Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business
Lesson Topic: methods of improving capacity utilisation
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe how capacity utilisation is measured and why it matters.
  • Explain at least five different methods for improving capacity utilisation.
  • Compare internal improvement options with external outsourcing alternatives.
  • Apply a decision‑making framework to select appropriate capacity‑utilisation strategies for a given scenario.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Printed handouts of the capacity utilisation formula and comparison table
  • Case‑study worksheets
  • Calculators
  • Laptop with spreadsheet software
 Introduction:
Imagine a factory that could produce twice as much without buying new equipment. Building on students’ prior knowledge of basic cost concepts and the capacity utilisation formula, the teacher will ask learners to calculate utilisation for a simple example. Success will be measured by students’ ability to list at least three improvement methods and justify their choices.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5') – Quick calculation of capacity utilisation using a provided data set.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10') – Review of the formula, why higher utilisation matters, and overview of improvement methods.
  3. Group activity (15') – Teams match each method to “Internal” or “External” categories and discuss advantages.
  4. Case‑study application (15') – Using the flow‑chart decision diagram, groups decide which mix of methods a fictional company should adopt.
  5. Whole‑class debrief (10') – Groups share decisions; teacher highlights trade‑offs and cost implications.
  6. Exit ticket (5') – Individually write one method they would recommend and a brief justification.
Conclusion:
We recap the eight improvement methods and the key factors that influence the choice between internal upgrades and outsourcing. Students hand in their exit tickets as a retrieval check, and for homework they research a real‑world company that successfully improved its capacity utilisation and prepare a short summary to share next lesson.