| aidemia--modules-lessonplan_request | Titles of parts of the lesson must be formatted as headings |
| What to create | Lesson plan |
| Which subject | No subject |
| What topic | Create a Day 1 Core Block lesson for a multi-age homeschool group (grades K–5) using the theme “Business & Finance.” The mentor text is “Grand Opening: A Civic Square Story,” where AJ, Liam, Simay, and Onyx prepare their stores for opening day. Academic focus: Reading: Identifying the main idea from the story's opening scenes. Writing: Writing a complete sentence about your store. Grammar: Introducing declarative sentences. Math: Rounding prices to the nearest dollar. Include a short overview paragraph and an Objectives section with “I Can” statements that show what the student will do, how they’ll apply it, and why it matters. Include a Hook that connects the mentor story to all four subject areas. |
| What length (min) | 90 |
| What age group | Doesn't matter |
| Include homework | |
| Include images descriptions | |
| Any other preferences | Include a detailed breakdown for Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Math. Each subject should have: a Teaching Point explaining why the skill matters and how it supports the student's role, Teacher Modeling with examples, and Guided Practice. Include an Independent Work section with separate tasks for K–2 and 3–5 students. End with a Reflection Prompt that helps students connect their work to running a business in Civic Square. Use natural teacher voice, embedded examples, and no time estimates. |
In this first lesson of our multi-age homeschool group, we will explore the exciting world of business and finance through the story "Grand Opening: A Civic Square Story." Students in grades K–5 will engage with the text while identifying the main ideas, discovering how to construct complete sentences about their own imagined business, learning about declarative sentences, and rounding prices to the nearest dollar. This foundational knowledge is crucial as we embark on the journey of understanding the responsibilities and creativity involved in running a business within our community.
To connect our lesson to all four subject areas, we will discuss what it feels like to open a business. Students will have the opportunity to brainstorm ideas about what kind of store they would like to open in Civic Square and discuss the excitement of setting up their own shop. This will illustrate the importance of reading about businesses, writing about their ideas, using correct grammar to communicate, and understanding money management.
Understanding the main idea of a story is essential for comprehension. It allows students to grasp the overall message and engage with the material more deeply, which is crucial for effective communication in business settings.
"Let's look at the opening scenes of 'Grand Opening.' I’ll read aloud a few paragraphs and then think aloud as I identify the main idea. ‘In these first scenes, AJ, Liam, Simay, and Onyx each prepare their stores for opening day.’ This means the main idea is about the excitement and preparation that goes into starting a business."
Students will read the first two pages of "Grand Opening" together. After reading, they will discuss the main ideas in pairs, focusing on how each character prepares for their stores. Prompts will guide them, such as, "What are they doing to get ready?"
Writing complete sentences helps students articulate their thoughts clearly, which is vital for communication in any business.
"I would like to write a sentence about my store. For example, ‘I am opening a toy store called 'Fun Zone' that will have games for kids.’ I made sure that my sentence has a subject and a predicate. Who can tell me what those are?"
Students will brainstorm ideas for their stores and share them with the class. Then, they will write their own sentences independently, emphasizing structure. They can start with prompts like, "I want to open a..."
Declarative sentences communicate statements and are a fundamental part of written expression. Learning to use them correctly is essential for students to convey their ideas effectively.
"I’ll show you a simple sentence: ‘The bakery sells cupcakes.’ This is a declarative sentence because it states a fact. Now, let’s change it to focus on our own businesses. ‘The toy store has many fun games.’ Can you see how we are stating a fact about our store?"
Students will work in pairs to convert sentences about their stores into declarative sentences. They will share their sentences with the group, and the teacher will provide feedback.
Rounding prices is a crucial math skill that helps students understand financial transactions in a business, making it easier to handle money.
"Let’s look at a price of $2.75. When rounding to the nearest dollar, we look at the number in the tenths place. Since it’s 7, we round up to $3. Rounding helps us when we’re dealing with cash and pricing items in our stores."
Students will practice rounding various prices on a chart. The teacher will distribute a list of prices and guide them to round each one together.
"Think about the character you identified with most from 'Grand Opening'. Why is it important for them to effectively communicate in writing about their business? How does this relate to what we learned today?"
This lesson plan will help students develop a holistic understanding of the intertwined nature of reading, writing, grammar, and math in the context of business and finance, fostering both academic skills and entrepreneurial spirit.