Lesson Overview

Duration: 40 Minutes

Target Age: 13 years old (Grade 7/8)

Objective: Students will demonstrate how mathematics—specifically percentages, area, and basic algebra—is essential for running a successful business and making real-world financial decisions.

Materials Needed

• Graph paper and a ruler
• Calculator (or phone calculator)
• Pencil and eraser
• A "Menu Planning" worksheet (or blank paper)
• Access to the internet for a quick 1-minute price check (optional)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

• Calculate Unit Cost to determine how much a single product costs to make.
• Apply Markup Percentages to ensure a business makes a profit.
• Use Spatial Geometry to organize a workspace efficiently.
• Differentiate between Revenue and Profit.

1. The Hook: The $10.00 Illusion (5 Minutes)

Scenario: You are at a food truck and buy a "Mega-Taco" for $10.00. The owner looks happy, but how much of that $10.00 does the owner actually keep?

Discussion: Ask the student to guess how much of that $10 is profit. List their guesses. Introduce the concept: "Math is the difference between owning a business and accidentally giving your money away."

2. I Do: The "Unit Cost" Breakdown (10 Minutes)

The Concept: Before you can sell anything, you need to know what it costs to create. This is the "Unit Cost."

Instructional Modeling: Let’s look at the ingredients for one "Mega-Taco":

• Tortilla: $0.25
• Protein (Beef/Beans): $1.20
• Toppings (Cheese, Salsa, Lettuce): $0.55
• Packaging (Wrapper and Napkin): $0.15

The Math: Add these together ($0.25 + $1.20 + $0.55 + $0.15 = $2.15). This is our Variable Cost.

The Hidden Math: We also have "Fixed Costs" like gas for the truck and a permit. If those cost $40 per day and we sell 40 tacos, we add $1.00 to every taco. Total Unit Cost: $3.15.

3. We Do: The Markup Challenge (10 Minutes)

The Concept: If we sell the taco for $3.15, we make $0 profit. We need a "Markup." Most food businesses want a 300% markup on their ingredient costs.

Interactive Practice: Let's calculate the menu price together.

• Step 1: Take the Unit Cost ($3.15).
• Step 2: Decide on a profit margin. Let’s try to triple the cost (300%).
• Step 3: $3.15 × 3 = $9.45.
• Step 4: Let's round it to a "psychological price" like $9.49 or $9.99. Why do businesses do that? (Brief discussion on rounding).

Spatial Check: Use the graph paper. If your food truck kitchen is 8ft x 10ft (80 sq ft), and your grill takes up 12 sq ft and your fridge takes up 15 sq ft, how much "walking room" do you have left? (80 - 12 - 15 = 53 sq ft).

4. You Do: The "Rush Hour" Simulation (10 Minutes)

The Task: You are the owner. A local school wants to buy 20 tacos for a party, but they want a 15% "bulk discount."

Instructions: Use your math skills to answer these three questions:

1. What is the total price for 20 tacos at the full price ($9.45 each)?
2. How much money is the 15% discount? (Total Price × 0.15)
3. After the discount, what is your Total Revenue? Will you still make a profit compared to your cost of $3.15 per taco?

Student works independently while the teacher/parent observes and offers hints if they get stuck on the decimal points.

5. Conclusion & Recap (5 Minutes)

Review: Summarize the journey of the $10.00 bill.

• We used Addition for unit costs.
• We used Multiplication/Percentages for markups and discounts.
• We used Subtraction for profit and spatial planning.

Success Criteria Check: Ask the student: "If your friend starts a lemonade stand and sells drinks for 50 cents, but the lemons and sugar cost 60 cents per cup, what would you tell them using math?"

Assessment Methods

• Formative: Observation during the "We Do" phase to see if the student understands the relationship between cost and price.
• Summative: The "Rush Hour" simulation results. If the student correctly calculates the 15% discount and determines if it's still profitable, the objective is met.

Differentiation & Adaptability

• For Struggling Learners: Provide a "Cheat Sheet" for converting percentages to decimals (e.g., 15% = 0.15). Use rounder numbers for costs (e.g., $2.00 instead of $2.15).
• For Advanced Learners: Introduce the "Break-Even Point." If the truck rental is $500 a month, how many tacos do they need to sell just to pay the rent?
• Digital Adaptation: Instead of graph paper, use a free online floor planner or a spreadsheet (Excel/Sheets) to automate the taco cost calculations.