Lesson Blueprints
Title of Project: Creating a Business Card
School District: Herkimer County Board of Cooperative Educational Services
School: William E. Busacker Educational Complex
Standard: Career Development and Occupational Studies
Class: Business Careers
Teacher: Natalie Bakert
Library Media Specialist: Natalie Bakert, acting
Project Length: Any date is applicable/library use will be one
(70 minute) block
I. Issues for the Teacher
A. What NYS Standard are you working towards in this project?
Standard C-DOS Standard 3a: Foundation Skills: Students will demonstrate mastery
of the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace.
Key Idea
B. What skill (C-DOS/Information Literacy, etc.) do you want your students to develop as they work on this project?
C-DOS 3a: Foundation Skills: Students will demonstrate mastery of the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace.
II. Issues for the Library Media Specialist
A. What instructional strategies will you use to move students toward the standard(s) and skill(s) above?
Instructional strategies should include a collection of area business cards mounted on a large poster. A lecture/discussion on what makes a "good" business card should take place at this time.
B. What material/technical support will you provide for the project?
Material needed may include appropriate desktop publishing software such as Publisher 98, samples of business cards, information provided from the business teacher on the components of a business card. (If that is unavailable, a web search on desktop publishing plus business cards will yield the same information). In addition, business card stock paper for the printer would be advisable.
C. Describe in some detail what you want your students to do and/or produce in this project that will demonstrate that they are moving toward the standard developing their skill.

The students will create a business card to demonstrate that they are moving toward the standard and developing their skills. To accurately do this, the students need to know and understand the purpose of a business card. Furthermore, the students need to know what components make up an acceptable business card. They need to know that every business card should have the company's name (the owner's name as well if applicable), the company's address, phone number, fax, (including area code), e-mail address, and/or web page (if applicable). In addition, a company logo that clearly exemplifys what the company does should be included. The company's product or service should also be shown on the card.
III. Issues for the Teacher and Library Media Specialist
A. What is the question driving the project?
Can you, as a new entrepreneur, create a business card to pass out to your associates and clients?
B. The Challenge for Students (What product do you want students to create that will provide evidence they're learning the standard and skill?)
The students will create a business card that provide evidence of their learning and skill.
C. Product Criteria (What criteria for a product of "good" quality?)

The criteria for an acceptable business cards is:

  1. the name of the company and/or the person who owns it
  2. the company's address
  3. the city, state, and zip code
  4. the telephone and fax number (if applicable)
  5. an email address and/or web page address (if applicable), and a company logo that clearly tells what the company.

Prior to the creation of this card, the students should discuss the nature of this business which lends itself to softer color tones and a less rigid layout.
D. Standards Criteria (What evidence is needed to determine that the desired standard is being achieved?)
The acceptable standards are the same as the product criteria. Please see above information. A checklist with the above criteria is provided to the students.
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