Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business Studies
Lesson Topic: how each stage of the business cycle may affect a business
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe each stage of the business cycle and its key characteristics.
  • Explain how expansion, peak, contraction, and trough affect sales, profitability and employment.
  • Analyse business decisions (production, staffing, investment) in response to each stage.
  • Evaluate strategies to mitigate risks during downturns and capitalize on growth periods.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint presentation with cycle diagram
  • Handout summarising effects of each stage
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Sticky notes for group activity
  • Exit ticket cards
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “What’s happening in the economy today?” Connect to recent news about inflation. Explain that today students will explore how the four phases of the business cycle influence a business’s operations. Success criteria: identify impacts on sales, cash flow and staffing for each stage.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – students match stage names to brief descriptions on a worksheet.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – present the cycle diagram and highlight key features of each stage.
  3. Guided analysis (15’) – groups discuss how a retail business would adjust production, staffing and investment in each stage; record findings on sticky notes.
  4. Whole‑class debrief (10’) – groups share insights; teacher clarifies misconceptions and links to cash‑flow/credit implications.
  5. Case study application (15’) – individual scenario task: decide strategic actions for a given stage; answer key provided.
  6. Check for understanding (5’) – quick quiz/exit tickets on impacts of each stage.
Conclusion:
Summarise that each phase of the business cycle forces firms to adapt their sales, staffing and investment strategies. Ask students to write one action they would take if the economy entered a trough as an exit ticket. For homework, they will research a real company and report how it responded to a recent recession.