Unit 5, Lesson 1
Using Decimals in a Shopping Context
Grade 6
Preparation
Lesson Narrative
This lesson activates students’ experience with the four operations in the context of planning a party and staying within a budget. It also offers insights into students' understanding of operations on base-ten numbers before new concepts are introduced.
In the Warm-up, students are given the unit prices of some party supplies and asked if certain combinations of quantities could be purchased for $10. To answer the questions, students need to add decimals, and multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals.
In the main activity, students are asked to plan a menu for a dinner party for a certain number of people, within certain cost constraints, and under certain parameters. Students need to select the menu items, consider their prices, and both estimate and calculate the cost per item, the cost per person, and the total cost. Along the way, they add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers and decimals.
- Calculate sums and products of decimals in the context of money, and explain (orally and in writing) the calculation strategy.
- Estimate sums, differences, products, and quotients of decimals in the context of money, and explain (orally) the estimation strategy.
Let’s use what we know about decimals to make shopping decisions.
Required Materials
Activity 2
Required Preparation
Pick up newspaper circulars from a local grocery store for students to use. Prepare enough for each group of 2 students to have a copy. Alternatively, prepare access to grocery advertisements online.