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

⚡ Handle an Unexpected Cost

Pupils practise real life thinking and problem solving through "Handle an Unexpected Cost": The budget just changed. Now decide.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the ⚡ mission title and read the opening: "What happened.". 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 3 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 "Handle an Unexpected Cost", and why?
What's the strongest first move — explain your reasoning to a partner.
What are you giving up, and how will you get it back — 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. What happened.
Clue — Plan: You saved £25 for a cinema trip and a game.
Clue — Surprise: Your bike tyre bursts. A new one is £15.
2. What's the strongest first move?
☐ Buy the game anyway
☐ Fix the bike — you use it daily
☐ Borrow money
3. What are you giving up, and how will you get it back?