanced level Microsoft Office Applications (entire semester)
Week 4: Management
Week 5: Human Resources & Information Technology
Week 6: Production and Operations
Week 7: Marketing and Sales
Weeks 8 & 9: Advertising
Week 10: Economics
Weeks 11 &12: Personal Finance, Insurance, Taxes
Week 13: Web pages
Weeks 14 & 15: Careers & Honing Presentation Skills
Weeks 16-18: Final Projects
Board-Approved Instructional Materials
Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Office textbook Shelley-Cashman, Internet Explorer; Introduction to Business Supplementary Materials
Teacher Created Resources Simple Projects for MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel,
Simulations: Hot Dog Stand, Lemonade Stand, Concert Tour Entrepreneur, Data Explorer, My Mathematical Life, Gazillionaire Deluxe, Virtual Business
Various on-line educational keyboarding sites will be used to enrich student learning, including the KUSD Instructional Technology website.
Parents as Partners
Methods of Assessment
Students will be assed via a rubric for projects. Will given pre and post tests to determine knowledge gained. Will be observed and given feedback throughout the semester. Student Digital Portfolio, Final Common Assessment.
Board-Approved Grading Scale
Excerpts taken from School Board Rule 6452
GRADING SCALEA+=98-100 percentA=93-97 percentA-=90-92 percent
B+=86-89 percentB=83-85 percentB-=80-82 percent
C+=76-79 percentC=73-75 percentC-=70-72 percent
D+=66-69 percentD=63-65 percentD-=60-62 percentF=0-59 percent
MAKE-UP WORKStudents submitting work up to ten school days late without prior approval may receive up to two grades lower on the work than they would have received if the work had been submitted on time (i.e., B+ lowered to A D+). Student work submitted after ten school days without prior approval shall not be accepted for credit and shall be recorded with a score of zero. Upon returning to school after an absence, a student has the responsibility within the number of days equal to the length of the absence or suspension to meet with the teacher to develop a plan for making up missed work, quizzes, and examinations. A truant student has the responsibility on the first day he or she returns to the course/class to meet with the teacher to develop a plan for making up missed work, quizzes, and examinations. Lower grades may not be given for late work due to excused absences, suspension, or truancy unless the work is submitted later than agreed upon deadlines.See Rule 6452 in its entirety at: www.kusd.edu.