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. 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. 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 5 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 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. A £40 game is 25% off. What's the new price?
☐ £15
☐ £30
☐ £35
2. Which is the better deal?
☐ 20% off £15
☐ 50% off £20
3. Match fraction to percentage.
1/2 → ________________
1/4 → ________________
3/4 → ________________
1/10 → ________________
4. A price rises from £50 to £60. What % increase?
☐ 10%
☐ 20%
☐ 60%
5. Explain how you'd find 15% of £80 in your head.