Lets Go Shopping!

Topic: Numbers and Operations

Title of Lesson: Lets go shopping!
Subject Area: Mathematics/Arithmetic
Secondary Subject Area: Social Studies/Economics
Grade Level: 3
Time Allocation: 50 minutes

DESCRIPTION: This lesson is designed to help students continue to build their math skills by adding decimal
fractions. It is also designed to enhance their studies of economics. Lastly, it will help students gain a greater
understanding of what total cost is. During this lesson, students will get to experience real world economics by
shopping in a mock store in the classroom. There will be a number of items (with price tags) available for sale.
Each of the students will be given thirty one dollars to spend, and will then have 15 minutes in which to make
their selections. The students must purchase at least one of each of the items. There is only one possible
scenario that will yield an exact $31.00 purchase. As an extension of this activity, students will solve addition
and subtraction problems involving decimals by completing the attached worksheet for homework.
CONCEPTS: The students will be using addition to add various items (including sales tax) to find the total
cost of goods purchased. They will also be working with dollar signs and decimal points.
GPS STANDARDS: MCC3.NF.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a
Whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size
1/b.
SS3E3 The student will give examples of interdependence and trade and will explain how voluntary
exchange benefits both parties.
a. Describe the interdependence of consumers and producers of goods and services.
b. Describe how goods and services are allocated by price in the marketplace.
c. Explain that some things are made locally, some elsewhere in the country, and some in other countries.
d. Explain that most countries create their own currency for use as money.

SS3E4 the student will describe the costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices.
SPECIFIC LESSON BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES: The students will be able to add merchandise up to
find total cost. The students will be able to line numbers up correctly, according to decimal point. Finally,
students will gain a greater understanding of sales tax by seeing how it can affect the amount of money they
have to shop with.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
1. assorted candy ($1.99/ea.)
2. erasers ($0.73/ea.)
3. pencils ($0.12/ea.)
4. notebooks ($1.45/ea.)
5. markers/crayons ($3.25/pack)
6. pencil sharpeners ($1.05/ea.)
7. stickers ($2.00/pack)
8. books ($12.95/ea.)/magazines ($2.99/ea.)/comics ($2.33/ea.)
9. price tags
10. counterfeit money (bills and coins)
11. chalkboard
12. cash register iPad app (App Toy Cash Register): This app/game can be used as a calculator or as a
game to reinforce our shopping lesson.
BACKGROUND INFO:
Prior to conducting this lesson, the teacher should review (with their students) decimals and the placement of
numbers with decimals when adding them together. The teacher should also conduct a mini-lesson about
money, goods and services, and taxes.
PROCEDURES:
1. Tell the students that you are going to go shopping today. Go to the mock store, at the front of the room,
and pick up two candy bars, and a book. Take these to an imaginary checkout counter, and say that the
total cost is $16.93. Ask the class how you arrived at that answer?
2. Next, tell the class that they are now going to go shopping, and practice adding prices together, so that
they will know how to figure out total cost.
3. Also tell the class that since we are working with money, it is very important to always remember to use
a dollar sign. It is also necessary to use a decimal point, so we can get our numbers lined up correctly to
get the right total amount.
4. Go over with the class what was bought on your shopping trip: a book ($12.95) and two candy bars
($3.98). When we add these together, it is like adding two whole numbers, except for the decimal point:
1295+ 699= 1994 or $12.95 + $6.99= $19.94.
5. At this point, ask the students if they have any questions, and do another problem together as a class. For
example, two candy bars ($3.98) + notebook ($1.45) =$5.43.

6. Write some more problems on the chalkboard for the students to answer on their own paper. Have a
student come up and write the total cost of the merchandise, using proper dollar signs, and decimal
points.
Problem 1. Book ($12.95) + three comics ($6.99) = $19.94
Problem 2. Notebook ($1.45) + markers ($3.25) = $4.70
Problem 3. Pencil sharpener ($1.05) + two erasers ($1.46) = $2.51
Problem 4. Two candy bars ($3.98) + notebook ($1.45) + magazine $2.99) = $8.42
7. Now comes the fun part. Tell your students that they will now get to experience real world economics.
Inform them that they will each have $31.00 to spend at the store and that they must buy at least one of
each of the items that are for sale. Each item also has sales tax listed on the price tags. Further
complicate the lesson by telling the students that there is only one way that they can spend their entire
$31.00 (without any change leftover).
8. Next, tell the students that they will be coming up to view the prices of each of the items that are for sale
in the mock store. Further explain that they will need to bring along a pencil and paper with them on
which to write the prices on. Have groups of four to five students at a time get up to visit the mock
store. (You can speed up this part of the activity if you provide the students with a shopping list that
contains the store items and prices already listed).
9. When each group comes up to visit the store, provide each student with $20.00 of counterfeit currency
(the money is merely a manipulative for those students that are more tactile in their learning).
10. After all of the students have had a chance to review the store merchandise and prices, tell them that
they have ten minutes to attempt to solve this mystery? (Have the students work on this segment
individually).
11. Solution Set: one of each of the items + 1 eraser, 1 pencil sharpener and 3 pencils.
12. Assign some more problems for the students to do as homework (see attached worksheet). Allow them
time to work in class. Remind them that we practiced adding money together to find total cost, so the
next time they go shopping at a store, they can use these new skills that they have learned today.

CLOSURE/SUMMARIZE: To bring the lesson to a close, ask the students if any of them were able to solve the
math mystery? If no solutions were achieved, provide the answer on the blackboard and show the students how
to solve the problem. Next, pass out the attached math worksheet for homework. If you would like, you can also
provide some of the goodies from the mock store for your students to enjoy. If this lesson ran smoothly, your
students' understanding and competence with decimal fractions should now be greatly improved. Please utilize

the attached rubric and decimal fraction worksheet to assess student understanding. Additionally, you might want
to ask yourself and or your students the following questions to ascertain if the lesson was a success.
1. Where the instructions clear and concise?
2. Was the lesson content age appropriate?
3. Did the students possess the appropriate amount of prior knowledge to complete this assignment?
4. Was the time allowed for the assignment too short or too long?
5. In what ways might you change the lesson for future teaching opportunities?
6. Did the students seem to enjoy the lesson?
7. Might you change how student team selection was handled for future teaching opportunities?
8. Consider asking the students for feedback about the lesson.
ACCOMMODATIONS: For students whose native language isnt English; try to partner them with students
that are bilingual. A secondary option would be to provide instructions and worksheets in their native language.
To translate docs up to 150 words for free, go to:
(http://www.worldlingo.com/en/products_services/worldlingo_translator.html.)
GEARING DOWN: If you find that the lesson turns out to be too advanced for some or all of your students,
try reducing the number of items that are available for sale in the mock store.
GEARING UP: If you find that the lesson turns out to be too easy for some or all of your students, try
increasing the number of items that are available for sale in the mock store. If the lesson finishes up early,
consider having the students form two teams and compete against each other at solving random addition and
subtraction problems with decimal fractions.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Random sample
- Example: randomly call on students and have them explain their store selections.
2. Decimal Fraction worksheet (attached)
- grade the fraction worksheet to determine student understanding.