Percentage Power Play

---

🧭 Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Mathematics
Year Level: Year 7
Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0) Strand: Number | Number and Algebra
Content Description:
AC9M7N06 – Recognise and solve problems involving percentages, including percentage increases and decreases.

General Capabilities:

• Numeracy – Applying knowledge of percentages in familiar and unfamiliar situations.
• Critical and Creative Thinking – Analysing percentage scenarios and interpreting outcomes.

---

🎯 Lesson Objectives (By the end of this 30-minute lesson, students will be able to...)

1. Define a percentage as a fraction of 100.
2. Calculate simple percentages of whole numbers.
3. Identify and solve real-life problems involving percentage increases and decreases.
4. Reflect on how percentages are used in everyday contexts in a meaningful and enjoyable way.

---

⏱ Duration

Total Time: 30 minutes
Class Size: 30 students

---

🪄 Materials and Preparation

• Whiteboard and markers (or SMARTboard)
• Individual mini whiteboards for students (or exercise books)
• Printed “Real-World Percentage Scenarios” task cards
• Calculators
• Timer
• A set of coloured percentage cards (10%, 25%, 50%, etc.) – optional for kinaesthetic activity

---

🧠 Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes)

Activity: What’s the Price? Quiz Game
Use quick-fire questions on the board as students write down answers on their mini whiteboards:

• What is 50% of 10?
• What is 25% of 20?
• What is 10% of 80?

Encourage students to hold up their answers after each question. Give instant feedback and explain the quick methods (e.g., halving, dividing by 10).

Teacher Tip: Use Queensland-specific references like discounts at common shops (e.g. “How much is 25% off a $40 footy jersey at Rebel?”) to hook students in.

---

🧱 Explicit Teaching (10 minutes)

Introduce Percentages:

• Define 1% as 1 out of 100.
• Link percentages to fractions and decimals:
  25% = 25/100 = 0.25
• Discuss real-life applications: prices, discounts, phone battery, sport stats, voting results.

Mini Anchor Example:

"A pair of sneakers at Foot Locker costs $120. It’s 25% off. What is the new price?"

Model:

• Find 25% of $120 ➝ $30
• Subtract ➝ $120 - $30 = $90
• Discuss strategies: fraction method, decimal method, calculator use

Introduce Increase and Decrease Problems:

• A cricket bat price increases by 15% from $200. What is the new price?
• Show both methods: Add the increase, or multiply by 1.15

---

🏃‍♂️ Activity – Real-World Challenge Cards (12 minutes)

“Percentages in the Wild” Small Group Challenge

Setup:

• Students work in groups of 3 (10 groups).
• Each group receives two task cards. Cards feature real-life scenarios:
  • “You get 40% off a $75 hoodie.”
  • “A soccer ball increases in price by 10% to cover shipping. Original cost: $50.”
• Groups collaborate to solve the problem using calculators or mental maths.
• One student writes the working, another presents the answer, and the third explains the method.

Differentiation Tips:

• Provide extra support cards with step-by-step scaffolding.
• Give extension cards with multiple-step problems (e.g. successive discounts, or increases followed by VAT).

Teacher Circulation: Walk between groups, listen actively, provide prompts like:

• “How else could you check your answer?”
• “Why might a shop increase a price by 10%?”

---

🔄 Reflection and Wrap-up (3 minutes)

Come together as a class. Discuss:

• “Where did you see percentages this week?”
• “Which was harder: working out discounts or increases?”
• “How can learning about percentages help us with money and shopping?”

Use “thumbs up, sideways, down” to check confidence.

Optional Exit Ticket: Students answer – “What is one thing you now understand about percentages?”

---

✏️ Formative Assessment

• Observation during warm-up and group activity
• Exit ticket response or verbal check-in
• Accuracy of task card solutions and methods shared

---

🔁 Differentiation & Inclusion

• Support: Provide scaffolding notes or partially filled tables for students who need it.
• Challenge: Multi-step real-life scenarios for early finishers.
• Inclusive Examples: Use a wide variety of cultural and gender-neutral names and interests (e.g. percentages in sports, music, shopping apps like The Iconic).

---

🧠 Extension / Homework Task

Optional Mini-Project:

Track 3 real-world percentages you see at home this week – they could be on food labels, discount signs, phone battery life, or social media growth. Bring them in with a short calculation about what they mean.

---

🧩 Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson)

• Were students engaged with real-world examples?
• Did group collaboration enhance understanding?
• Who may need additional practice before moving on?
• Consider flipping next lesson with a short video on percentage increase/decrease for home viewing.

---

🌟 Teacher Wow-Factor

• Real-world teaching links to pop culture and everyday interests
• Collaborative card-based learning that gets students discussing mathematical reasoning
• Alignment to Australian Curriculum v9.0, tailored to Queensland context
• Quick 30-minute sequence with built-in assessment and reflection

---

Next Lesson (Lesson 10):

“Applications of Percentages – Tips, Taxes & Total Costs” – building on this foundational knowledge through fun, real-world tasks involving restaurant tipping and price mark-ups.