Business Day is program that fourth grade students at Cherry Chase participate in throughout the school year. This program is designed to promote good student behavior as well as teach important life skills such as organization, long-term planning, creativity, money management skills, and self-discipline. Business Days are usually held on Thursday afternoons, once every trimester (3 times for the year). Each Business Day, students are required to design and create a product composed mainly of recycled materials found at home. Students should create approximately 15-20 sellable items from their chosen product to display and sell on Business Day. Students may create the same product item for each Business Day, though they are welcome to create a different product each time.

Students are required to name their businesses. In addition, they must make signs for their Business Day displays, create a flyer to post in the classroom, and create business cards to distribute on Business Day. Students will determine how much their items will cost (in classroom money - aka 'Murphy Bucks').

Each buyer will receive 2,000 Murphy Bucks to use while shopping in Room 14. Parents are encouraged to attend Business Day - each parent will receive 2,000 Murphy Bucks to spend!

Dates for 2008-2009 Business Days
(1:00-1:30)

December 11, 2008

March 5, 2009

June 4, 2009

(click here to view previous product photos)
(click here to view previous product photos)

Business Day Rules and Guidelines

1. Each student must create hand-made products to sell on specified dates.
2. Products are encouraged to be made from recycled materials. No items may be made or taken from the computer and no food items will be accepted. No exceptions.
3. Students will be scored by their participation.
4. Business Day products will be made at home as an on-going assignment. Long-term planning and organization skills will be needed to meet established deadlines.
5. Students will keep track of their earnings on their transaction sheets. These sheets will be collected throughout the year and will be scored on completeness and accuracy. Transaction sheet scores will also count toward math scores.
6. Students may not have a business partner.
7. Students can additionally earn money through good classroom behaviors, but can also lose it for poor behavior.

How to Start a Business

1.      Create a product to sell.  Use your imagination to create a product you think your classmates would buy.  Remember that it must be made by you.  Make a sample of the product and bring it to school.  The more attractive the product, the nicer the packaging, and the popularity of the item will give you a greater chance of selling your product in order to make more money for yourself.  Your will need:

a.       A business name

b.      To know how much you will charge your customers for your product (customers will receive 2000 classroom bucks/cash to spend while shopping)

2.      Be prepared to make a short speech telling about your product (how it was made, what it is used for), why customers should buy it, and how much your product will cost.

3.      You will also need to apply for a business license permit.  The permit costs 500 classroom bucks/cash. 

4.      Once the teacher approves the product, then you will need to publicize it by making a flyer and a set of business cards to pass out to your future customers on Business Day.  You will need a sign for your business that tells you when it is open and closed.  You will be responsible for having these three items on our first selling day.