Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business
Lesson Topic: how human needs may or may not be satisfied at work
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the main human‑need theories (Maslow, ERG, Herzberg, McClelland) and their relevance to workplace motivation.
  • Analyse how specific workplace practices satisfy or fail to satisfy employee needs.
  • Compare and contrast the theories to evaluate managerial strategies for motivation.
  • Apply a need‑based approach to design a simple motivation plan for a given business scenario.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint slides summarising need theories
  • Handout with comparison table
  • Case‑study worksheet (Company X)
  • Sticky notes or index cards for group activity
  • Whiteboard and markers
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: ask students to name one thing they need to feel motivated at work. Link this to prior learning on employee motivation and explain that today they will explore how different need‑based theories help managers meet—or miss—those needs. Success will be measured by their ability to match workplace practices to the appropriate theory.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5') – poll results and brief whole‑class discussion.
  2. Mini‑lecture (15') – overview of Maslow, ERG, Herzberg, and McClelland with slide visuals.
  3. Group activity (15') – using the handout, compare two theories and fill in strengths/limitations.
  4. Case study analysis (15') – work on the Company X worksheet to identify satisfied/unsatisfied needs and propose improvements.
  5. Whole‑class debrief (5') – share proposals and link to managerial implications.
  6. Exit ticket (5') – each student writes one actionable step a manager could take to satisfy a higher‑order need.
Conclusion:
Summarise how aligning workplace practices with employee needs enhances motivation and performance. Students complete an exit ticket outlining a single motivation strategy they will remember. For homework, they research a real company and prepare a brief report on how its policies address the need hierarchy.