Unit Rate & the Best Buy: Cart Smarts
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The lab
⭐ CART SMARTS — A REAL-WORLD MONEY LAB ⭐
What students do
- The Shelf Showdown — step into a real grocery-aisle scenario with a clear “I can” target
- Decode the Shelf Tags — read three authentic shelf tags for the same product at different sizes
- Find the Unit Price by Hand — divide price by size to find each unit price, no calculator
- Your Best-Buy Calculator — four “what-if” tasks in a self-calculating spreadsheet, including a coupon that flips the best buy
- Family Size vs. the Promo, Make the Call — prove which option is really cheaper per ounce
- Show What You Know — a scored mastery check on a fresh product
- Reality Check — reflection + a real-world connection
Real math, done right
The unit-rate work (7.RP.A.1) is done BY the student — twice, by hand, and it's assessed. Every price in this lab was chosen so the by-hand division lands on an exact cent, so students can check their own work precisely; a worked example shows a case where the bigger size IS cheaper, reinforcing “always compute, never assume.”
Print or digital
Print-and-go, or assign the editable Word packet in Google Docs and the calculator in Google Sheets. No devices today? A Printed Calculator Readouts page lets a fully print-only class run the whole lab.
What is included
- 10-page student lab (PDF + editable Word)
- Self-calculating spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets)
- 3-page teacher guide with full answer key + 10-point rubric
- Printed Calculator Readouts (print fallback) + Terms of Use
More Money Labs
Standard codes refer to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Math Class 678 is an independent publisher, not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by NGA Center or CCSSO. Every product is sold on Teachers Pay Teachers.