Unleash Your Inner Innovator: Teacher Script

Warm-Up: What's an Entrepreneur? (10 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to dive into the exciting world of entrepreneurs. Before we get started, I want to hear your initial thoughts."

"When you hear the word 'entrepreneur,' what immediately comes to mind? Shout out some ideas!"

"Great ideas! Now, can you name any famous entrepreneurs? What did they create or what are they known for?"

"Fantastic! It sounds like many of you already have a good grasp of what an entrepreneur is and some of the amazing things they do. Today, we're going to explore what makes these individuals tick – the special qualities that help them succeed."

Introduction to Entrepreneurial Qualities (20 minutes)

"Let's take a closer look at some of these qualities. I have some slides here to guide our discussion." (Transition to Entrepreneurial Qualities Slides - Slide 1)

"As we go through each quality, I want you to think about people you know, or famous figures, who embody these traits." (Transition to Slide 2: What is an Entrepreneur?)

"We talked about this a bit already. An entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business, often taking risks for profit. They are problem-solvers and innovators. Any questions about this definition?"

(Transition to Slide 3: Key Quality 1: Creativity & Innovation)

"Our first key quality is Creativity and Innovation. This is all about thinking outside the box, coming up with new ideas, and finding unique solutions. Can anyone give me an example of an entrepreneur who showed a lot of creativity? What did they do that was new or different?"

(Transition to Slide 4: Key Quality 2: Resilience & Persistence)

"Next up: Resilience and Persistence. This means never giving up, bouncing back from setbacks, and learning from mistakes. Why do you think this quality is so important for someone starting a business?"

(Transition to Slide 5: Key Quality 3: Problem-Solving Skills)

"Problem-Solving Skills are crucial. Entrepreneurs identify challenges and develop effective strategies to overcome them. Can you think of a common problem that an entrepreneur might try to solve?"

(Transition to Slide 6: Key Quality 4: Leadership & Vision)

"Leadership and Vision. This is about inspiring others and having a clear idea of the future. What qualities do you think make a good leader?"

(Transition to Slide 7: Key Quality 5: Adaptability & Open-mindedness)

"Finally, Adaptability and Open-mindedness. This means being flexible, listening to feedback, and adjusting to new situations. Why is it important for an entrepreneur to be able to adapt?"

(Transition to Slide 8: Qualities in Action)

"Excellent discussion, everyone! As you can see, entrepreneurs often have a blend of these qualities, and they use them to build incredible things."

Activity: What Makes an Entrepreneur? (20 minutes)

"Now, it's your turn to really dig into these qualities. I'm going to hand out an activity called What Makes an Entrepreneur? Activity."

"In small groups, you'll brainstorm more about these qualities and think of examples. You'll have about 15 minutes for this, and then we'll come back together to share what your groups discussed. Any questions before we start?"

(Distribute activity, monitor groups, and facilitate sharing.)

Introduce Entrepreneur Research Project (5 minutes)

"Wonderful insights from your group work! Now that we have a better understanding of entrepreneurial qualities, you're going to put that knowledge to use. You'll choose a real-world entrepreneur to research and see how these qualities played a role in their success."

"I'm handing out the Entrepreneur Research Guide, which outlines exactly what you need to do for this project, and the Entrepreneur Research Rubric, which shows how your work will be assessed. Take a moment to look over these documents."

"Your goal is to choose an entrepreneur who inspires you, and then explore their story through the lens of the qualities we've discussed. You'll have the rest of class today to begin your research."

Research Time (30 minutes)

"You may now get out your devices and begin your research. Remember to use reliable sources and focus on identifying how your chosen entrepreneur demonstrates the qualities we've learned about. I'll be walking around to help if you have any questions or need ideas for who to research."

(Circulate, assist students with research, and answer questions.)

Cool-Down: One Word Summary (5 minutes)

"Alright class, let's bring it back together for our cool-down. Before you leave today, I want each of you to think of just one word that describes something new you learned or found particularly interesting about entrepreneurs today."

"When I call on you, please share your word with the class."

"Thank you all for a great class! Please make sure to turn in your What Makes an Entrepreneur? Activity and any initial research notes you've taken. We'll continue working on our entrepreneur research next time. Have a great day!"

What Makes an Entrepreneur? Activity

Instructions:

Work in your small groups to discuss the questions below. Be ready to share your answers with the class!

Part 1: Brainstorming Qualities

1. Based on our discussion and your own ideas, list at least five qualities or characteristics that you think are essential for a successful entrepreneur. For each quality, briefly explain why it is important.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Can you think of any challenges an entrepreneur might face? How would these qualities help them overcome those challenges?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 2: Entrepreneurs in Action

1. Name an entrepreneur (famous or someone you know) who you believe strongly demonstrates creativity and innovation. What did they do?
   
   
   
   
   

2. Name an entrepreneur who you believe demonstrates strong resilience and persistence. Describe a challenge they faced and how they overcame it.
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Name an entrepreneur who you believe is an excellent problem-solver. What problem did they identify, and what solution did they create?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Part 3: Reflect and Connect

1. Of all the qualities we discussed, which one do you think is the most important for an entrepreneur? Explain your reasoning.
   
   
   
   
   

2. Do you see any of these entrepreneurial qualities in yourself? Which ones, and how do you show them?
   
   
   
   
   

Entrepreneur Research Guide

Project Goal:

For this project, you will research a famous entrepreneur and explore how their personal qualities and actions contributed to their success. You will then prepare a short presentation to share your findings with the class.

Step 1: Choose Your Entrepreneur

Select an entrepreneur who interests you. It could be someone famous, historical, or even a local business leader (with teacher approval). Some ideas:

• Steve Jobs (Apple)
• Oprah Winfrey (Media Mogul)
• Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
• Sara Blakely (Spanx)
• Walt Disney (Disney Company)
• Madam C.J. Walker (Hair Care Pioneer)
• Jeff Bezos (Amazon)

Your Chosen Entrepreneur:

Step 2: Conduct Your Research

Use reliable sources (books, reputable websites, documentaries) to gather information about your entrepreneur. Focus on the following areas:

1. Background:

   • Who is this entrepreneur? (Name, brief personal history)
   • What business or innovation are they known for?

2. Entrepreneurial Qualities:

   • Which of the entrepreneurial qualities we discussed (creativity, resilience, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability, etc.) did your entrepreneur demonstrate most strongly?
   • Provide at least three specific examples of how they showed these qualities in their journey.

3. Challenges and Solutions:

   • What significant challenges or setbacks did your entrepreneur face?
   • How did they overcome these challenges? What strategies did they use?

4. Impact and Legacy:

   • What impact has this entrepreneur had on their industry or the world?
   • What lessons can we learn from their story?

Step 3: Prepare Your Presentation

Prepare a 3-5 minute presentation to share your research with the class. Your presentation should:

• Clearly introduce your chosen entrepreneur.
• Highlight their key achievements.
• Focus on how they demonstrated at least three entrepreneurial qualities with specific examples.
• Discuss one major challenge they faced and how they overcame it.
• Conclude with one important lesson we can learn from their entrepreneurial journey.

Tips for your presentation:

• You can use slides, a poster, or simply speak clearly and engagingly.
• Practice your presentation beforehand!
• Be ready to answer questions from your classmates.

Research Notes (Optional, use this space to jot down ideas):

The Entrepreneurial Research Guide provides students with clear goals and expectations for their upcoming research project, helping them to define their chosen entrepreneur's qualities and impact. It encourages students to think critically about how different traits contribute to entrepreneurial success and provides a foundation for their presentations to the class.

Entrepreneur Research Rubric

Student Name: ________________________
Entrepreneur Researched: ________________________
Date: ________________________