Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business Studies
Lesson Topic: advantages and disadvantages of methods of growth
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the four main methods of business growth and classify them as internal or external.
  • Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of each growth method.
  • Evaluate the factors that lead some businesses to remain small.
  • Compare growth strategies and recommend the most suitable option for a given scenario.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Printed handouts of growth‑method tables
  • Whiteboard markers
  • Sticky notes for group activity
  • Exit‑ticket slips
  • Laptop with presentation slides
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: “If you could expand your family business, which route would you choose and why?” This activates prior knowledge of growth concepts. Clarify that today’s success criteria are to identify each growth method, list its pros and cons, and justify a suitable strategy for a case study.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students write their poll responses on sticky notes and share briefly.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Present the four growth methods (organic, M&A, franchising, joint ventures) with key advantages and disadvantages.
  3. Comparative analysis activity (15’) – In groups, students complete a Venn diagram comparing two methods, using the handout tables.
  4. Case‑study application (15’) – Groups receive a business scenario and decide the best growth strategy, justifying their choice with pros/cons.
  5. Whole‑class debrief (10’) – Groups present decisions; teacher highlights common misconceptions and reinforces key points.
  6. Exit ticket (5’) – Each student writes one advantage and one disadvantage of the method they consider most suitable.
Conclusion:
Recap that every growth route offers distinct benefits and risks, and the optimal choice must align with the owner’s goals and resources. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign homework to research a real‑world example of a business that used one of the discussed methods.