Making Math Real: Percent, Discount, Sales Tax

One of the things I love about teaching math is that there is so much real-world application. Along with Science, it is one of the only subjects where, most of the time, I can make real-world connections with my students.

One of the things I hate about teaching math, is that the curriculum so infrequently reflects this real-world connection. (Sidenote: I recently stopped my lesson on probability with a 32 second mini-rant about how I have never in my entire life flipped a coin then spun a spinner and cared about the result. Honestly, come on curriculum peeps)

During our unit on percents I tried to remedy this lack of connection. I chose to take a lesson that involved 10 questions on discounts and sales tax and open a "mini-mall" in my classroom. I'm sure other teachers have done this much more effectively, but I had one day for this lesson (and I'm cheap and wasn't going to go out and buy a lot of items for my students to purchase like some much-more-awesome-than-me teachers do).

This is a great activity you can use for your students with minimal set up and high engagement.

Here's how it works:

1. Split your class into groups of 4. Each group will get one "Amount to Spend" card. I chose to use QR codes so students wouldn't be fighting over getting the larger amounts. 
2. Each student gets one "Discount" card. 

After that it is pretty much up to you how to run it. Here is what I did..

1. Students go a few at a time to the "mall" (a table in the back of the room where all the items to purchase are laid out) and choose one item. I made several copies of the items so there was enough for everyone and several of the popular items were still available. 
2. In groups, students calculate the amount of their item by find the discount and subtracting it. **An alternative is to have each member choose an item and then the group decides how to allocate their discounts. This gets them thinking a little more. 
3. Groups complete the recording sheet. If they have more money remaining after each member purchases something, they decide together what else to purchase and return to the "mall"
4. I announce that the mall is closing and if they want to make any final purchases, now is the time.
5. After closing, groups calculate the amount they spent. Then they calculate the sales tax for their items and answer the discussion questions. I had my students do their work on butcher paper on the desks, because that's fun. They could do whiteboards or notebooks, whatever floats your boat.

I love that this brings in real world topics like budgeting, over and under spending, sales tax (and why you have to pay it) and so many other skills that many of my students are unfamiliar with, while also teaching the skills of finding percent and discount. 

This activity was super easy to make, but if you don't want to reinvent the wheel, it is available at my shop on Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Click the button on the right sidebar or click here. 

Enjoy!