Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business Studies
Lesson Topic: concept of lean production and how to achieve it: just-in-time (JIT) inventory control and Kaizen
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the principles of lean production and its impact on value creation.
  • Explain how Just‑In‑Time inventory control reduces waste and aligns production with demand.
  • Identify the key elements of Kaizen and apply the PDCA cycle to suggest improvements.
  • Compare JIT and Kaizen in terms of focus, implementation and performance metrics.
  • Evaluate real‑world examples of lean practices to propose actionable steps for a small business.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Handout summarising JIT and Kaizen concepts
  • Kanban card templates
  • Case‑study worksheets
  • Sticky notes for brainstorming
Introduction:
Begin with a short video showing a factory floor before and after lean implementation to hook students. Ask learners to recall any experiences with waste in everyday processes, linking to prior knowledge of efficiency. Outline that by the end of the lesson they will be able to describe lean principles, differentiate JIT and Kaizen, and suggest improvements for a given scenario.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑Now (5') – Students list examples of waste they see at school or home; share briefly. (Engage prior knowledge)
  2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Present core concepts of lean production, JIT, and Kaizen using slides and the diagram. (Direct instruction)
  3. Guided practice (12') – In pairs, analyse a simple demand pattern and create a Kanban board using provided templates. (Application)
  4. Kaizen activity (10') – Groups use sticky notes to propose one incremental improvement for the classroom process, following the PDCA cycle. (Collaboration)
  5. Comparison discussion (8') – Whole‑class compare JIT vs Kaizen using the comparison table; teacher checks understanding with a quick quiz (exit ticket). (Formative assessment)
  6. Reflection & homework (5') – Students complete a short reflection on how lean could be applied in a family business; assign worksheet for next lesson. (Closure)
Conclusion:
Summarise how lean production, JIT, and Kaizen work together to cut waste and boost quality. Prompt students to write one takeaway on an exit ticket and explain how they would apply it in a real context. Assign a brief case‑study analysis as homework to reinforce the concepts.