For US Educators

Effective Value-Driven Entrepreneurship Curricula for Educators

Making Cents’ curricula are effective tools for creating, strengthening and supporting current and future entrepreneurs and delivering financial literacy for all. The effectiveness is rooted in the experiential-learning methodologies the curricula use. Through simulations, structured discussions, participatory exercises and peer-learning techniques, experiential-learning methodologies bring real-life experience and opportunities into the training room and create learning that is relevant, immediately applicable and long-lasting.

Making Cents' impact-oriented entrepreneurship curricula make business sense. Our curricula are:

Offered in a complete continuum of learning levels: from primary school through adult.
Value-driven. All materials are durable, reusable and require a low amount of consumable support materials.
Correlated to state or content standards, and can be combined with customized pre- and post-testing to measure participant progress.
Customizable in language, graphics and content to meet client needs and program achievement indicators.
Designed to ensure that the local institutions that use them retain the know-how and tools required to plan, implement, adapt and deliver trainings to their local beneficiaries.

Making Cents’ clients recognize the cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and high impact that these offerings have for the individuals and communities they serve.

Curricula for School & After School Settings

Secondary/High School Level

Shake Out!™

Nothing encourages teenage entrepreneurs like respect for their ideas. This curriculum begins by teaching students key business concepts, which are reinforced by business simulation games that become increasingly complex.

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With the concepts firmly ingrained, students generate ideas for small businesses, research the viability of those ideas, and develop business plans. This course culminates with students presenting their business plans to local business leaders—an encounter that inspires mentoring in the adults and confidence in the young entrepreneurs.

Course Outcomes	Understanding of business plan development Confidence and strategic thinking skills
Beneficiaries	Secondary/High School students or similar education level
Duration	30 hours
Languages	English

Work Out!™

Learning the basics of business can be easy and fun. Work Out!™ provides entry-level entrepreneurship education for secondary school students or adults with limited educational backgrounds.

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Using a combination of interactive exercises that teach theory and simulations to reinforce learning, Work Out!™ culminates with students working in groups to identify a business opportunity, develop a business plan, and run their own business. Work Out!™ grounds students in basic business skills and entrepreneurial thinking and prepares them for more advanced learning. This exciting curriculum is one of Making Cents’ most popular products because it is appropriate for a wide variety of students.

Course Outcomes	Understanding of key business concepts Understanding of how to identify opportunities Understanding of how to develop and run a business
Beneficiaries	Suggested for U.S. Grade 10 level education
Duration	30 Hours
Languages	N/A

Break Out!™

This curriculum encourages students to “break out” by creating and running businesses based on one of 12 sectors that interest them, such as sports, art, or music.

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As they learn fundamental business and leadership skills, students are inspired to identify entrepreneurial opportunities to turn an interest or hobby into a business enterprise. They then develop their ideas into a business plan.

Course Outcomes	Understanding of fundamental business concepts, entrepreneurship and leadership skills Understanding of how to Identify, plan, implement and report a business plan in teams, with a project-based curriculum Increased confidence and strategic thinking skills
Beneficiaries	Secondary/High school students or education level
Duration	38- 45 hours
Languages	English

Business Simulation™

Business Simulation is appropriate for a very diverse youth and adult audience. By assuming the role of manufacturers and retailers in a simulated business environment, participants develop real skills in negotiation, teamwork, recordkeeping, risk management, and taking initiative. The activities are engaging, fun, and invigorating. The simulation provides a safe setting to experiment with new behaviors - such as being a better communicator amongst team members, analyzing, taking more risks, or using a win-win style of negotiating - that lead to more successful business strategies.

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The four modules of the business simulation help participants to learn by giving them hands-on experience. Material can be used for between 3 to 20 hours of instruction. The Business Simulation™ can be used in a myriad of ways that include: an orientation to entrepreneurship, a way to bring theory alive in courses such as accounting and negotiation, and as a stand-alone training tool.
The most basic module (module 1) is relevant for limited literacy and numeracy learners, while simultaneously providing a challenging learning experience for practiced business practitioners and entrepreneurs. The higher modules require at least one, if not most members of the learning teams to be literate and able to keep basic records to achieve the maximum impact. Business Simulation™ is an excellent complement to other courses, such as accounting and marketing.

Course Outcomes	Improved business skills Understanding of the inter-relation of business concepts Improved financial literacy
Beneficiaries	Youth and adults with a range of experience and literacy levels
Duration	3-20 hours
Languages	English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and the Indigenous African languages of: Bambara, Diola, Mandingue, Pulaar, Wolof

Primary/Elementary - Middle School Level

Start Out!™

Start Out!™ begins with a thrilling business simulation game where students get their first taste of what entrepreneurs face daily - that every decision has consequences for their business.

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Students then deepen their understanding of core business concepts by applying them to their own lives and their communities. This curriculum culminates with students, working in groups, selecting a manufacturing business idea, creating a simple business plan, and running their businesses for a short period of time.

Course Outcomes	Understanding of key business concepts Basic understanding of how to create a business plan Basic understanding of how to run a business for a period of time
Beneficiaries	U.S. 7th-9th grade level learners
Duration	30 hours
Languages	English, French

Try Out!™

Get to know the exciting lives of over thirty internationally-recognized entrepreneurs who have made history, including Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Estée Lauder, and Oprah Winfrey! The stories of these business heroes show students that hard work, coupled with smart thinking, is the key to financial success and making an impact on their communities.

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Successful “role model” entrepreneurs and their businesses are used to teach concepts such as accessing finance, the importance of savings, conducting a SWOT analysis, managing information, and starting a business.
This curriculum is about the theory of business, business ethics, and the stories of entrepreneurs. Students use the stories of the entrepreneurs they read to inspire their thinking and like Break Out™, students translate their learning into project-based action that often takes place outside of the classroom. This curriculum is especially great for implementing in communities where adults and students work together.

Course Outcomes	Introduction to the theory of business, Understanding of business ethics Introduction to business role-models and stories of successful entrepreneurs Understanding of business planning and strategic thinking skills
Beneficiaries	U.S. 6th grade level learners
Duration	25-30 hours
Languages	English

Look Out!™

In a colorful world of business, six fictional cities in this curriculum represent economic activity and opportunity around the world. By exploring these fictional cities, students learn to see their own communities with an entrepreneurial vision and “look out” for hidden opportunities to generate income for themselves while providing employment for others. This curriculum contextualizes the impact that students’ business ventures have in their communities and beyond.

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Course Outcomes	Facilitates exploration of new business opportunities Facilitates exploration of new cultures and communities Complements well a social studies class
Beneficiaries	U.S. 5th grade level learners
Duration	30- 40 hours
Languages	English

Help Out!™

Enter a world of business opportunities and challenges. Students learn key business concepts and must apply their knowledge as business advisors to “help out” a range of entrepreneurs with how to address their business problems. Seven jungle animal characters, who each have a unique way of looking at a problem, guide students by introducing problem-solving skills in a fun and unforgettable way. The process challenges students to analyze problems and apply resourcefulness and out-of-the-box thinking in order to “help out.”

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Course Outcomes	Understanding of key business concepts in a fun environment Development of problem-solving and strategic thinking skills
Beneficiaries	U.S. 4th grade level. learners
Duration	25-30 hours
Languages	English

Pop Up!™

Pop Up™ is an exciting, story-led curriculum that introduces children to important life skills in the world of business and personal finance. Poppet, the puppet, (or Poppet the Puppet if it’s his full name) draws participants into the curriculum by embarking on entrepreneurial adventures.

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By interacting with other characters, Poppet introduces basic business skills and concepts such as numbers and counting, savings, pricing, selling, and marketing. Poppet’s fun approach keeps students engaged and excited. Classroom projects allow students to build on what they have learned from Poppet.

Students complete this curriculum with an understanding of important business and personal finance skills. This curriculum has many cross-curricula linkages with mathematics and writing.

Course Outcomes	Understanding of key business concepts in a creative, interactive environment, Numeracy skills and financial concepts
Beneficiaries	U.S. 2nd and 3rd grade learners
Duration	30 hours
Languages	English

Curricula for Adults

Business Simulation™

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Course Outcomes	Improved business skills Understanding of the inter-relation of business concepts Improved financial literacy
Beneficiaries	Youth and adults with a range of experience and literacy levels
Duration	3-20 hours
Languages	English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, Hebrew, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and the Indigenous African languages of: Bambara, Diola, Mandingue, Pulaar, Wolof

MicroPlan™

Individuals may have the heart and passion of an entrepreneur but may lack the experience and relevant skills to plan and get started in pursuing their business goals and objectives. This innovative and comprehensive curriculum consists of four modules and is designed for adults and young adults. Combined together, the 30 to 40 hour curriculum provides a comprehensive business training and planning course for literate adults with no business experience and/or those who have a microenterprise they want to take to the next level. Individual components can be purchased separately, or collectively as MicroPlan™.

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The four components are:

Business Idea Generator (BIG) ™ - stimulates entrepreneurs to develop business ideas and to consider those ideas in light of their abilities, interests, and expertise
Business Basics™ - Teaches business concepts
Business Simulation™ - Provides participants the experience of running a business
Business Planner™ - A basic business planning guide.

Course Outcomes	Basic individual business plan Improved business skills Understanding of personal skills, preference and abilities, Improved financial Literacy Understanding of the inter-relation of business concepts
Beneficiaries	Start-up entrepreneurs Existing entrepreneurs with limited experience Experienced entrepreneurs looking to refine their business skills
Duration	30 to 40 hours
Languages	English, French, Spanish, , Albanian , Armenian

MasterPlan™

Nothing is more important then being able to identify an opportunity and to develop a plan around it! This challenging, modular-based curriculum takes university-educated entrepreneurs or small business owners with experience, through the process of identifying or refining their business idea.

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Additionally, participants are provided a rigorous grounding in core business management skills, and guided in developing a viable business plan. Through this process, entrepreneurs are also provided the opportunity to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses and how to best address them.

Course Outcomes	Individual business plan Improved business skills Improved understanding of personal skills, preference and abilities.
Beneficiaries	Experienced entrepreneurs who wish to expand and learn new business skills, improve their strategy and improve their own performance. Start-up entrepreneurs with post-secondary education.
Duration	40 hours
Languages	English, French

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