Red Orb Stock Systems

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 20 of 30), students organise Red Orb shop inventory and complete multi-step calculations for cost, tax, and discounts. They also practise Week 9 spelling words and create a short business-poetry piece celebrating their mathematical problem-solving.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• design and use a simple inventory system for the Red Orb shop (items, quantities, unit cost, category)
• calculate total costs using multi-step operations (multiply decimals, add tax, subtract discounts)
• explain how inventory and calculations help a shop make profit
• apply Week 9 spelling words accurately in a short writing task (spelling focus)

Success criteria

“I can…”

• choose a clear spreadsheet-style layout (or table) and enter inventory data accurately
• solve costs with more than one operation and show my steps
• check my answers using estimation or inverse operations
• use spelling words (inventory, merchandise, wholesale, retail, profit) correctly in my poetry/business lines

Curriculum links

• English (Literature): create and edit literary texts by adapting ideas/characters/settings students have experienced; experiment with literary devices
• English (Literacy): use comprehension strategies such as summarising and questioning to build literal/inferred meaning during editing/conferencing
• English (Language): recognise cohesion using repetition/word associations to link ideas across a short text
• English (Language): identify authors’ use of vivid, emotive vocabulary (e.g. imagery/metaphor) in brief creative writing
• Mathematics (Health check): apply multi-step calculation strategies for budgeting using decimals and percentage reasoning (tax/discount)

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Mission hook (DeviI May Cry style). Teacher shows a “Shop Clerk Checkpoint” image: a messy shelf + a happy shelf with labels. Students do a 30-second Think → Pair → Share: “What inventory info helps you buy the right items?” Teacher captures answers on a mini word bank.

2. 5–12 min · Spelling burst (Week 9). Teacher reads aloud a sentence containing each spelling word; students repeat using finger spelling or tap counting. Then students complete a “Word-Spot” activity: match each spelling word to a picture card (orb, crate, shop sign, receipt).

• Dyslexia-friendly option: student can circle/point to the correct word while teacher records.

3. 12–22 min · Direct teach: Inventory system design. Teacher displays a template layout (on paper or tablet):

• Item (name) → Category → Quantity → Unit cost (decimal) → Wholesale/retail label → Notes Students choose 4–6 items from the project kit list (e.g. “Red Orb Bottles”, “Gothic Mana Candles”, “Lantern Oil”, “Shadow Dice”, “Repair Nails”). Teacher reminds: “Cohesion = repeating key shop words (item, quantity, cost, profit).” Student task: copy the layout and fill it in with realistic quantities and unit costs (given number bank).

4. 22–38 min · High-dopamine calculations station (multi-step). Teacher explains the “Money Mission” formula using visuals:

• Step 1: subtotal = quantity × unit cost
• Step 2: tax added = subtotal × tax rate (or use given tax amount)
• Step 3: discount subtracted = subtotal-with-tax × discount rate (or subtract given % value) Provide two calculation cards with different tax/discount scenarios (teacher chooses based on student readiness). Student task:
• Calculate totals for each item (at least 2 items must be full multi-step; others can be partially completed if time is tight).
• Must show working using a “Check box” format: I multiplied, I added tax, I subtracted discount, I estimated, I finalised.

5. 38–48 min · Inventory check + profit meaning. Teacher introduces “Profit lens” with a simple mini statement: Profit = retail total − wholesale total Students do a quick “sanity check” using estimation: round decimals to nearest whole/half and see if their exact answer is close. Student task: choose one item and write 1 sentence: “This shop makes profit because…” using the word bank (wholesale/retail/profit).

6. 48–58 min · Business poetry (English integration). Teacher models a 6-line poem with gothic-adventure tone and mathematical celebration: Example frame (student completes):

• In the castle shop, my inventory stacks in rhythm,
• Merchandise marching like mana, line by line… Students must include at least 3 Week 9 spelling words and one metaphor or image.
• Low reading friction: teacher reads the poem draft options; students pick lines using a “choose-and-combine” card set.

7. 58–60 min · Exit ticket (quick evidence). Students answer: “What are the 3 steps in your money mission?” (write or point to a 3-step strip) + circle one spelling word they used correctly.

Resources

• Red Orb inventory template (printable table) and blank “inventory cards”
• Number bank for unit costs (decimals) and given tax/discount rates
• Picture cards for spelling words (inventory, merchandise, wholesale, retail, profit)
• Calculation scenario cards with 2–3 guided steps and check boxes
• Poem line choice cards (gothic shop tone + math celebration)
• Pencil/eraser, coloured markers (optional), calculator if needed (for checking, not replacing thinking)

Assessment

• During calculations: teacher checks multi-step process boxes (multiply → tax → discount) and accuracy on at least two items
• During conferencing: teacher listens for profit explanation sentence including correct vocabulary
• Exit ticket: 3-step identification + one-correct spelling word

Differentiation

• Provide a reduced writing option: students can complete calculations on a worked example sheet and then select completed poem lines from cards (teacher transcribes for assessment of vocabulary use).
• Offer choice: Scenario A (smaller numbers) or Scenario B (more decimals). Students pick one to fully complete.
• Use graphic organisers: “Money Mission” flow strip with arrows; “Inventory” table with colour-coded columns (quantity in blue, cost in green, totals in purple).
• Neurodivergent supports: short bursts (already timed), movement option during estimation (walk to number line cards), and scheduled micro-break at 18 minutes (“shake out + check one answer”).