Students will engage in a real-world project simulating the operation of a small community store, where they will apply math skills to calculate sales tax, simple interest, and manage markups and markdowns. They'll interpret and solve percent problems as they manage inventory, adjust prices during sales, and calculate customer discounts. Through this hands-on experience, students will directly see how math helps in making financial decisions, linking classroom learning to everyday life.

Students will collaborate on creating a budget plan for a hypothetical small business, integrating their understanding of percent calculations. They will solve real-world problems involving sales tax, simple interest, and price adjustments through markups and markdowns. By the end of the project, students will successfully apply mathematical concepts to determine percent changes in the context of varying business scenarios, demonstrating their ability to solve and interpret multistep percent problems.

Students will create a personal finance plan that incorporates calculations of sales tax, interest, markups, markdowns, and percent changes for fictional scenarios. Each student will present their project on a poster board or digital presentation and explain their problem-solving process. To align with the Pattonville School District's portrait of a graduate, students will reflect on how they applied critical thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world contexts.

Students will embark on a "Grocery Store Challenge" to kick off their exploration of percent problems. Each student receives a virtual budget and a list of grocery items with given prices. They calculate total cost, applying different percents for discounts, sales tax, and markdowns. This interactive scenario will spark curiosity and lay the groundwork for analyzing real-world percent calculations.

At the conclusion of the project, students will host a "Percent Problem Fair" where they present different real-world scenarios, such as calculating sales tax, simple interest, and percent changes, using visually engaging displays. Each group will design an interactive booth where visitors can solve percent problems and witness the application of math in everyday life. The fair will serve as both a celebration and an interactive learning opportunity, inviting fellow students, teachers, and families to engage with the students' projects and deepen their understanding of percent problems.