Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Accounting
Lesson Topic: outline the uses and limitations of a trial balance
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the purpose of a trial balance and how it is prepared.
  • Identify at least three practical uses of a trial balance in the accounting cycle.
  • Explain the main limitations of a trial balance, including types of errors it cannot detect.
  • Apply the concepts by analysing a sample trial balance to spot uses and potential omissions.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Printed copies of a sample trial balance
  • Worksheet with error‑identification scenarios
  • Calculator for each student
  • Kahoot/Quizizz access for quick check
  • Sticky notes for exit tickets
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick question: “What do accountants do before preparing final accounts?” Connect to prior knowledge of journals and ledgers. State that today students will discover why a trial balance is essential and what it cannot reveal. Success criteria: students will list uses, explain limitations, and demonstrate analysis of a sample.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑Now (5') – Students write down everything they recall about the flow of information from journal to final accounts.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Define trial balance, show the sample on screen, highlight debit‑credit equality.
  3. Guided Practice (15') – In pairs, students annotate the sample trial balance, identifying at least three uses (e.g., checking arithmetic, basis for final accounts, spotting zero‑balance accounts).
  4. Limitations Activity (10') – Groups receive error cards (omission, commission, principle, transposition, duplicate) and decide whether the trial balance would catch them; discuss findings.
  5. Quick Check (5') – Kahoot quiz with 5 questions on uses and limitations.
  6. Conclusion & Exit Ticket (5') – Each student writes one use and one limitation on a sticky note and hands it in.
Conclusion:
Recap the key uses and the types of errors a trial balance cannot detect. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding and address any lingering misconceptions. Assign homework: complete a worksheet that requires preparing a trial balance from a set of ledger extracts and identifying any hidden errors.