Lesson: Alina’s Candy Corp.

Tell students that they will be working with percents in this lesson. As a class, discuss benchmark percents, decimals, and fractions that can help them estimate an answer before finding an exact answer. Have students generate a list of benchmark percents and their equivalent fractions and decimals. You can use the following practice problems as examples:

• How would you find 25% of 200? (multiply 200 by 0.25 or 1/4 )

• How would you find 10% of $60? (multiply $60 by 0.10 or 1/10 )

Play the video. Post the following comprehension questions to have students answer while watching the video:

• What makes Zolli Candy different from other types of candy? (It cleans your teeth while you eat it.)

• How do Zollipops protect your teeth? (They neutralize acids in your mouth and remove bacteria that cause cavities.)

• What is Alina’s advice for young entrepreneurs? (Work hard, put in the time, and find your passion.)

Distribute or digitally share the “Identifying Text Features” skills sheet. Before reading the article, have a volunteer read through the introductory portion of the skills sheet aloud to the class. While reading the introduction, ask students to identify an example of each text feature in the article. Then have students read the article independently or in small groups and complete the skills sheet. Select a few volunteers to share the text features they identified.

Read through the introduction of the “Math Behind the Business” box on page 23. Tell students that to calculate the sales tax, the main skill they will be working with is how to find a percent of a number. Have students think-pair-share about methods they can use to find the percent of a number. (Possible methods include: converting the percent to a fraction and multiplying by the cost; converting the percent to a decimal and multiplying by the cost; writing a proportion where one side of the proportion is the percent over 100). Then play the instructional video “Percent of a Number.” Afterward, split your class into small groups or pairs and have them work on solving all three of the questions. Remind students to use benchmarks to help them estimate an answer as a helpful check before finding the exact answer. Allow students to use calculators if needed, unless you want to give them extra practice multiplying decimals.

Split the class into two groups to debate which is better: a higher sales tax or a lower sales tax. Give students time to research about the advantages and disadvantages of sales taxes in their larger groups. Students should include the following in their research: position, opening statement, argument, counterargument, closing statement. Then hold a class debate and have speakers from each group present their points.

Have students make a wish list of 5 items, and have them find the cost of the items online. Provide students with the sales tax rate in your state. Have them identify the amount of tax that would be charged for each item on their wish list, and the total cost of each item once the sales tax is added.