If you could create your own business, what would it be? Perhaps you would sell robots to help with homework. Maybe you would help people match their clothes. Or you could sell alligators. These are just some of the ideas that Solon Elementary second graders in Mrs. Corsey’s class recently presented to a “zoning board” for approval.

The “board” (made of parents from Mrs. Corsey’s class) listened to student presentations that reflected a recent unit about economic concepts like goods and services, producers and consumers, and finances. The presentations gave students the chance to do some public speaking, which they’ve been practicing all year, in front of a real audience. “I reached out to parents with days and times to volunteer, and the response I received was overwhelming,” Corsey said.

Students started the project with basic brainstorming. Mrs. Corsey steered some of the most ‘creative’ projects towards more realistic goods and services (we can’t sell palm trees in CP!), and then students created a billboard for their store. They were also required to create a map, which covered another important skill they’ve been learning. Finally, students created a diorama that represented their store and its purpose.

Ideas for businesses were unique, and Mrs. Corsey said letting students choose their interests helped build excitement for the project. “It was really fun to see the different ideas they came up with by thinking outside the box or seeing things they were interested in that I didn't know they were passionate about,” Corsey said.

When it came time to present to the board, students had to dress professionally or within the theme of their store. Each student read a carefully constructed paragraph, explained their billboard, map and diorama, and then took questions from their peers and the board. For example, if you have an alligator store, do you also have a fence to go around it? Parents completed a form with a checkbox for approval, and more importantly, offered each student positive feedback on their work. 

Beyond the many state standards covered by this lesson, Mrs. Corsey said that a sense of pride might be the biggest takeaway for

many of her students. “A lot of the students were so nervous but so proud of themselves after the presentation. They were proud of their dioramas and all of the hard work and creativity that went into them.”  

To close out the unit, Mrs. Corsey will give students a certificate granting them a “Crown Point Business License” and photos from their presentations.