Unit 6, Lesson 13
Posing Percentage Problems
Accelerated 6
Preparation
Lesson Narrative
In this culminating lesson on percentages, students work in groups to examine news clippings that mention percentages and sort them according to whether they are about percent increase or percent decrease. Then they formulate questions about the situations and share their questions with other groups in a gallery walk. As students make sense of what information is given in the clipping and what information they could ask for in a question, they are reasoning quantitatively and abstractly (MP2).
This lesson is optional.
- Generate questions (orally and in writing) about a real-world situation involving percent increase or decrease.
- Interpret news headlines or advertisements that include statements about percent increase and decrease.
- Solve a problem about a real-world situation involving percent increase or decrease and present the solution method (in writing and through other representations).
Let's explore how percentages are used in the news.
Required Materials
Activity 1
Activity 2
Required Preparation
If possible, ask students to cut several clippings from newspapers or print advertisements that include percentages or to bring in similar items from internet searches. If not possible, bring several examples yourself. Examples include coupons, news stories, and advertisements claiming an increase in product size ("Now with 33% more soap!"). Every group of 3–4 students should have a set including a variety of contexts with some that show a percentage increase of an amount and some that include a percentage decrease in an amount.
In the final activity, each group of 3–4 students create a visual display to be used in a gallery walk based on one of the situations. Provide materials to create these displays. During the gallery walk, students will leave feedback for each group on a sticky note they can attach to the displays. Provide several sticky notes for each group.