Teacher guide · Real Life Lab · Harder · about 30 min

🧾 Split the Bill Fairly

Pupils practise real life thinking and problem solving through "Split the Bill Fairly": Who owes what — and why that's fair.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 🧾 mission title and read the opening: "Check the receipt.". 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 4 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.

What was the hardest choice in "Split the Bill Fairly", and why?
Total bill — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Ada says splitting equally isn't fair. Is she right — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Suggest a fair way to split it, in your own words — 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?

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.

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

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Check the receipt.
Clue — Ada: Pasta £8, water £0
Clue — Ben: Burger £10, juice £3
Clue — Cara: Salad £7, juice £3
2. Total bill?
☐ £28
☐ £31
☐ £33
3. Ada says splitting equally isn't fair. Is she right?
☐ Yes — she ate least
☐ No — equal is always fair
4. Suggest a fair way to split it, in your own words.