MicroSociety
Managing, Investigating, Creating, Running, and Organizing a Business
Learning Standard: Oklahoma P.A.S.S. Objectives
| Economics: Grades 6-12 | Instructional Technology |
| I. C and E - II. A and C | Basic: II and III - Intermediate: I |
Essential Question: What components are
needed to develop a thriving Micro business?
Grade Level: 6 - 8
Timeframe: 3 to 4 weeks
Focus Activity 1: Where Do I Stand?
Types of Businesses
Inquiry
Activity 1: Resu Me? - Writing a Resume
Inquiry
Activity 2: Business Communiations
Application Activity 1: Put Your Best Foot Forward -
Interview Skills
Focus
Activity 2: Where Did My Money Go?
Inquiry
Activity 3: Bank On It!
Focus
Activity 3: Creating a Widget
Application Activity 2: Creating
a Business Portfolio
Assessment: Business Portfolio
Checklist
Application Activity 3: Creating
a Brochure/Web Page
Assessment: Brochure/Weg Page
Checklist
Assessment: Microl Rubric
Final Student Project:
1. Students will complete a business portfolio
containing all necessary paperwork to
develop and start a Micro
business.
2. Students will develop and produce a brochure or web
page for their
business.
Hardware Resources:
Computer with internet access
Overhead projector
Facilitator Information:
MicroSociety is a program that enables a child to relate curriculum to real world experiences in a non-threatening environment. Students will collaborate with parents, business people and teachers to create their own miniature societies.
The GOVERNMENT and CITIZENSHIP strand will combine social studies curriculum with skills needed to create and operate a democratic government. Citizen rights and responsibilities will be studied along with government processes and procedures. Elections will be held to send delegates to the council as representatives and to elect a president, vice-president, secretary, parliamentarian and treasurer.
The TECHNOLOGY strand is a mixture of technology education and professional use of different types of technology. Basic skills are taught and practiced in the classrooms. Creating and producing business advertisements using the mediums of audio, video or print, producing TV news shows or documentaries or creating and producing original software for students to use in their businesses are some of the ways MicroSociety can be used for real world learning.
The HEART strand integrates activities with community service. Citizens contribute to the welfare of the society by volunteering services during their day off or during time outside of school. The heart strand encompasses the areas of Humanity, Ethics, Aesthetics,Responsibility and Respect and Trust.
The ARTS & HUMANITIES strand combines appreciation of music, art, drama, poetry, writing, drama and cultural heritage with a business to promote the arts. Profit and non-profit celebrations through museums, theater, dance and music recitals are avenues of expression that can be incorporated into the society.
The ECONOMY strand enables students to use accounting, banking, and other clerical skills in an actual business setting. The skills learned will enable them to operate in the free market society created in OZ.
The ACADEMY consists of mini-courses of specific skills needed to operate a successful business or assume employment in a specific field. The academy is on the job training by the facilitator or community professional that gives the students the ability to perform their job. Mini courses in law, banking, marketing, law enforcement, council, chamber will be used to further enhance the students marketable skills.
The pre-Micro curriculum (Emerald City Micro –
Managing, Investigating, Creating, Running, and Organizing a Business) will be covered during the first three weeks of Micro. At the end of the pre-Micro curriculum, students will participate in the Emerald City Job Fair. Facilitators will set up booths advertising the various positions available in each business. Students will select three jobs and apply for them. Job applications will be submitted to the facilitator and interview notices will be sent to the students. Facilitators will send letters offering positions to students. The students will reply with an acceptance letter and two weeks of job training (academy) will begin. When job training has been completed, OZ will hold a grand opening and Emerald City MicroSociety will officially be open for business.PASS OBJECTIVES:
ECONOMICS – Grades 6-12
The student will:
I. Evaluate the structure and operation of the United States economy.
C. Examine the roles of individuals and businesses as consumers, savers, investors, and borrowers, and the interrelationships of producers, consumers, and government.
E. Identify entrepreneurship, productivity, and standards of living, describing their relationship.
II. Analyze the United States market economy, identifying the four productive resources (i.e., natural resources, human resources, capital resources, and entrepreneurship).
A. Examine the importance of private ownership, private enterprise, and profits, and the nature of labor/management relationships.
C. Explain how money makes it easier to specialize, exchange goods and services, compare value, borrow, save and invest.
Instructional Technology: Basic Level
The student will:
II. Follow verbal and computer-given directions using instructional software.
III. Demonstrate proficiency in the ability to create, format, edit,
save,
retrieve and
print documents using the basic functions of a word processor.
Instructional Technology: Intermediate Level
The student will:
I. Operate a computer system in order to use software successfully.