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Lesson plan · Entrepreneurship · Lesson 1

Finding Problems Worth Solving

Great businesses start with a real problem, not a cool idea.

  • 45 minutes
  • Grades 9–12
  • Beginner
  • Activity: small groups
Present slidesWorksheet + keyStudent lesson

Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Explain why strong businesses start with a real problem
  • Apply four tests to a problem: frequent, painful, already patched, reachable
  • Turn an everyday complaint into a clear problem statement

Materials

  • Slide deck and a projector
  • Worksheet (one per student)
  • Exit ticket slips (bottom of the worksheet)

45-minute agenda

  1. 0–5 min

    Warm-up

    Post: “List three things that annoyed you this week — at school, at home, or online.”

    Teacher note: Save these lists; students use them in the activity.

  2. 5–15 min

    Direct instruction

    Present the lesson slides. Make sure students leave with these points:

    • Start with a problem, not a product.
    • Frequent, painful, already patched, reachable.
    • Workarounds are proof people care.
    • Complaints are clues.

    Use the “See it” slide (Four tests for a problem worth solving) to make the idea visual.

  3. 15–20 min

    Worked example

    Walk through “Marcus and the dirty sneakers” on the slides. Pause before the result and ask students to predict it.

  4. 20–32 min

    Complaint to Opportunity

    Format: small groups · 12 minutes

    1. Groups pool their warm-up complaints and pick five.
    2. For each, groups run the four tests: Is it frequent? Painful? Are people already patching it with a workaround? Can you reach the people who have it?
    3. Groups choose the strongest problem and write a one-sentence problem statement: “[Who] struggles with [what] because [why].”
    4. Each group shares its statement; the class names the workaround people use today.

    What to look for: Strong statements are specific about who has the problem and point to an existing workaround as proof people care.

  5. 32–37 min

    Check for understanding

    Use the question slides — or run them as a Four Corners game. Answers:

    1. Which is a problem rather than an idea? — B. "Students waste 20 minutes every lunch waiting in line."
    2. What does that suggest? — B. People care enough to put in effort — a sign the problem is real.
    3. A problem that happens once every few years is usually a stronger business opportunity than one that happens weekly. — False
  6. 37–42 min

    Discussion

    • What's a problem you or your friends deal with every week?
    • Why do you think so many people start with an idea instead of a problem?
  7. 42–45 min

    Exit ticket

    Prompt: Why is a workaround a good sign when you're looking for a problem to solve?

    Answer: It proves people care enough about the problem to spend time or money fixing it themselves.

Differentiation

Common misconception

“A cool idea is enough to start a business.” Without a real problem, there's no reason for customers to pay.

Support

Provide the problem-statement template and one completed example.

Extension

Interview two people who have your group's problem and record how they deal with it today.

Homework or make-up work

Students can complete the full interactive lesson — including its knowledge check — at learnwithflc.org/courses/entrepreneurship/problems-worth-solving. No account needed; progress saves on their device.