Expanding the Business: Comparing the Arguments

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Name: Business and Entrepreneurial Principles

  Program Name: Business Management and Analysis 8301100

  Course Number: 8215120

  Course Type: Career Preparatory

  CIP Number: 0552070110

  Career Cluster: Business Management and Administration

  CTE Standard(s) or benchmarks

  23.02 Apply decision-making processes to business applications.

  24.01 Employ critical thinking skills independently and in teams to solve problems and make decisions.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Should the Business Expand?” See CPALMS resource ID# 207927.

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will develop and apply the skills of critical thinking, evaluation, and decision-making in running a business, having to weigh various factors related to business operations.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Compare two arguments, one for and one against, expansion of the business.
  • Critically evaluate the two opposing arguments and decide whether to expand the business.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Identifying arguments in writing.
  • Elaboration techniques in writing.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • Which factors are most influential in making business related decisions?
  • How does the effectiveness and validity of two opposing arguments influence your decision making?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To complete this lesson, students will need their previously completed business emails that argue for or against expansion.
     • See Teacher Notes for previous lesson information and alternative ideas.
  2. To introduce the lesson, create a Venn Diagram on chart paper or a white board. Label one section “Expand” and the other “Not Expand.” Have students share various reasonings from their arguments for or against expansion.
     • Ask students to consider whether some arguments could work effectively for both sides of the argument. For example, having to hire more employees. This could be viewed as a bothersome task or a way to lighten the load on the current employees.
     • Review the case study, “Should the Business Expand?” resource ID #207927. Have students reread and highlight any additional information for or against the expansion that has not been addressed in the discussion.
     • Refer to the Additional Case Information handout as well.
     • See Teacher Notes for a Venn Diagram lesson attachment.
  3. Explain that students will take on the role of Ed, the owner. Create imagery for the scenario by telling students that Ed has started his day and opened his email to find two emails in his inbox. One is from Jim and the other Pete. Jim and Pete have sent him their arguments about the expansion, with one wanting to expand and the other not wanting to expand. Now, Ed must read, compare, and evaluate their arguments to make a final decision.
  4. Provide students with the Claim Evaluation handout (see attachments). Students will then read the written arguments from two different classmates, making note of the various reasons for their arguments, the effectiveness of the claims in persuasion of their argument, and the validity of their arguments.
     • See Teacher Notes for various grouping and pacing suggestions.
  5. Students will then, acting as Ed, make a decision to expand the business or not expand the business based on their evaluation of the two arguments presented.
  6. To bring the lesson to a close, take a class poll, looking at how many students made the decision to expand or not expand. Review the poll (taken during the prior lesson) and compare how the numbers have changed.
     • Ask students, “Did your decision change after reading the arguments?” “What reasoning of the written arguments were successful in persuading you?” “Which business factors were most important in influencing your decision?” "How does the effectiveness and validity of two opposing arguments influence your decision making?" and “How did the elaboration technique used in the argument influence your decision?”

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • See CPALMS Resource #208714, “Expanding the Business: Writing an Argument” for a lesson on writing an argument. Alternatively, teachers may read the case study (see CPALMS Resource #207927 “Should the Business Expand?”) and ask students to identify the two opposing arguments for and against expansion. To compare the arguments, have students prepare a short speech to argue for or against expansion and have students compare two opposing arguments.
  • The Venn Diagram PPT attachment is available for teachers to display using a projector and typing student ideas directly into.
  • Teachers can set up the reading of the arguments in a variety of ways. Teachers may choose to make copies of the student written arguments ahead of time and provide students with two different claims. Teachers may choose to have students electronically share their claims with the group and allow students to choose which claim they will read. Teachers can also make a list of who wrote a claim for expansion and who wrote a claim against expansion, and then assign students to the claims they should read.
    • Additionally, teachers can provide each student with a number for their claim to make the process and comparisons anonymous.

• Optional

  
  

  Accommodation Suggestions:

  • Use electronic versions of the student written arguments that can be read aloud to students.

  Extension Ideas:

  • Have students create an email from Ed to the entire company announcing his decision.
  • Have students consider the counter argument to their decision and create a plan for moving forward. Role-play a company meeting in which Ed announces his decision.