LESSON PLANNING SHEET

Teacher Sample Lesson Unit Title: Class/Grou Term/Date Period

Opportunity Costs p X X
Subject 9(iGCSE)
Economics
Learning Objectives(Content) Relevant part of syllabus

Students will work on a local scenario to evaluate the This lesson is part of the section of
implications of a course of action in terms of private and external the syllabus referred to as The
costs and benefits. The scenario will involve the use of a private basic Problems: Choice and
company in the construction of a government project. It will also Allocation of Resources.
examine some of the effects of the project on local communities.
Key/new vocabulary
Private-Public Partnership, Private
Cost, Private benefit, community

Resources Required Homework or Out-of-School Learning

Scenario sheets for each group: Find other examples of PPPs in the UAE and read
- Government committee about the costs and benefits accrued from this
- Private Company collaboration.
- Community Action Group
Do Qu. 3 Paper 22, CIE Economics iGCSE 2011 on the
new motorway being built by the Government of
Bangladesh in conjunction with a private company.

Date due: One week

Application and relevance of this lesson to:

OTHER SUBJECTS: Geography social geography and developing communities and infrastructure,
impact on communities labour, environment, social; Mathematics calculations of costs in real terms,
including cost inflation over time on infrastructure projects

WORLD OUTSIDE CLASSROOM: Application to real life examples.

DIFFERENTIATION & EXPECTATIONS: Skills, knowledge, understanding, application etc

STUDENTS Students will have studied the differences between public and private companies. In
PRIOR Geography they will have looked at the effects of infrastructure projects on local
LEARNING: communities. Most students will understand the difference between a cost and a
What do they benefit and be able to give example of each.
already know?
OUTCOMES: Explain what is meant by (i) a private cost, (ii) a private benefit, (iii) an external cost
ALL MUST BE and (iv) an external benefit.
ABLE TO

OUTCOMES: Be able to give examples applying their understanding of the above terms to the
MOST scenario and other real life situations.
SHOULD

OUTCOMES: Be able to evaluate whether costs outweigh benefits in the completion of

THE MORE infrastructure projects. Students at this level will also be cognizant that some costs
ABLE COULD and benefits are long term and less tangible.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES (through: thinking, seeing, listening, talking, doing, reading, writing
etc)
Timing Starter:
s Students are given a small checklist to mark whether the items are costs or benefits in
5 mins economic terms. To create some challenge the last two could be either.

Teaching Component: 10 minutes MAXIMUM- What NEW knowledge and/or skill will you
10 mins teach? How?
The scenario is set. The teacher explains that the Government of Abu Dhabi has decided to
build a new railway from Abu Dhabi to the town of Al Ain. This will provide for passenger and
freight. As there is currently no infrastructure at all for a railway this will require the
demolition of housing and the building of tunnels etc. The project is estimated to take up to
five years. As part of its support for private business, the Government wish to contract a
private company to build the railway. The purpose of the task is to examine costs and
benefits, both private and external and look at the advantages of using private companies in
such projects.

Students are divided into three groups: (A) A Government Committee, (B) The
Private Company and (C) A Community Action Group(CAG) with representatives
from various sections of the community in Al Ain. Students will not work in ability
groups though the teacher may place certain students in a group based on their
knowledge of their attainment and to balance the groups. Roles are selected
within each group with students having assigned tasks.

Development: What will they do?

GOVERNMENT PRIVATE COMPANY COMMUNITY GROUP

20
minutes This group has to decide The private company holds a The CAG has been informed
Cooperative task

on the costs and meeting because it wants to about the project which has
benefits of outsourcing tender for this project. What been announced in the
to a private company. Is will be the costs and national newspaper. The
this the best option? benefits for it? These need CAG holds a meeting and
They also need to to be separated into private discusses the costs and
decide how to mitigate and external costs. benefits of the project for
where there are issues different groups and
that will affect the local individuals in the
community and how community. Is it going to be
they could do this. a white elephant?

Their decision is noted Their decision is noted in

in presentation format presentation format on a Their decision is noted in
on a laptop. laptop. presentation format on a
laptop.

Plenary/review of learning: (10 minutes)

Activity:
The reporter from each group feeds back on their decision in presentation format. They have
three minutes per group(timed).

The teacher makes a brief comment on any new learning and direct students to record the
past exam question for homework.