Inquiry: “Plan the Class Excursion”
This approach hands students an open, real-world money question and lets them investigate, make decisions and justify them. It suits learners who thrive when given ownership of a meaningful problem.
Driving question: “Our class has a budget of $600 for an end-of-term excursion. Where can we go, and how do we make the money stretch?”
Phase 1 — Gather costs. Groups research (or are given cards for) entry fees, bus hire and lunch costs. They list every cost per student and for the whole class of 25.
Phase 2 — Build a budget. Each group totals their plan, checks it against $600 , and calculates the cost per student. They must find at least one saving (e.g. bringing lunch instead of buying it) and show the new total.
Phase 3 — Pitch and defend. Groups present their excursion to the class with the numbers to back it up. The class votes, but only plans that stay within budget and show correct working are eligible.
Why it works. An authentic budget forces genuine decisions about discounts, totals and value for money. Because students choose the destination, the percentages and subtraction feel purposeful rather than abstract.