Teacher guide · Real Life Lab · Medium · about 30 min
🧳 Pack for a Trip
Pupils practise real life thinking and problem solving through "Pack for a Trip": Fit what matters into a bag with a limit.
Lesson guide
1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 🧳 mission title and read the opening: "Bag holds 10kg. Pack for a rainy weekend.". Take three quick guesses.
2. Model · 5 min
Think aloud through the first step together. Use Coin the Raccoon's line as your prompt: "Smart call. Money and time both count."
3. Do · 10 min
Pairs work through the 2 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"
4. Discuss · 10 min
Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.
5. Reflect · 5 min
Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used real life thinking today.
Discussion questions
- What was the hardest choice in "Pack for a Trip", and why?
- What did you leave out, and why was that okay — explain your reasoning to a partner.
- Where could you use real life thinking outside school this week?
- If you did this again, what would you change?
Adapting it
Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.
Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.
Curriculum links
- National Curriculum: Maths: money, measures and solving real-world problems
- PSHE: Living in the wider world: economic wellbeing — money, saving and choices
- PSHE: Health & wellbeing: keeping safe and everyday responsibilities
Pupil sheet
🧳 Pack for a Trip
Name: ____________________ Date: __________
1. Bag holds 10kg. Pack for a rainy weekend.
Budget: £10
☐ Coat (2kg) — £2
☐ Boots (2kg) — £2
☐ Clothes (3kg) — £3
☐ Games console (2kg) — £2
☐ Books (3kg) — £3
☐ Snacks (1kg) — £1
Total spent: £______
2. What did you leave out, and why was that okay?