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Core Conversations
The Training & Curriculum team hosts a Core Conversations virtual training to walk participants through implementing the four pillars and the key concepts within the YE Core activities. You will find recordings of the calls, as well as additional supporting materials.
- Lesson Resources
- Video Recording & Recap - August 27, 2019
- Video Recording & Recap - October 1, 2019
- Recap - January 21, 2020
- Video Recording & Recap - March 3, 2020
- Video Recording & Recap - August 25, 2020
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- Lesson Themes
- Have your Core Field Guide handy to reference throughout.
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Grow Your Core Infographic
Come along this pathway and take your students on an engaging, hands-on adventure. Follow it closely — or innovate. Either way, you’ll equip them with the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
- Lesson Resources
- Core Graphic
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- Materials List
- Use the Core Field Guide to learn more about implementing the four pillars and background knowledge of the key concepts.
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Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset
Today and every day, across America from coast to coast, from rural communities, to the suburbs, to inner-cities, America’s students will walk, pedal and ride past a landscape littered with vacant lots and boarded up storefronts. There is a striking resemblance between the problems these vacant lots represent and the problems facing our students, schools and communities. In YE, we train our students to view these vacant lots not only as problems to be solved, but as being personally empowered through an opportunity mindset to be changemakers, creating value for ourselves and others.
- Lesson Resources
- Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset - Activity Guide
- Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset - Intro Video
- Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset - Close Video
- Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset - Photos
- Vacant Lot Opportunity Mindset - PowerPoint
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- Materials List
- Printed or electronic version of vacant lot photos
- Markers
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Core Field Guide
This booklet is meant to serve as a field guide for implementing the Four Pillars of the YE program – eight Foundational Values, Soft Skills, Currency & Auctions and Transformational Mindset – as well as 14 scaffolded activities addressing Core content in a way that optimizes outcomes. We have written this field guide to provide key content knowledge and make the process of applying the Core easier.
- Lesson Resources
- Core Field Guide
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CPV Triangle
At the very heart of being entrepreneurial is the world of voluntary exchange and creating win-win. We make hundreds of mutually beneficial trades every week. With this in mind, we must see the whole picture and learn to become more productive at creating value on both sides of a trade, leading to prosperity for ourselves, our families, and our communities. The CPV Triangle is a graphic organizer and mental model that helps deconstruct and measure the components of transactions. The CPV Triangle helps build an entrepreneurial mindset with principled behavior as a foundation. Concepts learned through the CPV are transferable not only to business transactions, but to all transactions we make as individuals. In this activity, student teams will draw, label and discuss elements of the CPV Triangle to take a closer look at “What does win-win and creating value for others look like?”
- Lesson Resources
- CPV Triangle Activity Guide
- CPV Triangle Teacher Overview
- CPV Triangle - Disruption Mental Model
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- Materials List
- YE dollars
- Large poster paper (one sheet per group)
- Markers (4-5 different colors per group)
- Lesson Themes
- CPV Triangle follows Trading Game in our YE Core roadmap as a way to introduce voluntary exchange and win-win
- You may want to do step one during the first class period, and step two the next class period
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All About Auctions
- Videos
- 1. All About Auctions: Auctions
- 2. All About Auctions: The Auction in Action
- 3. All About Auctions: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- All About Auctions
- Your First Classroom Auction
- Gum Auction to Illustrate Inflation
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Foundational Values: Behavior Model
At Youth Entrepreneurs, the principles that guide behavior are called Foundational Values. These YE values are central to our curriculum and significant in helping our students grow. Learn about the Foundational Values Behavior Model.
- Lesson Resources
- FV Behavior Model
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Hershey's Market Research
This two-part activity is designed to familiarize your students with basic market research. The purpose of the activity is to give students an opportunity to, in Part 1, design a simple market research survey. In Part 2, your students will implement the results of the market research survey.
- Lesson Resources
- Hershey's Market Research Activity Guide
- Hershey-s-Market-Research-Handout
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- Materials List
- Hershey’s Market Research handout
- Poster board/easel paper/ butcher paper/ large post-it paper
- Markers
- Lesson Themes
- Hershey's Market Research follows Paper Airplane Factor as part of our YE Core roadmap.
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FV: Win-Win Focus
The Youth Entrepreneurs value “Be principled” teaches students integrity, respect and toleration. Approaching life and work with principles leads to long-term success. In this series you will learn about this value and how to apply it in your classroom.
- Lesson Themes
- Win-Win Focus – Cooperation creates real value in society — for yourself and others.
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FV: Sound Judgment
Foundational Value Sound Judgment: Use economic thinking to create the greatest benefit while using the least resources.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Opportunity
Foundational Value Opportunity: You make your own opportunities.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Passion
Foundational Value Passion: Find fulfillment in your life by improving the lives of others.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Freedom
Foundational Value Freedom: Respect the rights of others and study the links between freedom, entrepreneurship and societal well-being.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Knowledge
Foundational Value Knowledge: Seek and use the best knowledge, drive change that benefits others, and exemplify humility and intellectual honesty.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Be Principled
Foundational Value Be Principled: Always act with integrity, respect and toleration.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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FV: Responsibility
Foundational Value Responsibility: Take responsibility for your own life. No one will ever be as concerned about your success as you.
- Lesson Themes
- The YE Foundational Values are at the heart of everything we do.
- The Foundational Values were developed with the elements of a flourishing society in mind.
- These eight values capture practical concepts that students can apply to their own lives.
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Teaching Soft Skills
Soft skills are the personal attributes that complement an individual’s technical skill and knowledge. According to Career Builder, 77% of employers say that soft skills are just as important as hard skills. College professors identify the same skills as important to college success.
- Lesson Resources
- Teaching Soft Skills Guide
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- Materials List
- See Activity Guide for Resources for Activities and Lessons
- Lesson Themes
- Soft skills include: Personal work ethic and integrity, legal and ethical responsibilities, interpersonal skills, etc.
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Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers
This lesson is all about vision and sharing knowledge. It is important that any group, organization or business communicates their vision, has a shared vision, and shares the knowledge required to reach common goals.
- Lesson Resources
- Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers Activity Guide
- Cowboy Inkblot & Find the Numbers PPT
- Cowboy Inkblot Handout
- Find the Numbers Handout
- Download All
- Materials List
- Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers PowerPoint
- Optional: Cowboy Inkblot handout
- Optional: Find the Numbers handout
- Lesson Themes
- You will want to do this lesson at the beginning of the year; ideally while introducing entrepreneurship.
- Students do not need any prior knowledge.
- Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers follows Towers in our YE Core roadmap.
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Speak Out Cards
Speak Out Cards afford students the opportunity to practice standing in front of others and speaking extemporaneously. There is little risk but high return for the students during this activity.
- Lesson Resources
- Pitching How to Teach Pitching
- Speak Out Cards Activity Guide
- Speakout Cards (Easy)
- Speakout Cards (Medium)
- Speakout Cards (Hard)
- Speakout Cards (Foundational Values)
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- Materials List
- Speak Out Cards
- Timer
- YE Currency
- Lesson Themes
- Speak Out Cards can be used throughout the school year.
- Students do not need any prior knowledge to be successful at Speak Out Cards. You can do Speak Out Cards for the first or last 15 minutes of class. You can do a certain number of students each day. You can do it until each student has gone once. It really just depends on what you would like to do and the amount of time you have available.
- Speak Out Cards follows CPV Triangle as part of our YE Core roadmap.
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Towers
Towers is a game that demonstrates the importance of both doing business profitably and also doing it “the right way.” After completing Towers, students better understand the importance of conducting business using the Foundational Values to create long-term value.
- Lesson Resources
- Towers Activity Guide
- Towers Rating Form
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- Materials List
- Paper and newspaper
- Scissors
- Tape
- Lesson Themes
- Towers is the first activity in our YE Core roadmap.
- It can be repeated at any point throughout your program.
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Dirt and Worms
The Dirt and Worms activity allows your students to continue to practice calculating COGS. This activity will set the foundation needed for your students to develop an understanding of pricing and as well as funding.
- Videos
- 1. Dirt and Worms: Intro
- 2. Dirt and Worms: Set-up
- 3. Dirt and Worms: Activity
- 4. Dirt and Worms: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- Dirt and Worms Activity Guide
- Dirt & Worms PPT
- Dirt and Worms COGS Worksheet
- Dirt and Worms Pricing & Profit Worksheet
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- Materials List
- Chocolate pudding cups – one for each student
- Oreo cookies – enough for each student to have 3 cookies
- Gummy worms – enough for each student to have 2 worms
- Lesson Themes
- You can do the Dirt and Worms activity at any point during the Youth Entrepreneurs course.
- Students will need to have a basic understanding of Costs and Unit of Sale to be successful with this activity.
- Dirt and Worms follows Hershey's Market Research as part of our YE Core roadmap.
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Back of the Napkin
Hands on activities are crucial for learning in the Youth Entrepreneurs classroom. Most students learn values and concepts through experience better than through lecture. Back of the Napkin is an activity that you will be able to apply in many different scenarios in your classroom, and is designed to be a lasting tool for students in all their ventures, present and future. Watch these videos to learn why Back of the Napkin is a great tool and how to use it.
- Videos
- 1. Back of the Napkin: Intro
- 2. Back of the Napkin: Set-up
- 3. Back of the Napkin: Activity
- 4. Back of the Napkin: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- Back of the Napkin Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Smartboard/Whiteboard/Chart Paper
- Dry Erase Marker/Marker
- Calculator
- Lesson Themes
- Back of the Napkin is a tool to help students when they are considering what to sell at Market Day.
- This activity can be used as an introduction to COGS.
- Back of the Napkin follows Dirt & Worms as part of our YE Core roadmap.
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The Trading Game
The Trading Game engages students in a trading simulation designed to illustrate a complex marketplace in which goods and services are traded. Through several rounds of trade, students will see that the broader their access to trade, and the more choices they have for solutions to their problems, the greater their satisfaction.
- Videos
- 1. The Trading Game: Intro
- 2. The Trading Game: Set-up
- 3. The Trading Game: Activity
- 4. The Trading Game: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- Trading Game Activity Guide
- Trading Game Satisfaction Chart
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- Materials List
- A large number of small, easily-exchanged items (e.g., miniature candy bars, boxes of raisins, small toys, packages of sticky notes, pencils, stickers, etc.)
- Items that go well together like a portable makeup mirror and a hairbrush or comb that can then be put into separate bags.
- Packages of items that have multiples in them like a box of candy bars, etc.
- Lesson Themes
- Trading Game follows Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers as part of our YE Core roadmap.
- The students will not require any prior knowledge to successfully participate in The Trading Game.
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Foundational Values: How To Guide
At Youth Entrepreneurs, the principles that guide behavior are called Foundational Values. These YE values are central to our curriculum and significant in helping our students grow. Learn how to use the Youth Entrepreneur’s eight guiding Foundational Values in your classroom.
- Lesson Resources
- Foundational Values How To Guide
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Market Day
Our experiential education model instills entrepreneurial and economic principles built for prosperity. YE transforms mindsets, empowering students to chase the opportunities that surround them. And one of the most transformational aspects of the YE experience is Market Day. Visit the YE Capital Requests under Admin Resources to submit your YE Market Day Loan Request.
- Lesson Resources
- Market Day Bid Expectations
- Market Day Bid Expectations Handout
- Market Day Cash Out Form
- Market Day Checklist Suggestions
- Market Day Individual Reflection
- Teachers Guide to Market Day
- BMC Basics for Market Day (A)
- BMC Basics for Market Day (B)
- Market Day Financials - Overview
- Market Day Financials - COGS Worksheet
- Market Day Financials - Net Income Worksheet
- YE Market Day Loan Tracker Tool
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- Lesson Themes
- Market Day combines a micro-loan program with a pop-up market.
- Students build and pitch a small business model to their teacher.
- Market Day is not just about students being successful and profitable. Students don’t have to get it perfect for this to be valuable; the most valuable learnings come from their failure or their false assumptions.
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Business Model Canvas
YE instills an entrepreneurial vision in students. And as they create their own business ideas, the Business Model Canvas is a powerful tool to jumpstart the entrepreneurial process.
- Videos
- 1. Business Model Canvas: Intro
- 2. Business Model Canvas: Overview
- 3. Business Model Canvas: Customer Focus
- 4. Business Model Canvas: Operations
- 5. Business Model Canvas: Financial
- 6. Business Model Canvas: Wrap Up
- 7. Business Model Canvas: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- BMC Teacher's Guide
- BMC Map to Business Plan
- BMC Cheat Sheet
- BMC Blank
- 22 Ways to Teach BMC
- BMC Resources
- BIO Sheet Teacher Guide
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- Materials List
- Business Model Canvas
- Post-it Notes
- Lesson Themes
- The BMC has nine building blocks.
- The upper left side of the canvas is operations and management (Key Partners, Key Activities, Key Resources), the right side is customer focused (Value Proposition, Channels, Customer Relationships, & Customer Segments).
- The bottom is financials (Cost Structure & Revenue Streams)
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Disruptus
Disruptus is a game that demonstrates the importance of being Opportunity Obsessed, Innovating and properly Aligned Value Creation. This activity puts the students in the position of knowing who their market is and properly aligning their innovation strategies with their market in order to create value for the customer, therefore creating value for themselves.
- Lesson Resources
- Disruptus Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Disruptus game
- Game Handout
- Whiteboard
- Lesson Themes
- Disruptus can be used at any time throughout the school year.
- Disruptus is a great tool to use to get your students thinking about ideas for Market Day and Business Models.
- Disruptus follows Speak Out Cards as part of our YE Core roadmap.
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Classroom Currency
In the YE classroom, we bring markets to life by implementing a classroom economy. Central to the classroom economy is our own currency. Here’s why it helps students, plus how to make currency part of your own YE class.
- Videos
- 1. Classroom Currency: Intro
- Lesson Resources
- How To Use Classroom Currency
- Introducing Classroom Currency
- YE Bond
- YE Dollars - One Dollar
- YE Dollars - Five Dollars
- YE Dollars - Ten Dollars
- YE Dollars - Twenty Dollars
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- Materials List
- YE Dollar
- YE Bond
- Lesson Themes
- Introduce currency to your students.
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Boneyard
The Boneyard experience teaches students about communication and competition. Explore how to lead your class through the activity and teach market principles throughout.
- Lesson Resources
- Boneyard Activity Guide
- Boneyard Price Sheets
- Boneyard Rule Sheet
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- Materials List
- 6 sets of double six dominoes
- Boneyard Rule Sheets - one per group
- Boneyard Price Sheets - one per group based on group size
- Lesson Themes
- Boneyard follows BMC for Market Day in our YE Core roadmap.
- Boneyard builds on the learning established throughout Pit and The Trading Game.
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PIT - Just the Basics
Pit is a fast-paced card game designed to simulate open outcry bidding for commodities. We use the game as a way for students to learn about trade and simple negotiations, and focus on the economic principle of comparative advantage.
- Videos
- 1. PIT - Just the Basics: Intro
- 2. PIT - Just the Basics: Set-up
- 3. PIT - Just the Basics: Activity
- 4. PIT - Just the Basics: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- PIT Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Pit Cards or multiple decks of basic playing cards (remove the twos, face cards, and jokers)
- YE Currency
- One or Two tables – if you have assistance you will want one for selling and one for buying
- Lesson Themes
- Pit follows Disruptus in the YE Core roadmap; however, Pit can be used throughout the entire school year.
- It is a great introduction into how markets work.
- Students do not need prior knowledge to be successful in Pit.
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Paper Airplane Factory
This activity engages students in the process of rapid prototyping, while facing challenges like scarcity and risk. Explore how to bring the Paper Airplane Factory to life in your classroom.
- Videos
- 1. Paper Airplane Factory: Intro
- 2. Paper Airplane Factory: Set-up
- 3. Paper Airplane Factory: Activity
- 4. Paper Airplane Factory: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- Paper Airplane Factory Activity Guide
- Paper Airplanes Rules Sheet
- Paper Airplanes Score Sheet
- Paper Airplanes Test Flight Record
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- Materials List
- A multicolor ream of paper with at least 5 different colors, 25 sheets each
- Paper Airplanes Rule sheets for each group
- Paper Airplanes Test Flight Record Sheet for each group
- Lesson Themes
- This activity is repeatable and can be used as a way to help students form their Market Day groups.
- Paper Airplane Factory follows PIT in our YE Core roadmap.
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YE and Ed Tech Tools
As educators embark upon school settings unlike any other before, they are challenged to find new technological ways to engage with their students both in and out of the classroom. YE has seized this opportunity and compiled many education focused tech tools with the YE educator in mind!
- Lesson Resources
- YE and Ed Tech Tools
- Ed Tech for the YE Classroom Summary
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- Lesson Themes
- We cultivated tools specific to aiding in the YE educator’s ability to teach with adherence to YE’s Four Pillars: Foundational Values, Essential Skills/SEL, Currency & Auctions and Transformational Mindset.
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Blended Learning Planning Support
The education space undergone transformation as a result of the pandemic and elements of blended learning are here to stay. To support our YE educators in whatever their teaching environment looks like, we have crafted some guidance to help our educators continue to implement YE activities and the Four Pillars. You can find additional e-learning support on TeachEverywhere.org.
- Lesson Resources
- Blended Learning Support - YE Core
- Blended Learning Support - YE Mini-Core
- Teaching YE in Any Content Area
- Market Day Best Practices
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- Lesson Themes
- There is support guidance for the YE Core, YE Mini-Cores, Market Day and leveraging educational tech tools.
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Partner Resources
Youth Entrepreneurs is constantly seeking to build win-win partnerships with organizations that align so closely with our vision and values. These documents outline how you can leverage the resources from our partner organizations, while continuing to implement YE and its Four Pillars.
- Lesson Resources
- Partner Resource - PayGrade
- Partner Resource - SuitUp
- Partner Resource - Invention Convention Worldwide
- Partner Resource - Gro.Academy
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- Lesson Themes
- Continue to implement YE's Four Pillars throughout your time leveraging the partner resource.
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YE Supports Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)
Youth Entrepreneurs is committed to being better allies to our communities of color. Our experiential learning curriculum is inherently culturally responsive teaching - It brings out the rich diversity in talents, abilities, and skills of our students' experiences. However, we seek to be more intentional and proactive with crafting resources and supporting our educators to allow for the removal of barriers that keep students from reaching their full potential.
- Lesson Resources
- YE and CRT Overview
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- Lesson Themes
- Culturally responsive teaching helps create environments, curricula, and instructional methods that validate and reflect the diversity, identities, and experiences of all students.
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SEL and YE Road Map
For nearly 30 years, Youth Entrepreneurs has heard testimonies from educators using our curriculum where their students transformed from shy, quiet, disengaged students to participating, engaged, and full-of-life by the end of the semester or school year. We believe this transformation happened because through the YE activities, students were able to practice and hone their skills related to the 5 core competencies of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL).
- Lesson Resources
- SEL and YE Road Map
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- Lesson Themes
- Practicing SEL aligns with YE’s core pillar, Essential/Soft Skills, as students learn more about themselves and how they can better relate to others they interact with.
- As YE empowers educators to help students reach their potential, the SEL competencies are an integral piece of YE's experiential approach to learning.
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Posters
- Lesson Resources
- Intellectual Property Poster
- Keys to Entrepreneurial Success Poster
- Legal Structures Poster
- Money Talks: Kinds of Costs Poster
- Types of Businesses Poster
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Traditional/In-Person Planning Support
The Youth Entrepreneurs curriculum is designed with flexibility in mind. You can implement it in a variety of ways. Get equipped to make it happen with our pacing guides, sample road maps and unit guides. This guidance is designed to support traditional, in-class implementation.
- Videos
- 1. Traditional/In-Person Planning Support: Intro
- 2. Traditional/In-Person Planning Support: Kasey
- Lesson Resources
- I have 15 minutes left...Now what?
- Business Finance Content Map
- Economics Content Map
- Market Day Content Map
- Entrepreneurial Mindset Content Map
- Sample Road Map - Year Long
- Sample Road Map - Semester
- Sample Road Map - Two 9-Week Blocks
- Pacing Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Optional: Roadmap
- Optional: Pacing Guide
- Lesson Themes
- You are the entrepreneur of your classroom!
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Foundational Values Flyer
This collateral includes the 8 Foundational Values and their definitions.
- Lesson Resources
- FV Flyer
- Download All
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Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player allows students to internalize and exhibit the Foundational Values while encouraging and affirming the Foundational Values with others in the classroom. This activity helps students to identify behaviors that embody the Foundational Values in everyday life. Students will create player cards for each Foundational Value, then give cards to their peers when they see them displaying Foundational Values. The goal is to have students trade cards when they recognize behaviors that demonstrate the Foundational Values and to discuss with each recipient what behavior they saw that exhibited a Foundational Value.
- Lesson Resources
- Most Valuable Player - Activity Guide
- Most Valuable Player - Template
- Most Valuable Player - Example
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- Materials List
- Player cards can be created digitally or by hand: Digital - computer, printer, template; Manual - colored cardstock or 3x5 index cards, markers or colored pencils, scissors, glue
- Optional: Card sleeve to enable students to display MVP cards as they receive them from their classmates.
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any time and as often as you want throughout the program.
- It works best after your students have a basic understanding of the Foundational Values (FVs).
- One option would be to create MVP cards as you introduce each FV.
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Foundational Values Face-Off
All Foundational Values are important – No single value is more important than the others. However, if you were forced to choose, which Foundational Value would you rank as the most important? In Foundational Values Face-Off, the values are pitted against each other in a bracket-style showdown with students narrowing down the Foundational Values until one is declared the “winner”. This activity will help you recognize your students’ understanding of the Foundational Values and which Foundational Values may need to be further developed (both in theory and in practice) in your students.
- Lesson Resources
- Foundational Values Face-Off - Activity Guide
- Foundational Values Face-Off - Bracket Handout
- Download All
- Materials List
- A way to display a large-format version of the bracket (dry erase board, chalk board, projector, poster paper, etc.)
- Markers
- Copies of the bracket for students (1 per group)
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any time as a method to delve more deeply into the Foundational Values.
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Foundational Values Walkabout
YE’s Foundational Values create a shared language and understanding of what creates value in our lives. Students will be asked to share their thoughts about a Foundational Value and give feedback on their classmates’ thoughts. This activity will spur a conversation amongst your students about what these values mean to each individual, what they mean to the YE classroom, and what they mean to the market outside the classroom.
- Lesson Resources
- FV Walkabout Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- 8 Large sticky Post-it paper
- Small Red Post-it notes (other colors are fine, but ideally is different color from sticky dots)
- Green and Yellow sticky dots (other colors are fine, but there needs to be two different colors)
- Lesson Themes
- This is a great lesson to do at the start of your class and then again at the end to see the growth in your students.
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Cinema Challenge
Foundational values are what binds this course together. Students will have a chance to be creative as they think of a popular movie, TV show or other media to connect to the Foundational Values and act it out. The purpose of this activity is to develop a shared language so students can articulate what each foundational value means as well as internalize these values by anchoring them to a fun experience.
- Lesson Resources
- Cinema Challenge Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Timer, Props are helpful but not mandatory (Prop examples: costumes, various hats, accessories, etc.)
- Codec or FV bookmark
- YE Bonds
- Lesson Themes
- This can be used at the start of class to help introduce Foundational Values in a fun way or later in class to insert some much-needed fun and energy into your classroom.
- ProTip: Can be implemented as a stand-alone activity or as a follow-up to the FV Walkabout activity to deepen student’s understanding of FVs.
- Pro-Tip: Connect with your theater department to see if they would be willing to let you borrow some props.
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Think Outside the Box
Think Outside the Box is a great way to introduce and reinforce the Foundational Values. Students will be asked to complete a 100-piece puzzle, but there is a catch - they won't have all of the correct pieces for their puzzle, leading to trades with other groups. Students will have to use their Foundational Values to complete the challenge.
- Lesson Resources
- Think Outside the Box Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Six, 100-piece puzzles with puzzle box
- Ziploc bags
- Incentive (YE dollars, gift cards, etc.)
- Lesson Themes
- You can use this lesson at any point during your class, but it may be most impactful toward the beginning.
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Foundational Values Reflection
At Youth Entrepreneurs, the principles that guide behavior are called Foundational Values. These YE values are central to our curriculum and significant in helping our students grow.
- Lesson Resources
- Foundational Values Reflection
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Activity
Codec
Explore the Codec, to engage your students in entrepreneurial learning.
- Lesson Resources
- Codec
- Codec with descriptions
- How to Use The Codec
- Download All
- Materials List
- Codec
- Lesson Themes
- YE Foundational Values, Market Measure, The Four S's and Ricardo's Law
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Activity
Subscription Box Design Project
The Subscription Box Design Project is a fast-paced project leading students through the design thinking process. This project supports the same mindset, thinking and outcomes as The Extraordinaire’s project in less time (without needing The Extraordinaires Design Studio). Students pair up, show and tell each other about their boxes, ideate, and make a new solution that is “useful and meaningful” to their partner. Participants get the feel for a user-centered design approach, develop shared vocabulary, and get a quick taste of each design step. This project helps students see the value of engaging with real people (customer) to help them ground their design decisions, the value of taking an iterative approach, while experiencing a bias towards action, as the project is fast paced with a limited amount of time. This project was submitted to YE by educator, Kasey Winegar.
- Lesson Resources
- Subscription Box Design Project - Activity Guide
- Subscription Box Design Project - Design Packet
- Download All
- Materials List
- The Subscription Box Design Packet
- Colored Pencils
- Lesson Themes
- The Subscription Box Design Thinking Project can be used at any time throughout your YE program.
- Students do not require any prior knowledge to be successful at design thinking.
- You can repeat this project as many times as you like throughout your program.
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Activity
Vocabulary Frames
Vocabulary Frames is one strategy you can implement to teach business-related vocabulary. This activity can be implemented as a stand-alone activity or be coupled with any YE activity to focus on key terms presented in that activity. This is a simple strategy provides three important benefits. First, Vocabulary Frames can be used to quickly reference key terms during the class. Second, it can be used as flashcards to assist students in remembering key terms. Third, as students create their Vocabulary Frames, they get a definition for the word, an example of the word in a sentence and a graphic that can help them visualize the concept.
- Lesson Resources
- Vocabulary Frames - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- 4” x 6” notecards
- Sharpies or colored pencils for writing on the notecards
- Lesson Themes
- Individual Vocabulary Frames notecards should be created whenever new vocabulary is introduced. All notecards should be used frequently throughout the course to strengthen students’ business-related vocabulary.
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Activity
Hack My School
A hackathon is a sprint-like design event with a specific focus. The goal of the hackathon is to improve upon or innovate a selected industry, service, or even a company. Hack My School is a project-based learning (PBL) activity that asks students to address a problem happening in their school with the belief that addressing this problem will improve their school environment. Students will use the five stages of the Design Thinking process to identify a specific problem and generate one solution or perhaps multiple possible solutions that address the specific needs of their target market. This is a real-life application activity, as students will be encouraged to test their prototypes and continue to iterate their solution or solutions.
- Lesson Resources
- Hack My School - Activity Guide
- Hack My School - Project Log
- Hack My School - Action Plan
- Hack My School - Research Log
- Hack My School - Reflection Log
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- Materials List
- Depends on the kind of the prototype solution(s) students decide to create.
- Optional: Project Log, Action Plan, Research Log, Reflection Log
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any point during your YE program.
- The amount of class time required will depend on the way you choose to have students experience the Hack My School project.
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Activity
Mockups
Mockups is a game created by Dr. Liz Gerber, professor at Northwestern University with the help of her students. Mockups can be implemented quickly to give students practice empathizing, ideating, rapid prototyping and pitching. This game tests the limits of rapid prototyping without allowing students time to overthink the problem. Rapid prototyping develops confidence in generating a quick solution to customer problems. Mockups gives students practice through repetitions to master the skills, knowledge and mindset critical for innovation.
- Lesson Resources
- Mockups - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- 1 deck of Mockups cards
- Pipe cleaners or Wikki Stix
- YE Bonds
- Lesson Themes
- Mockups can be used at any time during the program and can be repeated.
- It also can be an alternate for Paper Airplane Factory to discuss rapid prototyping.
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Activity
Silicon Valley Startups
Silicon Valley Startups™ is the hilarious game of pitching crazy companies. Entrepreneurs must think on their feet and convince an Investor to fund their startup company. The player with the most convincing pitches wins!
- Lesson Resources
- Silicon Valley Startups - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Silicon Valley Startups™ card game
- Optional: Make copies of the instructions for students to reference.
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson can be used at any time during your program and repeated often to practice pitching and creative thinking.
- It may be a valuable activity to play before, after or in conjunction with Disruptus.
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Activity
Game Challenge
Let’s combine learning and playing with the Game Challenge. Students often learn best when interacting with content in a game style format. The Game Challenge is a PBL-designed project that asks students to design a game with the goal of educating an identified target market about specific concepts covered in the program. This game could be a board game, multi-player game, or any other design – It is up to the student to design which type of game format best resonates with their target market. Ready, set, play!
- Lesson Resources
- Game Challenge - Activity Guide
- Game Challenge - Action Plan
- Game Challenge - Research Log
- Game Challenge - Reflection Log
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- Materials List
- Materials needed will vary based on the game design your students decide to create and/or the deliverable(s) you require of them.
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any point throughout the program to reinforce content and improve student mastery of key concepts; however, it may work best as an mini-capstone or cumulative assessment activity.
- Total time needed depends on the expectations you establish for the project and if you plan to allow time for students to test each other’s games.
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Activity
Think Like Einstein
Albert Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” People tend to feel like complex concepts require a lot of explanation, which often can lead to even greater confusion. However, if you truly understand the concept, you should be able to explain it in terms that a kindergartner would understand (on some level). To truly see whether your students have mastered their understanding of concepts, you will ask them to “Think Like Einstein” and develop a way to explain those concepts in its simplest manner, as if explaining them to a little kid.
- Lesson Resources
- Think Like Einstein - Activity Guide
- Think Like Einstein - Example Prompts
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Activity
Eye Spy
Entrepreneurs learn through observation. They observe the marketplace, trends, business models, the behavior of businesses and consumers, how value is being created, Principled Entrepreneurship and anything they can learn. The purpose of this activity is to train students to be observant of the market around them. Students will record their observations by writing a reflection in their Eye Spy Journal. We will then use these observations to drive discussion about things they are witnessing in the real-world markets happening all around us.
- Lesson Resources
- Eye Spy - Activity Guide
- Eye Spy - Reflection Sheet
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- Materials List
- YE Dollars
- Copies of Eye Spy Reflection Sheet
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson can be implemented at any time during the course.
- This activity is written to be on-going, occurring more than once during the course.
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Activity
Pop-Up Business Challenge
It can be easy to be creative and plan a business when the sky is the limit, but how creative can students be when strict constraints limit opportunities? Students will be asked to launch a pop-up business and turn a profit, but there’s a catch – They will only have $5 available as a loan or equity and only 1, 2, or 3 hours to operate their business.
- Lesson Resources
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Activity Guide
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Student Handout
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Sales Spreadsheet
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Action Plan
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Research Log
- Pop-Up Business Challenge - Reflection Log
- Product Possibilities
- Download All
- Materials List
- Copies of the “Pop-Up Business Challenge – Student Handout”
- Envelopes with seed funding (if you decide to have students launch the business)
- Additional materials may vary depending on the outcomes your students decide to create, as well as the product materials for their business.
- Lesson Themes
- This activity is best done after students have completed Market Day.
- Pop-Up Business Challenge may be a fitting capstone project for your students.
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Activity
Chain Reaction
Creative destruction is a powerful force that has spurred innovation over centuries. While many see the dissolution of a labor force as a negative, it is important to consider what new labor forces are created. In this activity, students will examine industries over time to build a chain of the various labor forces and products created through the destruction of the old.
- Lesson Resources
- Chain Reaction - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Two different colors of paper already cut (see Before Class Preparation)
- Wire hanger or similar material (1 per group)
- String or yarn
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any time, but it fits well before Disruptus or other innovation activities to introduce the concept of creative destruction.
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Activity
Energizers
An energizer is a short activity intended to increase the energy in the room by engaging in physical activity, laughter, and/or problem solving. Energizers include Yeehaw, Absurd Interviews, Favorite Toy, Swedish Story, Paper Rock Scissors, Tear Your Favorite Cartoon, and Make a Monster.
- Lesson Resources
- Energizers
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- Lesson Themes
- Use an energizer anytime you feel energy is low or you feel like you are losing your students’ attention. Energizers are also great when returning from any kind of break like lunch. You can stop the energizer as soon as you hear laughter if you want/need to.
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Activity
Vacant Lot PBL Project
The Vacant Lot Project is a PBL-designed project that asks students to look at a vacant lot in their community and determine what should go there that would create value for the community. This could be a business, nonprofit, community amenity, etc. The item selected for that location should be an economical, feasible choice for the city and its constituents to support. Students will conduct research and planning to design a business model that they will pitch. Only one business will be selected for investment by the city, so students must be prepared!
- Lesson Resources
- Vacant Lot PBL - Activity Guide
- Vacant Lot PBL - Action Plan
- Vacant Lot PBL - Research Log
- Vacant Lot PBL - Reflection Log
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- Materials List
- Materials need will vary depending on the outcomes your students decide to create.
- Lesson Themes
- You can use this lesson at any point throughout the year.
- It is a great activity to teach market research.
- This activity uses a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach.
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Activity
S.W.O.T. Analysis
In this two-part activity, students will complete a S.W.O.T. Analysis for a business. A S.W.O.T. Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) is a common business tool used by entrepreneurs, as well as companies like Ford, Coca-Cola and Google, to identify internal and external factors that will affect the company’s performance either currently or in the future. This tool helps a business examine internal factors like the company’s Strengths and Weaknesses, as well as external factors like the Opportunities and Threats that may exist in the market.
- Lesson Resources
- SWOT Analysis Activity Guide
- SWOT Analysis Overview
- SWOT Analysis - Supplemental: For The Profit
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- Materials List
- 1 piece of copy paper per pair of students
- 1 piece of large paper or posterboard
- YE Bonds
- Lesson Themes
- Conducting a S.W.O.T. Analysis can be a valuable exercise not only for companies, but for individuals as well. Both companies and individuals can reflect on their competitive advantage in the market.
- This can be used during Market Day ideation and prospective business ideation.
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Activity
Design Thinking How to Guide
This is a hands-on user-centered approach defined by the design thinking process, which is made up of five (5) stages; Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.
- Lesson Resources
- Design Thinking How to Guide
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Activity
Ticket Out
There are many strategies for checking for student understanding of class material. One quick, easy and effective strategy is the “ticket out the door”. Students need to reflect as well as teachers, a ticket out provides this reflection time, as well as giving YE students valuable practice pitching. When we pitch and articulate ideas, it builds vocabulary, allows students to process and connect information, and builds confidence, as well as providing the teacher with valuable information as to the student’s level of understanding.
- Lesson Resources
- Ticket Out How To Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Prepared “ticket-out” cards with prompts, one per student (optional)
- Blank paper, scratch paper, or index cards for students to write prompt and response on (optional)
- YE Dollars (optional)
- Lesson Themes
- Check for student understanding of a lesson or concept, guiding the teacher on where to clarify for students or re-teach.
- Provides students the opportunity to process what they have learned and verbalize it, leading to deeper understanding and better long-term memory of the material.
- Provides students the opportunity to practice pitching their ideas and gain confidence in their ability to share ideas and accept feedback.
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Activity
BMC - Partner Pitch
This activity can be used at any time during a class. You can use partner pitches at the beginning of a session or in the middle to keep students engaged and to take ownership of their learning.
- Lesson Resources
- BMC Partner Pitch How to Guide
- BMC Partner Pitch Cards
- Download All
- Materials List
- BMC Partner Pitch Cards
- Lesson Themes
- The time for this activity can vary based on two things: the amount of time you give your students to pitch (typically 1 minute) and the amount of time you give them to write notes on their Partner Pitch card (typically 3-4 minutes).
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Activity
Bridge Building for Team Building
As we come together, we each have many talents, skills, and ideas which we can share with each other. This activity will give you a chance to share these talents with one another and to begin to work better together as a team.
- Lesson Resources
- Bridge Building for Team Building Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Newspapers
- Masking tape - one roll of masking tape per group
- Timer and music
- Lesson Themes
- In the Bridge Building Activity, students will be tasked with building a bridge as a team.
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Activity
The Creativity Minute
This activity is all about developing our brains in a way that allows us to be creative problem-solvers.
- Lesson Resources
- Creativity Minute Activity Guide
- Creativity Minute PowerPoint
- Creativity Minute Handout
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- Materials List
- Creativity Minute PowerPoint
- Creativity Minute handout (optional)
- Lesson Themes
- The Creativity Minute is great bell-ringer that gives students an opportunity to regularly work to develop their creativity.
- In the activity students will look at a basic shape or set of lines and brainstorm ideas, creating a vision for what the shape could be or represent.
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Activity
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
During this activity, students will examine the difference between a well-written S.M.A.R.T. goal and a poorly written goal.
- Materials List
- Journal or Notebook (where goals can be written and easily reviewed)
- Student Handouts: “What do S.M.A.R.T. goals look like?”, “Practice Writing S.M.A.R.T. Goals.”
- Example cards – cut out goal example cards, one set per student or pair of students
- Lesson Themes
- Students will write S.M.A.R.T goals for the purpose of setting personal goals.
- Students will write S.M.A.R.T goals for the purpose of setting goals for their Market Day business.
- Students will write S.M.A.R.T goals for a prospective business or a business they are currently operating.
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Activity
Three-Legged Stool
In this lesson students will learn about the three-legged stool. The three-legged stool is an analogy for three things all businesses need to sustain long-term success. All businesses need “Raving-Fan Customers”, “Gung-Ho Employees” and “Financial Success”. Without any one of the three, the business will fail or fall just like a three-legged stool without one of its legs.
- Lesson Resources
- Three Legged Stool Activity Guide
- Three Legged Stool Graphic Organizer
- Three Legged Stool PPT
- Download All
- Materials List
- Three-Legged Stool: Three Things for Business Success PowerPoint
- Three-Legged Stool Graphic Organizer
- Lesson Themes
- The three-legged stool lesson ties in nicely with the CPV Triangle and a discussion of win-win transactions.
- One of the beauties of this lesson is its simplicity. It is a lesson students can easily remember and carry with them, something they can easily reflect on in assessing their business.
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Activity
Zoom
Zoom illustrates the costs and barriers to exchanging needed knowledge and information in a fun, interactive way.
- Lesson Resources
- Zoom Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- 2 copies of Zoom by Istvan Banyai
- Incentive (YE dollars, candy, money, gift cards, etc.)
- Lesson Themes
- Zoom should be used at the beginning of the school year following Cowboy Inkblot and Find the Numbers.
- Though there is no prior knowledge required for the students, the debrief discussion is aided by having discussed shared vision.
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Activity
Human Treasure Hunt
This is an activity to help your students get to know one another better and practice their soft skills.
- Lesson Resources
- Human Treasure Hunt Activity Guide
- Human Treasure Hunt Handout
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- Materials List
- Human Treasure Hunt Handout
- Writing Utensils
- Timer
- Lesson Themes
- It is best to use this lesson within the first week of class.
- This lesson is part of the overall Networking and Soft Skills discussion.
- Students do not need prior knowledge to do this activity.
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Activity
Personal Branding Project
This is a project to help your students understand brands and create a brand for themselves. This is a good time to discuss why creating a brand for yourself is important.
- Lesson Resources
- Personal Branding Activity Guide
- Personal Branding PPT
- Download All
- Materials List
- The materials required for this project will depend on what you ask your students to create.
- Lesson Themes
- It is best to use this lesson within the rst few weeks of class.
- This is great way for your students to understand basic business terms, branding and personal assessment (SWOT – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).
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Activity
What's in a Handshake?
For most of us adults, a handshake is simple, easy, and it comes naturally. That is not the case for most of our students. And unfortunately, there are a lot of ways a handshake can go wrong. Handshakes are very important in a professional environment.
- Lesson Resources
- What's in a Handshake Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- N/A
- Lesson Themes
- It is best to use this lesson within the first week of class.
- This lesson is part of the overall Networking and Soft Skills discussion.
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Activity
Marshmallow Towers
Marshmallow Towers is an activity that allows your students to gain a basic understanding of different business structures. Students, working in groups, are randomly assigned a business structure. The goal of their business is to build the tallest tower using only the provided resources.
- Lesson Resources
- Marshmallow Towers Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Toothpicks - enough for each group to have 20
- White marshmallows - enough for each group to have 20
- Color marshmallows - enough for each group to have 20
- Lesson Themes
- You can use this lesson anytime depending on what you want to emphasize.
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Activity
PIT With Namecards
Pit is a fast-paced card game designed to simulate open outcry bidding for commodities. If you are familiar with this classic game, be aware that we don’t necessarily play by the rules, as written. We use the game as a way for students to learn about trade, simple negotiations, and focusing on the economic principle of comparative advantage. In this variation we use the concept of trade from Pit but NOT the Pit cards. Additionally, there is no buyer or seller needed. The purpose of this variation is to give your students the opportunity to practice the art of the trade while also getting to know their peers.
- Lesson Resources
- Pit-with-Name-Cards Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Blank Notecards - 7 per student
- YE Currency
- Lesson Themes
- This variation of Pit can be used throughout the school year in a number of ways.
- It is best to do Pit with Name Cards within the first couple of days of class.
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Activity
A Decade of Entrepreneurs
The Decade of Entrepreneurship activity affords your students the opportunity to research an entire decade worth of entrepreneurs and share that knowledge with their peers.
- Lesson Resources
- Decade of Entrepreneurship Activity Guide
- Decade of Entrepreneurship Handout
- Decade of Entrepreneurship PPT
- Download All
- Materials List
- Handout to explain activity and/or PowerPoint slide to display
- Computers/laptops
- Lesson Themes
- Assign A Decade of Entrepreneurship after introducing your students to YE definition of entrepreneurship.
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Activity
100 Entrepreneurs
The 100 Entrepreneurs who Changed the World activity allows students the opportunity to independently research an entrepreneur from history who made an impact on their community, economy or the world.
- Lesson Resources
- 100 Entrepreneurs Activity Guide
- 100 Entrepreneurs Handout
- 100 Entrepreneurs PPT
- 100 Entrepreneurs Names XLS
- Download All
- Materials List
- Handout to explain activity and/or PowerPoint slide to display
- Computers/laptops
- Lesson Themes
- Assign 100 Entrepreneurs that Changed the World after introducing the YE definition of entrepreneurship to your students
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Activity
Invention Activity
There are many ways you can foster creativity in your students and the Invention Activity is one of them. In the Invention Activity there is no right or wrong, no impossible. There are no lines to color in. No box to stay in.
- Lesson Resources
- Invention Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Lesson Materials (See Activity Guide)
- YE Currency and YE bonds
- Lesson Themes
- The Invention Activity can be used at any time throughout the school year.
- The more your students practice innovation and creativity, the more likely they are to think outside the box.
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Activity
Innovation Activity
The Innovation Activity gives the student an opportunity to take an existing product and improve it. When doing this activity it is important to remind students that innovation is not just creating new products, but improving existing products to meet new needs, demands, requirements, etc.
- Lesson Resources
- Innovation Activity - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Butcher paper/large flipchart paper
- Markers/colored pencils
- Sample of item chosen for innovation
- Lesson Themes
- The Innovation activity is most effective after discussing innovation and creative destruction.
- The Innovation activity is one you can do throughout the duration of the course as it encourages creativity and problem solving.
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Activity
The Footwear Design Project
The Footwear Project is a fast-paced project leading students through the design thinking process. This project supports the same mindset, thinking and outcomes as The Extraordinaire’s project in less time (without needing The Extraordinaires Design Studio). Students pair up, show and tell each other about their footwear, ideate, and make a new solution that is “useful and meaningful” to their partner.
- Lesson Resources
- Footwear Project Activity Guide
- Footwear Design Packet
- Download All
- Materials List
- The Footwear Design Packet
- Colored Pencils
- Lesson Themes
- The Footwear Design Thinking Project can be used at anytime throughout your YE program.
- Students do not require any prior knowledge to be successful at design thinking.
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Activity
The Extraordinaires - Design Thinking
The Extraordinaire’s Design Project is set-up in a way that guides students through the practices of sharing knowledge, showing incomplete work, accepting feedback, and focusing on the user.
- Lesson Resources
- The Extraordinaires Design Project Activity Guide
- Getting To Know - Graphic Organizer
- Brainstorming - Graphic Organizer
- Evaluating - Graphic Organizer
- Download All
- Materials List
- The Extraordinaries Cards; Extraordinaire Persona Cards, Project Cards and Think Cards
- Graphic Organizers
- Idea Pad Paper
- Lesson Themes
- The Extraordinaires Design Project can be used at anytime throughout your YE program.
- Students do not require any prior knowledge to be successful at design thinking.
- You can repeat this project as many time as you like throughout your program.
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Activity
Speak Out, Speak Back
Speak Out Cards afford students the opportunity to practice standing in front of others and speaking extemporaneously. There is little risk but high return for the students during this activity.
- Lesson Resources
- Speak Out Speak Back Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Speak Out Cards
- Timer
- YE Currency
- Lesson Themes
- You can do Speak Out – Speak Back for the rst or last 15 minutes of class.
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Activity
Three Simple but Not Easy Questions
The following activity will challenge your students. Many of them will fail to answer correctly. Correct answers are not the goal of this activity. For the purpose of the Youth Entrepreneurs curriculum, it helps introduce and reinforce concepts related to Sound Judgment, Be Principled, and, if deployed in conjunction with the YE Classroom currency (YE dollars) it can create an Opportunity for the students to build wealth by solving problems.
- Lesson Resources
- 3 Simple But Not Easy Questions Activity Guide
- 3 Simple But Not Easy Questions PPT
- Download All
- Materials List
- Notecards for each student to record answers
- Three Simple but Not Easy Questions slide presentation
- YE Currency
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson should be used within the rst week of class.
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Activity
Money Bowl
Money Bowl provides an applicable example of greed while exploring the effects of communication and trust within a group.
- Lesson Resources
- Money Bowl Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Large Bowl
- Approx. 40 U.S. $1 bills or YE dollars
- 5 Blindfolds
- Lesson Themes
- Money Bowl is best when used prior to starting discussions about the different types of economic systems.
- The students do not need any prior knowledge to participate in Money Bowl.
- You will want to watch Stossel in the Classroom after you have played Money Bowl.
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Activity
Pitch It
The purpose of Pitch It is to help students experiment with different product or service concepts and then try to convince customers to choose their idea based on the perception of value. This activity requires students to be creative, think quickly, and be persuasive.
- Lesson Resources
- Pitch It Activity Guide
- Pitch It Customers
- Pitch It Words
- Pitching How to Teach Pitching
- Download All
- Materials List
- Pitch It customer and word pieces in resealable bags. You will need one set for each group of students
- YE Currency
- YE Bonds
- Lesson Themes
- Pitch It is an activity that can be used throughout the school year. Students do not need to have any prior knowledge.
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Activity
9 Questions
The 9 questions were derived from a well-known tool used in business (BMC). The 9 questions remove the intimidating concepts and questions and replaces them with prompts students find much easier to answer. This model will aid in kick-starting the entrepreneurial mindset, giving students insight into what action should be taken to create value for themselves and others. Watch the video to see how these questions were once used in a slightly unconventional way.
- Videos
- 1. 9 Questions: 9 Questions
- Lesson Resources
- BIO Sheet Teacher Guide
- Business Idea Organizer
- Download All
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Activity
Negotiating Game
Negotiating skills can be important to the success in the marketplace of business owners and consumers. In The Negotiating Game students will engage in buying and selling, making real transactions in order to experience what Win-Win looks and feels like, as well as looking at the market consequences.
- Lesson Resources
- Negotiating Game - Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Large chart or poster paper, white board etc., with CPV Triangle template on it
- Dry-Erase Marker or Sharpie appropriate for writing on board
- Two small post-it notes or pieces of paper per student
- Lesson Themes
- One important thing to remember when negotiating is that, although we are representing our own interests, negotiating is about compromise and creating value in the marketplace through mutually beneficial exchange.
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Activity
Tennis Ball Factory
This experiment uses student participation to teach the concept of diminishing marginal returns. Students are told they will be the employees in a widget factory. This game works equally well in small classes (less than 30 students) and also large lectures (more than 250 students). You will need enough space to place the buckets 16-20 feet apart. If you do not have a large room, you may want to complete the activity in the hallway, outside or in the gym.
- Videos
- 1. Tennis Ball Factory: Intro
- 2. Tennis Ball Factory: Set-up
- 3. Tennis Ball Factory: Activity
- 4. Tennis Ball Factory: Debrief
- Lesson Resources
- Tennis Ball Factory Activity Guide
- Candy Bar & Marg Utility Supplemental
- Tennis Ball Factory Ex. Spreadsheet
- Download All
- Materials List
- 24-36 tennis balls
- 2 five-gallon buckets
- Whiteboard or other method for recording results
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson should be used during the Economics Unit and/or before Market Day.
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Activity
I, Pencil
I, Pencil offers teachers the opportunity to reiterate many of the themes of previous lessons, but with a specific emphasis on the market process, the invisible hand, spontaneous order, and voluntary cooperation. The key text for this lesson is Leonard Read’s “I, Pencil” essay, which helps demonstrate how markets coordinate the actions of thousands of free individuals through market prices and incentives.
- Lesson Resources
- I, Pencil Activity Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- #2 Pencils - one for each student
- I, Pencil text - one copy for each student (Optional)
- Lesson Themes
- I, Pencil should be used when discussing business nance.
- It is recommended you use I, Pencil as a way to introduce the concepts of costs and channels.
- Students should have a basic understanding of the market and economics.
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Activity
Bead-Ville
Students will have the opportunity to participate in the three basic economic systems. By working in each of the systems, students internalize the fundamental values present in each system. They also gain insights into the basic advantages and disadvantages of each system.
- Lesson Resources
- Bead-Ville - Activity Guide
- The Pursuit Film Discussion Guide
- Download All
- Materials List
- Colored beads: red, aqua, green, yellow, blue
- String - the string that comes in a ball tends to work the best
- Ruler
- Lesson Themes
- It is best to use Bead-Ville after you have covered the types of economic systems.
- This is a great activity to do after Money Bowl and having watched John Stossel’s Greed.
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Activity
10 Economic Principles
Youth Entrepreneurs follows ten economic principles that we believe are crucial for students to understand in pursuing their entrepreneurial ventures. In tandem with our Foundational Values, these principles are the platform for success in economics. Our Economic Principles include the Four S’s, the Four Market Measures, and Ricardo’s Law of Comparative Advantage. Watch these videos to learn why these principles are so important and get tips on how to teach them.
- Videos
- 1. 10 Economic Principles: Intro
- 2. 10 Economic Principles: What
- 3. 10 Economic Principles: 4 Market Measures
- 4. 10 Economic Principles: 4 S's
- 5. 10 Economic Principles: Ricardo's Law
- Lesson Resources
- 10 Economic Principles PPT
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- Materials List
- Optional: 10 Economics Principles PPT
- Lesson Themes
- The Four S's
- 4 Market Measures
- Ricardo's Law of Comparative Advantage
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Activity
Branded in Memory
Companies spend millions of dollars to grab a tiny space in our memories so that we instantly recognize their brand logo design. But how well do you think that money is actually spent? In this activity, you will ask students to draw 10 famous logos as accurately as possible. The trick is that they will need to do it without any visual aids, simply from memory.
- Lesson Resources
- Branded in Memory - Activity Guide
- Branded in Memory - Worksheet
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- Materials List
- Index cards (10 per student)
- Colored writing utensils (markers, crayons, colored pencils)
- Large display (either posters, chart paper, or white board)
- Lesson Themes
- It can be used at any time during your program. However, it will align well with YE’s market research activities.
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Activity
Promotional Mix
The Promotional Mix is part of the Marketing Mix. It consists of advertising, sales, public relations, personal selling and direct marketing. A promotional mix should be designed in a way that informs the target market about the values and benefits of the product or service being offered. This lesson requires your students to consider a target market and how it prefers to be communicated with. Additionally, your students, while developing a promotional mix, will need to assess which forms of promotion best suit the product or service being offered.
- Lesson Resources
- YE Promotional Mix Activity Guide
- YE Promotional Mix Graphic Organizer
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- Lesson Themes
- It is suggested you teach the Promotional Mix while also teaching your students about the Marketing Mix.
- Your students should understand target marketing and how to identify characteristics of a target market.
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Activity
Target Market Person
In this activity, students will research a popular U.S. restaurant, then create a target person for the restaurant their team selects. Students will research the restaurant to gain as many clues as they can about the business’s market segments and target market. After developing their target market person, teams will pitch their target market person and why they believe it represents the business’s market segmentation.
- Lesson Resources
- Target Market Person Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Large sheet of butcher paper (you can substitute smaller paper and have students draw a smaller target person if needed)
- Markers or Sharpies
- Scissors
- Lesson Themes
- This activity can be used at any time during the course as a part of teaching market segmentation and target marketing.
- Teaching target market and market segmentation also aligns with teaching the Customer Segments block of the Business Model Canvas.
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Activity
Social Media Plan
This activity is designed to guide your students through the thought process and steps in creating a Social Media Plan. The purpose of this activity is to give students an opportunity to research and define who their customer is, utilizing the Persona Canvas, examine which social media their customer uses, what message students want to communicate to customers, and how they will use social media to communicate their plan. This activity culminates with students creating a Concept Board outlining their social media plan and pitching the plan for YE bonds.
- Lesson Resources
- Social Media Plan Activity Guide
- Social Media Plan Team Sheet
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- Materials List
- Social Media Plan Team Sheet
- Pencils
- Poster Board/Chart Paper
- Lesson Themes
- social media
- marketing
- customer segment
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Activity
Alphabet Soup
The purpose of Alphabet Soup is to reinforce the importance of a recognizable logo.
- Lesson Resources
- Alphabet-Soup-Activity-Guide
- Alphabet Soup Handout
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- Materials List
- Alphabet Soup Handout
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Activity
Invention Activity
There are many ways you can foster creativity in your students and the Invention Activity is one of them. In the Invention Activity, there is no right or wrong, no impossible. There are no lines to color in. No box to stay in. You get to allow your students to be as innovative as possible while using the supplies you have provided.
- Lesson Resources
- Invention Activity - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Required materials vary based on what supplies you choose to provide for students (Suggestions include: pipe cleaners, pom-poms, tape, glue, string, popsicle sticks, plastic cups, stickers, markers, ribbon, straws, seashells, construction paper, hole punches, or Play-Doh.)
- YE currency and YE bonds
- Lesson Themes
- The Invention Activity can be used at any time throughout the school year. The more often the better, as it allows for innovation, creativity, and pitching
- The earlier in the year you start doing activities like the Invention Activity the more comfortable your students will become sharing their ideas in front of others.
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Activity
Innovation Activity
The Innovation activity gives the student an opportunity to take an existing product and improve it. When doing this activity it is important to remind students that innovation is not just about creating new products, but improving existing products to meet new needs, demands, requirements, etc.
- Lesson Resources
- Innovation Activity - Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Butcher paper/large flipchart paper
- Markers/colored pencils
- Sample of item chosen for innovation
- Lesson Themes
- The Innovation activity is most effective after discussing innovation and creative destruction.
- The Innovation activity is one you can do throughout the duration of the course as it encourages creativity and problem solving.
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Activity
Jones Soda Research & Development
The Jones Soda activity is a marketing activity that can be used to introduce the Marketing Mix to your students. It can also be used to dive deeper into marketing after having introduced the Marketing Mix. This activity can be used to show multiple different things and facilitate different discussions in the classroom.
- Lesson Resources
- Jones-Soda-Research-and-Development Activity Guide
- Jones-Soda-What-is-the-Flavor Handout
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- Materials List
- Unique flavors of Jones Soda. Thanksgiving/ Christmas packs must be purchased online from the website. Allow at least a week for the shipment to come in. Protip: One bottle can generally spread out into 25 samples in small Dixie cups.
- Dixie cups – enough for one per student per flavor
- “What’s the Flavor?” worksheets
- Lesson Themes
- You will only do this lesson one time.
- During Market Day or Business Model Canvas instruction, this activity can be used to discuss the importance of knowing your customer and how to entice them to buy your product.
- This lesson can be used to discuss Research and Development during your marketing instruction.
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Activity
Zip Code Lookup
Zip Code Lookup is a way for teachers to not only discuss what a market analysis is with students but also for students to conduct a brief market analysis of their own.
- Lesson Resources
- Zip-Code-Lookup Activity Guide
- Zip-Code-Lookup-Worksheet
- Zip Code Lookup PPT
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- Materials List
- Zip Code Lookup Worksheet
- Zip Code Lookup PowerPoint
- Computers/Laptops/Tablets for students to access the internet
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson should be done during the Marketing Unit.
- The teacher may also choose to discuss and conduct a market analysis during the Market Day project.
- Market analyses should take place while developing business models using the Business Model Canvas.
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Activity
Garbology
Garbology is an activity that will give students an understanding of observational market research. It’s designed to test students’ assumptions and give them a fresh perspective on reaching their target audience.
- Lesson Resources
- Garbology Activity Guide
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- Materials List
- Customer Profile worksheets
- Lesson Themes
- Garbology should be used during the Marketing Unit
- You can do Garbology more than once however if you repeat it you need to use different bags of trash.
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Activity
Tinker Toy Challenge
Communities are challenged to provide resources that suit the needs of their community members. In Tinker Toy Challenge, your students will act as though they are members of the economic development council for a community. Their task is to create a feature, amenity, or business structure that meets the needs of their community. Each council will receive special details about their community, as well as a budget. This activity will challenge your students to use design thinking to deliver and pitch an outcome that meets specific criteria in hopes to be awarded grant funding.
- Lesson Resources
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Activity Guide
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Community Cards
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Budget Ledger
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Job Responsibilities
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Pricing Sheet
- Tinker Toy Challenge - Scoring Guide
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- Materials List
- 200 pc. Set of TinkerToys®
- Copies of: • Community Cards (1 per group) • Budget Ledger (1 per group) • Job Responsibilities (1 per group with extras of Marketing Assistants and Construction Workers) • Pricing Sheet (1 per group) • Scoring Guide (1)
- Envelopes for seed funding (1 per group)
- Lesson Themes
- This lesson can be used at any time to teach budgeting and/or reinforce design thinking skills.
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Activity
Using Your YE Amazon Account
YE has launched a partnership with Amazon Business in an effort to provide you with the products needed for your classroom in a faster, more affordable way! Get auction items, gift cards, classroom supplies, and more.
- Lesson Resources
- YE and Amazon FAQ
- YE Amazon Business Prime Account Best Practices
- Amazon Webinar Video
- Amazon Webinar PowerPoint
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Activity
Getting All You Need From YE
You can purchase nearly everything you need for your YE class on Amazon—auction items, activity supplies, snacks, gift cards and more! It’s fast and easy.
- Lesson Resources
- Getting All You Need from YE
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Activity
Lego COGS Activity
The Lego Cost of Goods Sold Activity provides students the opportunity to calculate the cost of goods sold for a prototype they designed. The activity also allows students to understand how those costs effect price and profit potential.
- Lesson Resources
- Lego COGS Activity Guide
- Lego COGS Activity Worksheet
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- Materials List
- Legos or similar type of building blocks
- Lego Cost of Goods Sold Worksheet
- Lesson Themes
- As a YE facilitator, this activity will offer you a chance to see how comfortable your students are with math computations.
- This knowledge can also help you decide how to proceed through the business finance content of the YE program.
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Activity
Going Bananas
This lesson will help your students understand how markets work by engaging them in an activity where the price of a product is determined by buyers and sellers voluntarily trading and cooperating with each other.
- Lesson Resources
- Going Bananas Activity Guide
- Buyer Cards
- Seller Cards
- Market Tally Sheet
- Student Transaction Sheet
- How to Play Going Bananas Handout
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- Materials List
- Student buyer and seller cards; 32 of each
- How to Play Going Bananas” Handout
- Student Transaction Sheet Handout - one per student
- Lesson Themes
- This activity will help students see how Market Day is a small market and they will recognize their role in that particular market.
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Activity
Ice Cream Sundae
The Ice Cream Sundae activity allows your students to continue to practice calculating COGS and Price and Profit. This activity will build upon that foundation by adding in labor costs.
- Lesson Resources
- Ice Cream Sundae - Activity Guide
- Ice Cream Sundae - Worksheet
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- Materials List
- Ice cream – one for each student to receive a minimum of one serving
- Chocolate syrup – enough for each student receive a minimum of one serving
- Cherries – enough for each student to receive a minimum of one serving
- Lesson Themes
- You can do the Ice Cream Sundae activity at any time during the Youth Entrepreneurs course.
- Students will need to have a basic understanding of Costs and Unit of Sale to be successful with this activity.
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Activity
YE Capital Requests (and Market Day Loans)
Youth Entrepreneurs may provide funding to support its mission through educator-driven programs or projects such as: YE Activity Supplies and Incentives Field Trips/Experiences Market Day Loans Innovation Projects Other
- Lesson Resources
- Capital Request Link and Educator Overview/FAQs
- Market Day Expectations and Best Practices
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- Lesson Themes
- The YE Capital Request form is for educators who are seeking capital resources to execute the YE program.
- This document shares an overview, timeline and FAQs to the Capital Request.
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Activity
Pre-Paid Card Help
YE is introducing a new way for our educators to purchases supplies and manage expenses on associated with their YE curriculum in partnership with PEX. The prepaid PEX card will be used as a replacement to the YE Amazon business account and out of pocket reimbursable expenses. Cards will be loaded with funds once you set up your PEX account and activate your PEX Card. This new program will provide our educators the flexibility and convenience to implement the YE curriculum.
- Videos
- 1. Pre-Paid Card Help: Getting Started with PEX in 3 Easy Steps
- 2. Pre-Paid Card Help: How to Tag Expenses on the PEX App
- Lesson Resources
- Welcome to Your Prepaid Card
- Prepaid Card FAQs
- Using the PEX Mobile App
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- Lesson Themes
- Once your card arrives, follow “Get started in 3 easy steps” from the insert included with your card.
- Download the PEX Card mobile app.
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Activity
Food Safety
To ensure the success of Market Day and the health and safety of Market Day customers, Youth Entrepreneurs educators should ensure that any students with a food-related Market Day business has an understanding of food safety requirements and best practices.
- Lesson Resources
- Food Handlers Safety Tips
- eFoodHandlers - Food Safety Certification Guidance
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- Lesson Themes
- YE subscribes to a program that allows students and educators to obtain training and take an exam to become certified as a food handler.
- Food Handlers Certification is good for 3 years.
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Activity
PayPal Support
YE’s preferred method of distributing funds for Market Day loans is through PayPal. If you are needing PayPal help and how-to support you can start here.
- Lesson Resources
- How to Pay Loan using PayPal.me Link
- How to Pay Loan using PayPal app
- PayPal How To Videos
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Activity
Admin Forms
Help keep track of your classroom budget with the YE Classroom Funds Tracker, your classroom monthly incentives with the YE Incentive Form Tracker, and your expenses for reimbursement with the YE Reimbursement Form.
- Lesson Resources
- YE Classroom Funds Tracker
- YE Incentive Form Tracker
- YE Teacher Reimbursement Form
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