Malone's Cones- AP Business with Personal Finance Activity

Why It Matters

The activity gives teachers a proven, low‑stakes way to spark student interest and embed foundational business concepts from day one, improving participation and learning outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• Start AP Business with interactive activity, not syllabus.
• Malone's Cones uses Kevin Malone video to spot business mistakes.
• Students list errors, then propose correct actions in partner discussions.
• Connect each mistake to specific AP Business topics for relevance.
• Activity lasts 20‑30 minutes, boosts engagement and course introduction.

Summary

Jacob Clifford introduces Malone's Cones, a 20‑30‑minute hands‑on activity for the first day of AP Business with Personal Finance, replacing a traditional syllabus review.

The activity shows a clip from The Office featuring Kevin Malone’s failed ice‑cream venture. Students watch, list ten poor decisions, then compare lists with partners, filling a worksheet that asks what Kevin should have done.

Clifford emphasizes partner collaboration, “students have to feel really good about collaborating,” and ties each mistake to course topics such as market research, financing, and strategic planning, ending with a discussion of Kevin’s few positive traits.

By linking humor to core concepts, the exercise boosts early engagement, reinforces critical thinking, and sets a collaborative tone for the year, giving teachers a ready‑made, free resource.

Original Description

In this activity, students analyze Kevin Malone’s attempt to start “Malone’s Cones” from and identify the many business mistakes he makes while trying to launch a company and get a business loan.

Students connect Kevin’s failures to real AP Business with Personal Finance concepts including marketing, pricing, communication, ethics, and business planning. This is a fun and engaging introductory activity designed to help students think like entrepreneurs while developing communication and collaboration skills.

Download the PowerPoint and worksheet for this activity

https://www.ultimatereviewpacket.com/courses/business-teacher-samples

Join the AP Business with Personal Finance TEACHER Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/771047818626978/

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