what is a business?: leader's notes in partnership with

Transcription

1 what is a business?: leader's notes The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers (England and Wales) and SC (Scotland).

2 Introduction A business starts with a fantastic idea. Something that people want and need. A business usually comes up with an idea that solves a problem. Once you have that idea you have a product to sell that you make money from. After that, it s a rollercoaster ride. Planning. Fun. Hopefully reward. Running your own business is a way to experience all these things. This pack will give Beaver Scouts an idea of what a business is and some of the things involved in running one. The Scout Association working with RBS The Scout Association have teamed up with RBS to produce this resource for Beaver Scouts to help them learn about how to budget and look after money. It will help you deliver an impartial programme of activities. There is also an activity pack which should be provided to each Beaver as further support. The activities in their packs relate to those outlined here, but parts of them can also be done at home. make money make sense RBS run MoneySense, a programme that has helped more than two million UK young people to develop money management skills. All materials are impartial and do not promote RBS products or services. Find out more at These resources should help Beavers to develop confidence in themselves and their own ideas, explore ways of managing their own money, and be great fun. This pack will help Beavers learn something about: Being creative and coming up with an idea for a business How businesses work How to make a profit It s part of a series of five RBS-sponsored activity packs covering a series of money management skills in simple ways to include in your programme: Money and your life Staying on budget Be part of an event What is a business? Bringing the fun into fundraising

3 Activity: business basics All businesses begin with an idea a creative spark that leads to the creation of something that provides a solution to a problem. If a business is to be a success, you need a good product to base it on. In this activity the Beavers will use their creative skills to come up with a product which solves a problem that they ve experienced and that they d like to sell. My dad cleans windows. People pay him to do it. Clare, 8, Belfast Colouring pens or pencils Rulers Paper How long: 40 minutes 1. Divide the Beavers into teams of four (5 minutes). 2. Use the explanation below to give the Beavers an idea of what a business is: A business provides products or services that people want or need. People will usually pay money for these products or services. For a business to succeed it must provide a product or service that people want. Often it s a product that solves a specific problem, or makes life easier. If not enough people want what a business provides, it won t make any money. To be a successful business it needs to spend less money than it earns (5 minutes). 3. In their teams, ask them to think about a problem for which they could come up with an invention to solve. The Beavers can be as creative as they want. Maybe offer some examples to get them started, like a shoelace-tying machine, a bedroom-cleaning robot or a machine that does your homework. Ask them to think about what these inventions would look like? How would they work? What special parts would they have to help them do their job? They can use the space in their activity pack to plan and draw their invention 4. Each team then presents their inventions, explaining what they do to the rest of the Colony

4 Activity: Trading post This activity will help Beavers think about what they already know about business and about how to make a business work. Pen and paper Pretend money to use to buy the invention from the teams. You could use Monopoly money for this, or make your own pretend currency Craft supplies eg pipe cleaners, sticky tape, coloured paper, glue, etc. I like making things. I sometimes make things at home and then pretend I have a shop that I m selling them from. Satjinder, 7, Shrewsbury How long: 45 minutes Badges it can help towards: Creative Activity Badge 1. Divide the Beavers into teams (5 minutes). The Beavers are going to invent a product using the craft supplies laid out on the two tables in your meeting room. Ask them to take a look around the room and think about what they could make using the craft supplies. The task will be to use the supplies to create something which the Beaver Scout Leaders at the trading post would want to buy from the team. The winning team is the one that has been paid the most by the trading post at the end of the game. 2. The teams need to think of a problem and come up with an idea for a product that can solve this problem. It might be they could use their idea from the previous activity as a place to start. They can use the space in their activity packs to come up with their ideas 3. The teams start work on building their invention when the Beaver Scout Leader says it s time to start trading 4. After 15 minutes is up, the teams must try and sell their products to the trading post. They should try and sell for as high a price as possible. The trading post staff should barter with them judging the products on quality. 5. At the end the trading post will announce the winner the team which was paid the most for their invention by the trading post (10 minutes).

5 Activity: A piece of cake This activity will help Beavers Scouts to understand how the cost of making a product influences the price it sells for and if a business is going to make a profit. Don t worry though. It s not hard, as this game will show. Basic ingredients for Rice Krispie cakes contained in the recipe opposite Special ingredients such as mini-eggs, raisins, hundreds and thousands, Smarties, etc. Make sure you keep a record of how much things cost A cooker Baking trays Saucepans Mixing spoons Spatulas Mixing bowls How long: 45 minutes Badges it can help towards: Creative Challenge 1. Divide the Beavers into teams. Give each team the basic ingredients contained in the recipe opposite (5 minutes). 2. Ask the teams to select from a table some special ingredients. Explain to them that the more special ingredients they use, the more they will have to charge for their cakes (5 minutes). 3. Help each team to make their Rice Krispie cakes following the recipe. Make sure an adult melts the butter in the pan. The Beavers can help with adding the ingredients once it has cooled down enough, and with putting the mixture in the baking tray and cutting it into squares. Don t forget to add the special ingredients too (10 minutes). 4. Once they have made their cakes, explain to them how they will have to price their cakes in order to make a profit (5 minutes). Without any special ingredients they would be able to sell their cakes for 20p each and make a profit. Explain to them that for every extra special ingredient they use, the price to make the cakes goes up by 5p, meaning they will have to sell their cakes at a higher price. I like to buy comics. I have to save my pocket money, but I like it more then when I get them. Kayley, 7, York Rice krispie cakes 45g butter or margarine 300g (about 40) regular marshmallows 200g miniature marshmallows Your special ingredients 180g Rice Krispies How to make the cakes Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until everything s completely melted, then remove from the heat. Next add the Rice Krispies and your special ingredients. Stir until well coated. Using a buttered spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 5cm-deep greased baking tray. Allow to cool and cut into 5cm squares. Yummy!