Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Accounting
Lesson Topic: consistency
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the consistency principle and its purpose in financial reporting.
  • Explain why consistent accounting policies are essential for comparability and reliability.
  • Identify the steps required to change an accounting method and the disclosure needed.
  • Calculate the impact of a method change on profit using a simple depreciation example.
  • Evaluate when a change in policy is justified and how to restate prior period figures.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Printed handouts of the consistency principle summary
  • Sample financial statements (paper or digital)
  • Calculator or spreadsheet software
  • Worksheet with depreciation method change problem
  • Whiteboard markers
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “When you compare two years of a company’s profit, what could make the numbers look different even if the business hasn’t changed?” Connect this to students’ prior knowledge of accounting policies and explain that today they will learn how the consistency principle ensures meaningful comparisons. Success criteria: students will be able to describe the principle, outline the steps for a policy change, and demonstrate the effect of a depreciation method switch.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5') – Students answer the poll question on sticky notes; teacher collects responses.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Define the consistency principle, discuss its importance, and show a summary slide.
  3. Guided practice (12') – Walk through the five steps to apply consistency, highlighting disclosure requirements.
  4. Worked example (10') – Calculate the effect of switching from straight‑line to reducing‑balance depreciation on profit and interpret the result.
  5. Independent activity (15') – Students complete a worksheet problem, then compare answers in pairs while the teacher circulates.
  6. Check for understanding (8') – Quick quiz (Kahoot or exit ticket) with three questions on definition, steps, and disclosure.
Conclusion:
Recap the key points: the consistency principle keeps financial statements comparable, any change must be justified, disclosed, and often requires restating prior figures. For the exit ticket, students write one real‑world reason a company might change a policy and the disclosure it would need. Assign homework to find a recent news article where a company changed an accounting method and prepare a brief summary.