Doug's+Map+Lesson+Plan

Maps/Videos Lesson Plan


 * __Course:__** Entrepreneurship


 * __Topic:__** Business Start-up (location)


 * __Duration:__** 85 minute class period


 * __Lesson Overview:__** This lesson is designed in order to introduce and reinforce the important of business location. The idea is to have the students thinking about why location is so important for the success of a business. The lesson will begin with a class discussion on business location. Students will have the opportunity to share ideas of why location is a vital part in the success of a business. I will then have the students pull up a map of of the town they live in, Manheim, PA (the link for this map is posted below). Since the students will be familiar with the different businesses in the town, we will discuss where they are located and why they believe the business owner chose that location. We will also discuss how building prices change depending on where they are located and how a business owner must take that cost into account when deciding where to locate. The students will be provided with work time where they will chose a location in Manheim to open there business. After they choose the location they will be required to draw a 1 page map of their own showing the location of their business and what other business/houses are around it. The map will need to be of at least a 1 block radius of the location they choose. They will then research their location to find approximate costs for buying either an existing building or store. If they can't find information online they may need to go to the actual location and speak to the owner. The goal is that the students will begin to understand not only the importance of location but also how the cost changes depending on the location.


 * __Objectives:__**
 * Class discussion on why location is so important in the success of a business.
 * View a map of Manheim, Pa in order to identify where certain business are located in the town and why.
 * Students will choose a location for their own business (which they have already started in a previous lesson) by using the map.
 * Students wil draw a 1 page map showing where their business will be located and what other business. roads, houses, etc will be within a 1 block radius.
 * Students will research the location they chose in order to find approximate costs for building at that location or buying an existing building.

What factors should an entrepreneur take into account when deciding where to locate their business? Why is location so pivital in the success or failure of a business? How does location affect the cost of buying a building or a piece of lond to build on?
 * __Essential Questions:__**


 * __Materials:__**
 * Computers
 * Assignment instructions
 * Small poster board
 * Drawing supplies (Pens, pencils, colored pencils, markers, etc)

__**Procedures**__:
 * Students will log-on their computers while brainstorming ideas for the three essential questions (written on the board).
 * Class discuss on the ideas that the students brain-stormed.
 * Continued discussion by viewing the map of Manheim, PA to show where businesses are located and why the students believe the store owner chose that location.
 * Distribute and go over the instruction from the assignment sheets.
 * Students will work with their partner to compete the assignment.
 * Students must submit at least the map of where they chose to locate their business.
 * Rationale and information on their location must be completed in paragraph form on a word document. This will have a future due date because the student pairs may need to do additional research outside of the classroom.


 * __Evaluation/Product:__**
 * Students will be evaluated based on the submission of their map and rational document.
 * This assigment grade will be added to an accumulating project that they are working on throughout the term (the location activity is just one part of the whole project).

Map of Manheim, PA Doug, As they say in real estate--it's all about location, location, location! I think this is an excellent way to encourage students to do some research to determine where they'd locate a business. In my area, there are so many businesses that go in and I already know they aren't going to make it based on what business was located there previously and is no longer there or based on the type of area and/or number or potential customers surrounding it. Sometimes I'm totally off the mark, however! One example is a small plaza about 2 miles from my home that used to have a Breadsmith restaurant and bakery. This place rarely had any customers. In 1999 it was destroyed by a tornado (perhaps fortunate for the Breadsmith owners however). A Panera went in the same location shortly after that. And now Panera's business is soaring. It's a mystery why one business failed and another did so well in the same location being that they were so similar in nature. Great lesson! jean
 * __Map Site:__**

Doug, Great idea for a lesson. Having students engage in real life scenarios in the classroom is a great teaching tool. I believe the students are more receptive to these types of lessons because they are taking "ownership" throughout the lesson. It also teaches the real world scenarios. Like Jean says above with the location, location, location. Perhaps a fun follow up to this would be to have them create a poster advertising their business. They could have fun with the name of their business or maybe a catchy slogan and what would go on the poster to drum up business. Nice lesson.

Mike