Rational Numbers: Plan a Fundraising Event

Created byFelicia Strayhorn

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Rational Numbers: Plan a Fundraising Event

Grade 6Math2 days

In this project, 6th-grade students plan and manage a fundraising event, applying rational number operations to create and manage a budget. They track financial transactions using rational numbers and develop strategies to maximize profits while staying within budget. Students analyze their budget and transaction data to make strategic decisions, culminating in a profit maximization proposal supported by rational number calculations.

Rational NumbersFundraisingBudgetingProfit MaximizationFinancial TransactionsStrategic Planning

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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we plan and manage a successful fundraising event, using rational numbers to maximize profits while staying within budget?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.

How can rational numbers be used to represent financial transactions in a fundraising event?
How do you calculate profit and loss using rational numbers?
What strategies can be used to maximize fundraising profits while staying within a budget?
How can we apply the understanding of rational numbers to plan and execute a fundraising event?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:

Students will be able to apply rational number operations to manage a budget for a fundraising event.
Students will be able to plan a fundraising event, making strategic decisions to maximize profits while adhering to a budget.
Students will be able to use rational numbers to represent financial transactions (income and expenses) in a fundraising event.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The 'Failed' Fundraiser Disaster

Students arrive to find the classroom transformed into a 'failed' fundraising event, complete with deflated balloons, mismatched decorations, and a sign reading 'Help Us Fix This!' This immediately sparks curiosity and challenges them to identify what went wrong and how they can plan a successful event using their math skills.

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Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.

Activity 1

Budgeting Brainstorm

Students will research various fundraising event options and create a detailed budget plan using rational numbers.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Research different types of fundraising events and estimate potential income.

2. List all possible expenses associated with the event (supplies, venue, marketing).

3. Represent income and expenses as rational numbers (positive and negative).

4. Create a detailed budget plan, showing all income and expenses.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA comprehensive budget plan for the fundraising event, including all income and expense items represented as rational numbers.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses the learning goal of applying rational number operations to manage a budget.

Activity 2

Transaction Tracker

Students will track financial transactions (income and expenses) using rational numbers and create a transaction ledger.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Set up a transaction ledger with columns for date, description, income, and expenses.

2. Record all income and expenses as rational numbers.

3. Calculate the balance after each transaction.

4. Regularly update the ledger and ensure accuracy.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed transaction ledger representing all financial activities using rational numbers.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers the learning goal of using rational numbers to represent financial transactions.

Activity 3

Profit Maximization Proposal

Students will analyze their budget and transaction data to make strategic decisions to maximize profits, using rational number calculations.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.

1. Analyze the budget and transaction ledger to identify areas for improvement.

2. Develop strategies to increase income (e.g., increase prices, run promotions).

3. Develop strategies to reduce expenses (e.g., negotiate better deals, cut unnecessary costs).

4. Use rational number calculations to project the impact of these strategies on the overall profit.

5. Write a proposal detailing the strategies and their projected impact.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA profit maximization proposal that includes strategies for increasing income and reducing expenses, supported by rational number calculations.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCorresponds to the learning goal of strategic decision-making to maximize profits.

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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Fundraising Event Planner Rubric

Category 1

Budgeting Brainstorm Quality

Assesses the quality of the budget plan, including the representation of income and expenses as rational numbers, the level of detail, and the clarity of presentation.

Criterion 1

Rational Number Representation

Accuracy of rational number representation in the budget plan

Beginning

1 Points

Budget plan uses rational numbers inaccurately or inconsistently; significant errors in representation.

Developing

2 Points

Budget plan represents some income and expenses as rational numbers with occasional errors.

Proficient

3 Points

Budget plan accurately represents most income and expenses as rational numbers with minor errors.

Exemplary

4 Points

Budget plan accurately and consistently represents all income and expenses as rational numbers with no errors.

Criterion 2

Budget Detail

Completeness and detail of the budget plan

Beginning

1 Points

Budget plan is incomplete, lacking essential income and expense items.

Developing

2 Points

Budget plan includes some income and expense items but lacks detail.

Proficient

3 Points

Budget plan is comprehensive, including most relevant income and expense items with adequate detail.

Exemplary

4 Points

Budget plan is exceptionally detailed, covering all possible income and expense items with clear descriptions and justifications.

Criterion 3

Organization & Clarity

Clarity and organization of the budget plan

Beginning

1 Points

Budget plan is disorganized and difficult to understand.

Developing

2 Points

Budget plan is somewhat organized but lacks clarity in presentation.

Proficient

3 Points

Budget plan is clearly organized and easy to follow with a logical structure.

Exemplary

4 Points

Budget plan is exceptionally well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to understand with a clear and logical structure.

Category 2

Transaction Tracker Quality

Evaluates the accuracy, completeness, and maintenance of the transaction ledger, focusing on the use of rational numbers.

Criterion 1

Transaction Accuracy

Accuracy of transaction recording using rational numbers

Beginning

1 Points

Transaction ledger contains frequent errors in recording income and expenses as rational numbers.

Developing

2 Points

Transaction ledger contains occasional errors in recording income and expenses as rational numbers.

Proficient

3 Points

Transaction ledger accurately records most income and expenses as rational numbers with few errors.

Exemplary

4 Points

Transaction ledger accurately and consistently records all income and expenses as rational numbers with no errors.

Criterion 2

Ledger Completeness

Completeness of the transaction ledger

Beginning

1 Points

Transaction ledger is incomplete, missing several transactions.

Developing

2 Points

Transaction ledger is missing some transactions.

Proficient

3 Points

Transaction ledger includes most transactions.

Exemplary

4 Points

Transaction ledger includes all transactions.

Criterion 3

Balance Calculation & Maintenance

Calculation of balances and ledger maintenance

Beginning

1 Points

Balances are rarely calculated, and the ledger is not maintained.

Developing

2 Points

Balances are inconsistently calculated, and the ledger is infrequently updated.

Proficient

3 Points

Balances are generally calculated correctly, and the ledger is regularly updated.

Exemplary

4 Points

Balances are always calculated correctly, and the ledger is meticulously maintained and updated.

Category 3

Profit Maximization Quality

Assesses the quality of the profit maximization proposal, focusing on the identification of improvement areas, the quality of proposed strategies, the accuracy of rational number calculations, and the clarity of the proposal.

Criterion 1

Area Identification

Identification of areas for improvement in the budget and transaction ledger

Beginning

1 Points

Fails to identify any areas for improvement.

Developing

2 Points

Identifies few areas for improvement.

Proficient

3 Points

Identifies several areas for improvement.

Exemplary

4 Points

Identifies numerous and insightful areas for improvement.

Criterion 2

Strategy Quality

Quality of strategies to increase income and reduce expenses

Beginning

1 Points

Strategies are unrealistic or ineffective.

Developing

2 Points

Strategies are basic and have limited potential impact.

Proficient

3 Points

Strategies are effective and have a clear potential impact.

Exemplary

4 Points

Strategies are innovative and highly effective with significant potential impact.

Criterion 3

Calculation Support

Use of rational number calculations to support the proposal

Beginning

1 Points

Calculations are absent or incorrect.

Developing

2 Points

Calculations are minimal and may contain errors.

Proficient

3 Points

Calculations are accurate and support the proposal.

Exemplary

4 Points

Calculations are comprehensive, accurate, and convincingly support the proposal.

Criterion 4

Proposal Clarity

Clarity and persuasiveness of the proposal

Beginning

1 Points

Proposal is unclear and unpersuasive.

Developing

2 Points

Proposal lacks clarity and persuasiveness.

Proficient

3 Points

Proposal is clear and persuasive.

Exemplary

4 Points

Proposal is exceptionally clear, well-reasoned, and highly persuasive.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning

Question 1

Reflecting on the 'Fundraising Event Planner' project, what was the most surprising thing you learned about using rational numbers in a real-world context?

Text

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Question 2

Which learning goal do you feel you achieved most successfully: applying rational number operations to manage a budget, strategic decision-making to maximize profits, or using rational numbers to represent financial transactions? Explain why.

Multiple choice

Required

Options

Applying rational number operations to manage a budget

Strategic decision-making to maximize profits

Using rational numbers to represent financial transactions

Question 3

On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident are you in your ability to plan and manage a budget using rational numbers?

Scale

Required

Question 4

Describe a time during the project when you had to overcome a challenge related to rational number calculations. What strategies did you use?

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Required

Question 5

If you were to do this project again, what is one thing you would do differently to improve the fundraising event's profitability, and how would rational numbers help you achieve this?

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Required