LESSON OVERVIEW
This lesson focuses on teaching Grade 7 learners how to conduct a SWOT analysis and set SMART goals for a business, developing essential entrepreneurial planning skills that form the foundation of successful business ventures.
LESSON PLAN
LESSON INFORMATION
Subject: Economic and Management Sciences
Grade: 7
Term: 3
Week: 7
Duration: 60 minutes
Date: September 9, 2025
Topic: SWOT Analysis and Goal Setting for Starting a Business
CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT
CAPS Content Area: Entrepreneurship – Starting a Business
Specific Aims: Develop understanding of business planning tools and strategic thinking
Learning Outcomes: Learners will understand how to evaluate business opportunities and set achievable business goals
LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:
– Define SWOT analysis and explain each component (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
– Conduct a simple SWOT analysis for a business idea
– Understand the difference between internal factors (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external factors (Opportunities and Threats)
– Set SMART goals for a business venture
– Explain how SWOT analysis helps in business decision-making
KEY VOCABULARY
- SWOT Analysis – A business planning tool that examines Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
- Internal Factors – Elements within the business that can be controlled (Strengths and Weaknesses)
- External Factors – Elements outside the business that cannot be controlled (Opportunities and Threats)
- SMART Goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives
- Strategic Planning – The process of setting goals and determining how to achieve them
PREVIOUS LEARNING
What learners should already know:
– Basic understanding of what an entrepreneur is
– Knowledge of different types of businesses (formal and informal)
– Understanding of needs and wants in business context
– Basic concept of business challenges and opportunities
Connection to prior lessons:
– Builds on Week 1-4 knowledge of entrepreneurs and their characteristics
– Extends understanding from Week 5-6 about formal and informal businesses
– Prepares for upcoming business planning activities
RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
- Whiteboard and markers
- SWOT analysis template worksheets
- Case study handouts (local South African businesses)
- Poster paper and colored markers
- Sticky notes
- Examples of successful local businesses
- Calculator for simple goal setting exercises
LESSON STRUCTURE
BEGINNING (Introduction) – 15 minutes
Hook Activity:
Display images of successful South African businesses like Shoprite, Mr Price, or local spaza shops. Ask learners: “Why do you think some businesses succeed while others fail? What do successful business owners need to think about before starting their business?”
Introduction Activities:
– Quick brainstorm: “What do you think business owners need to consider before starting a business?”
– Introduce the concept that successful entrepreneurs use special tools to plan their businesses
– Explain that today we will learn about SWOT analysis – a powerful business planning tool used by entrepreneurs worldwide
MIDDLE (Main Lesson Activities) – 35 minutes
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
Explain SWOT Analysis using a simple framework:
– S = Strengths (Internal positive factors): What does the business do well?
– W = Weaknesses (Internal negative factors): What does the business need to improve?
– O = Opportunities (External positive factors): What external chances exist for growth?
– T = Threats (External negative factors): What external challenges could harm the business?
Use a local spaza shop example:
Strengths: Convenient location, knows customers personally, flexible hours
Weaknesses: Limited stock, no electronic payment system
Opportunities: Growing neighborhood, no other shops nearby
Threats: Large supermarket opening nearby, economic downturn
Explain SMART Goals:
– Specific: Clear and well-defined
– Measurable: Can track progress with numbers
– Achievable: Realistic and possible
– Relevant: Important to the business
– Time-bound: Has a deadline
Guided Practice (10 minutes):
Work together as a class to complete a SWOT analysis for a fictional school tuck shop business:
– Create four columns on the board
– Ask learners to suggest ideas for each category
– Guide them to understand the difference between internal and external factors
– Help them see how this analysis can inform business decisions
Independent Practice (10 minutes):
Learners work in pairs to:
1. Choose a simple business idea (e.g., selling homemade rusks, offering car washing services, tutoring younger learners)
2. Complete their own SWOT analysis using the template provided
3. Set three SMART goals for their chosen business
4. Consider how their SWOT analysis helps them understand what goals are realistic
END (Conclusion) – 10 minutes
Consolidation Activity:
– Selected pairs share one strength, one opportunity, and one SMART goal from their analysis
– Class discusses how SWOT analysis helps entrepreneurs make better decisions
– Review the four components of SWOT and emphasize the difference between internal and external factors
Exit Ticket:
Each learner writes down:
1. One way SWOT analysis can help an entrepreneur
2. One SMART goal they would set for a business they might want to start
ASSESSMENT AND CHECKS FOR UNDERSTANDING
Formative Assessment:
– Observe learner participation during class discussions
– Monitor pair work and provide guidance during SWOT analysis activity
– Check understanding through questioning during guided practice
– Review exit tickets to assess comprehension
Summative Assessment:
– Completed SWOT analysis template with appropriate categorization of factors
– Three properly formulated SMART goals related to their business idea
– Oral presentation of key findings to the class
Success Criteria:
– Learners can correctly identify and categorize internal vs external business factors
– Learners can write goals that include specific, measurable elements with timeframes
– Learners can explain how SWOT analysis helps in business planning
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
For learners who need support:
– Provide additional examples of each SWOT category
– Use visual aids and pictures to illustrate concepts
– Allow them to choose very simple, familiar business ideas
– Pair with stronger learners for peer support
– Provide sentence starters for goal writing
For advanced learners:
– Challenge them to consider more complex business ideas
– Ask them to explain how different SWOT factors might interact
– Have them help explain concepts to struggling peers
– Encourage them to think about how external factors might change over time
– Ask them to prioritize which factors are most important
For learners with barriers to learning:
– Use simple language and repeat key concepts frequently
– Provide templates with examples already filled in
– Allow drawings instead of written responses where appropriate
– Break tasks into smaller steps with clear instructions
– Offer additional time for completion
HOMEWORK AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
- Interview a family member or community member who owns a business about one challenge they face and one opportunity they see
- Find a newspaper or online article about a South African business and identify one strength and one threat mentioned
- Think of three businesses in your community and write down one opportunity each business could pursue
- Create a poster showing the SWOT analysis for your dream business
REFLECTION NOTES
What worked well:
[Teacher to complete after lesson – note student engagement levels, understanding of concepts, effectiveness of activities]
What could be improved:
[Teacher to complete after lesson – identify areas where students struggled, activities that need modification]
Notes for next lesson:
[Teacher to complete after lesson – concepts that need reinforcement, preparation for next topic on advertising and budgeting]
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR TEACHER
This lesson aligns with the Term 3 ATP focus on “Starting a Business” and prepares learners for the upcoming project on Entrepreneur’s Day. The SWOT analysis skills learned here will be essential for their business planning project in Weeks 9-10.
Consider inviting a local entrepreneur to speak to the class about how they use business planning tools, or arrange a visit to a nearby small business to see entrepreneurship in action.
Ensure learners understand that SWOT analysis is not just for large businesses – even small informal businesses benefit from this type of strategic thinking.