Taylor Ramella

I.

Lesson plan overview and description

a. Expected duration: 30 minutes
b. Social sciences: economics
c. Concepts: competing in a local market
d. Vocabulary: competition

II.

Content
a. Competition1. economics: Rivalry in which every seller tries to get what other
sellers are seeking at the same time: sales, profit, and market
share by offering the best practicable combination of price,
quality, and service. Where the market information flows freely,
competition plays a regulatory function in balancing demand
and supply.

III.

Standardsa. 6: Economics, 6.2: Economics and Economic Systems, 6.2.3:

Grade 3

b. 6.2.3.B: Identify competing sellers in the local market.

c. NCSS Theme: 7-Production, Distribution, and Consumption
IV.

Lesson objectives:
a.

V.

Students will orally describe how businesses compete in a local

market.
Teaching Proceduresa. Introduction (Anticipatory Set)
1.

Does anyone know anyone that owns their own business?

2. Can anyone tell me something they know about how two

businesses compete to stay in business against each other?
3. Well today we are going to be doing a stimulation where you will
be split into teams. Each team will own a pizza shop, but guess
what! The two pizza shops are in the same town and they are
competing against each other to take each others customers.
b. Input (Teaching Procedures)
1. First, the classroom will be split into teams. Teacher is on her
own team to direct activity, then a group of 5 will be the
customers and then the rest of the 20 students will be split into
two teams of 10 students each.

2. Teachers pizza shop is called Tonys. Both teams will give their
pizza shop a name. Next, the five customers will be given the
same amount of monopoly money.
3. Teacher will start off stimulation with: Welcome to Smalltown.
Today is a special day in Smalltown. _________ Pizza Place and
__________ Pizzeria are having their grand opening. Until today,
Tonys Pizzeria was the only place in town to buy pizza. Now,
Tony has competition for the Smalltown pizza market. Its hard
being the new business in town. Are you ready to compete for
the Smalltown pizza market?
4. Tony heard that a new shop is opening. In order to compete,
Tony decides to offer an incentive: buy two slices of pizza and
get a free soda. Tony hopes this will make customers choose his
pizza.
5. After students hear what Tonys pizza shop will do, they need to
talk in their groups to come up with a different option. Their
choices are: Lower price, better product, better customer
service, offer incentives, or advertise. After students choose
which they will do, they need to explain why.
1. After all students have given their new offer, the five
customers will each pick a pizza shop to go spend their
money at.
6. Tony heard about the pizzerias ideas. Tony decides to compete
by offering better customer service. Starting today, Tony is
offering free delivery to help encourage customers to choose his
pizza.
1. Now students will do the same thing as step 5 and then
customers will choose again where they would like to
spend their money.
7. Tony heard the pizza shops ideas again and is trying out
something new. Tony still wants to compete. He has decided to
offer a better product. He is going to offer garlic crust in
addition to regular crust pizza so customers will choose his
pizza.

1. Now students will do the same thing as step 5 and then

customers will choose again where they would like to
spend their money.
8. Tony sees the pizza places are bringing in customers that used
to come to his pizzeria. Tony decides that he needs to
advertise, so Tony buys ads in the local newspaper. His ads read
Tonys Pizzeria has the best pizza in town. Tony hopes this will
get customers to choose his pizza.
1. Now students will do the same thing as step 5 and then
customers will choose again where they would like to
spend their money.
9. Tonys Pizzeria business is doing ok but he hears that ___________
business is doing very well. Tony wants to continue to bring
customers into his store. Tony decides he needs to cut his
prices to get customers to choose his pizza instead of __________.
He lowers his price from $1.50 a slice to $1.00 a slice.
1. Now students will do the same thing as step 5 and then
customers will choose again where they would like to
spend their money.
10. The stimulation is over and the winner of the Smalltown pizza
battle will be determined by the customers.
c. Differentiation :
1. Above average- Students will have a greater responsibility to
lead their group. Students will be given questions to think about
the future of their company and not just the present
consequences.
2. Below average- Students will think about present decisions
and not so much as to future consequences.
3. ELL- Students can work with their native money and lesson will
be translated to native language.
d. Closure
1.

I will do a 321 activity. Students will write down 3 things that

they learned about how businesses compete. 2: students will

write two things that they would have changes looking back on
their competition. 1: students will write one thing they liked
about the activity or maybe one thing they disliked about the
activity.
e. Materials/Technology Monopoly money

VI.
Resource Title or Website Influence: 3+ Characteristics suggesting
Address
Significant that the source is a quality
(SI)
resource, reliable material
Minor (MI)
http://www.pdesas.org/

MI

Access
or
teachers
or
others

Yes
This is a .org website
I have used this source
in the past and it is
used
for
all
of
Pennsylvania
for
teachers to get their
standards.
This website is through
the Commonwelath of
Pennsylvania.

Overall rating
and
suggestions for
current, future
use of resource
10/10 because
this is a source
that
all
teachers use
and
are
required to use
it.

a. Reflection on planning: I wanted to create a fun and interactive

game to help students understand the concept of competition within a
local market. I was able to gain an idea from using pdesas.org and
adapting it to fit my topic that I wanted to teach. I think I was able to
do this successfully by assigning students groups and working with a
familiar topic such as pizza shops.