Plan an experience, reflection, explanation and another test. Complete the prompts in your own document or use the writing space below. The worked example uses fictional numbers.
Copyable planning worksheet
| Planning field | Prompt to complete |
|---|---|
| Topic and learner level | What concept will students practice? What do they already know? |
| Time and format | How long is the session? Will students work individually, in teams or online? |
| Observable objective | By the end, students will be able to ___, shown by ___. |
| Preparation | What information, materials, access checks and worked examples are needed? |
| Concrete experience | What choice or task will students complete? What constraint makes the choice meaningful? |
| Reflective observation | What happened compared with the prediction? What surprised students? |
| Abstract conceptualization | Which concept explains the result? What alternative explanation remains possible? |
| Active experimentation | What will students change or test next? What evidence would show a difference? |
| Assessment | Which work will you collect, and what criteria show understanding? |
| Adaptation | What support, access alternative or extension will different learners need? |
Choose one learning objective first. “Students will understand pricing” is difficult to assess directly. “Students will compare contribution at three prices and defend a recommendation using stated demand assumptions” identifies an action and evidence. A lively discussion alone does not establish that every student can do this.
Completed example: a 50-minute pricing decision
Context: An introductory high-school business class has practiced revenue and variable cost. Students work in pairs with a calculator. All figures below are fictional teaching inputs, not real customer evidence or simulation outputs.
Objective: Each student will calculate contribution, explain a pricing tradeoff and revise a recommendation after a cost change. Prepare the pricing worksheet and answer key , and separate the answer key from the initial student brief.
Minutes 0–5, predict: A made-to-order T-shirt costs $14 to produce. Choose among $18 with 100 expected sales, $24 with 70, or $30 with 45. Write a prediction before calculating. Only shirts sold are produced; fixed costs are excluded.
Minutes 5–20, experience: Calculate revenue and contribution for each price. Total contribution equals (price − variable cost) × units sold. The results are $400, $700 and $720 respectively. The highest revenue comes from the $18 price, while the highest contribution comes from $30 under these assumptions.
Minutes 20–30, reflect: Compare the prediction with the calculation. What did the team initially prioritize? Which demand estimate is most uncertain? Ask every student to explain why revenue and contribution point to different choices.
Minutes 30–40, explain and test: Connect the result to unit contribution and demand. Increase variable cost to $16 while keeping the same demand estimates. Recalculate: contribution becomes $200, $560 and $630. Explain whether the recommendation changes and why. This second round tests reasoning within a simplified model, not customer willingness to pay.
Minutes 40–50, transfer: Individually propose a customer research question or a second demand scenario that could change the decision. State the evidence needed and one limitation of the model. Collect the two calculations and the explanation.
Assess the full cycle, not just participation
Use four criteria, each scored from 0 to 3: accurate calculation, explanation of a tradeoff, evidence-based revision and a sensible next test. Zero means missing; one means attempted with major gaps; two means mostly sound with a specific gap; three means accurate and supported. Share the criteria before the activity.
A correct price without an explanation is incomplete evidence. A learner who changes their mind can demonstrate strong reasoning if they identify the relevant change and calculate its effect. Ask for an individual response alongside team work so a confident speaker does not hide another student's uncertainty.
Reflection questions that lead to another attempt
- What did you predict, and what actually happened in the exercise?
- Which choice influenced the result? What other explanation could matter?
- Which business concept helps explain the tradeoff?
- What assumption would you investigate before spending real money?
- What will you change next, and what result would challenge your explanation?
Give students time to answer before opening whole-class discussion. Use their responses to choose the next worked example or mini-lesson. Reflection should influence the next action rather than serve only as a closing paragraph.
Adapt the planner for classroom, online and college use
For learners new to business, provide definitions, a partially completed table and one decision at a time. Allow written explanations or an accessible audio response where appropriate. Verify accommodations with the institution rather than assuming one format serves everyone.
For an online class, post the scenario and instructions together. Require an individual prediction before the team discusses it, then use a shared log for the joint decision. Provide an asynchronous route for learners who cannot attend a live discussion.
For college groups, add fixed costs, uncertain demand or a capacity limit. Ask students to compare scenarios and identify what the model leaves out. Preserve the original learning objective; extra complexity is useful only when students can explain its effect.
If you use software, preview the scenario and confirm the available decisions and feedback. The entrepreneurship simulation catalog is the place to compare Startup Wars scenarios. The high-school and CTE page and college page cover their respective adoption settings.
Your activity plan
Topic, learners, time and format
Objective and evidence of learning
Materials and preparation
Experience and meaningful decision
Reflection and concept connection
Next test and assessment
Access support or extension