Teacher guide · Real Life Lab · Harder · about 35 min

💯 Percentage Sale

Pupils practise problem solving and real life thinking through "Percentage Sale": Work out discounts and deals in a shop sale.

Lesson guide

  1. 1. Hook · 5 min

    Show the 💯 mission title and read the opening: "A £40 game is 25% off. What's the new price?". Take three quick guesses.

  2. 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. 3. Do · 10 min

    Pairs work through the 5 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"

  4. 4. Discuss · 10 min

    Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.

  5. 5. Reflect · 5 min

    Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used problem solving today.

Discussion questions

  • What was the hardest choice in "Percentage Sale", and why?
  • A £40 game is 25% off. What's the new price — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Which is the better deal — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • A price rises from £50 to £60. What % increase — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Where could you use problem solving 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: number, calculation, fractions and reasoning (KS1/KS2)
  • 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

💯 Percentage Sale

Name: ____________________   Date: __________

  1. 1. A £40 game is 25% off. What's the new price?

    ☐ £15

    ☐ £30

    ☐ £35

  2. 2. Which is the better deal?

    ☐ 20% off £15

    ☐ 50% off £20

  3. 3. Match fraction to percentage.

    1/2 → ________________

    1/4 → ________________

    3/4 → ________________

    1/10 → ________________

  4. 4. A price rises from £50 to £60. What % increase?

    ☐ 10%

    ☐ 20%

    ☐ 60%

  5. 5. Explain how you'd find 15% of £80 in your head.