Activity Introduction

bbrw-tree-photoframe-newQuick summary: Students select an environmental and/or social problem in the world and design a business solution to this problem. They will pitch their proposal to their peers and will have the opportunity to refine their proposal based on feedback from their peers. Finally, students will be asked to reflect upon the risks and opportunities of their proposal.

This lesson supports students to inquire into the big idea of ‘real wealth’. Students develop an understanding of shared values, and build their sustainable and ethical financial knowledge, equipping them with the skills to make sound financial decisions based on social, environmental and economical merit.

Learning goals:

  • Select and develop an understanding of an environmental or social problem around the world.
  • Take on the role of an ethical entrepreneur by designing a business solution to this problem.
  • Develop project-planning and design skills.
  • Create a pitch to present their proposal.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding, Literacy.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.8.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 7 Economics and Business

  • Characteristics of entrepreneurs and successful businesses (ACHEK019)

Year 8 Economics and Business

  • The rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses in Australia (ACHEK029)
  • Types of businesses and the ways that businesses respond to opportunities in Australia (ACHEK030)

Syllabus Outcomes: C4.2, C4.3, C4.4.

Topic: Consumption

Unit of lessons: Real Wealth Year 7 & 8

Time required: 2 x 60mins sessions, with additional work completed at home.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity and presentations, facilitate discussion.

Resources required: Student Worksheet – one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Pitch Perfect Factsheet, Pitch Perfect Assessment Rubric, Real Wealth Cheat Sheet, Glossary Secondary.

Digital technology opportunities: Internet research, infographic apps, presentation apps, digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: The nature of this project-based task means that the depth of research and complexity of the solution will be determined by students’ abilities. This project is designed to be run over two sessions with additional work completed at home. However, timelines can be set by the teacher and influenced by the nature of the class.

Keywords: ethical entrepreneur, shared value, environmental problem, social problem.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

bbrw-windfarm-photoframe-newTeacher preparation

Overarching learning goal: Students will select and develop an understanding of an environmental or social problem from around the world, and will take on the role of an ethical entrepreneur by designing a business solution to this problem. Students will develop project-planning and design skills, and will understand how to develop a pitch to present their ideas.

Teacher content information: In this lesson students are being asked to act as ‘ethical entrepreneurs’. The ethical entrepreneur concept has been developed from the relatively recent business notion of ‘shared value’. This approach involves creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society by addressing its needs and challenges. For example, the fair trade approach used by a number of transnational coffee companies (TNCs) has involved providing coffee growers in Brazil with a higher price for their coffee, ensuring they can maintain a ‘living wage’ by increasing their income by around 2

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Student Worksheet

Thought Starter: Can businesses solve social and environmental problems, or is this just the responsibility of governments and non-government organisations?

Whilst we face many social and environmental problems, very few of these would be considered unsolvable. In the past, governments and non-government/non-profit organisations have been responsible for tackling these problems with varying degrees of success. However, in recent times many businesses - with the help of clever entrepreneurs (sometimes called ‘ethical entrepreneurs’) - have found solutions to a range of social and environmental problems that have also brought profit and growth to their businesses.

Preparation: Prior to beginning this lesson, read about one of the following ethical entrepreneurs and answer the questions below:

Which entrepreneur did you read about?

What problem did they identify that they wanted to address?

How did they/are they add

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