Grade &

Topic

Gr7

Duration

1x 60 minutes

Outcomes

Solve problems involving percent from 1% to 100%.

Objectives

Students will be able to convert between percent and decimal and justify why this
is necessary to calculate proportional value
Students will demonstrate problem-solving skills by determining proportional
value in the context of word problems

Prior
Knowledge

Students are aware of percent as a measure of a portion of a whole, but not

necessarily in the context of problem-solving

Materials

Timeline

Percent

Mini-whiteboards (for pre-assessment and formative assessment)

Class popsicle sticks (with names to draw for formative assessment)
Sticky notes (for summative assessment exit slips)
Tasks/Activities:
Essential question: What would you rather?

10 min

Ask the students What would you rather have?

30% of $50 or 80% of $20?
Students debate among themselves [no calculators]

10 min

Teacher has students move to either side of the classroom, depending on their
answer
Pre-assessment: using class popsicle sticks have students from each side of the
debate justify their position

20 min

Mini-lesson: teacher addresses the major misconceptions regarding percent

o Treating percent as a quantity that can be added like amounts
Scaffolding word problems as
(Proportion)*(Value) = (Proportional Value)
o Percent can be expressed as decimals or fractions, but unlike decimals and
fractions cannot denote value alone (unless they are the value themselves
[ie 10% of 50% = (0.1)(50%) = 5%]
Stressing the importance of context
That asking would you rather have half of this chocolate bar or a
quarter of that chocolate bar entirely depends on the size of the
chocolate bars whose value was undefined.
o Having difficulties identifying the whole that percent refers to
o Not understanding that percent refers to a number out of one-hundred;
percent is per cent (hundred) and thus has a decimal equivalent
Spatial representation: teacher can use diagrams to help visualization of
proportional value:

(Ontario Gov't, 2015)

20min

Collaboration: students generate their own Would you rather example following
the same format.
Some examples may include: What would you rather have, 1% of a billion or 99%
of a million
Formative assessment: students write their own example on their mini-whiteboard.
Teacher uses class popsicle sticks to have students read their example and possible
solution. Teacher helps form solution at front whiteboard if student cannot provide
one.
Formative Assessment: teacher collects students own example and corresponding
solution at end of class

Assessment

Pre-assessment using popsicle sticks and student justification during Would you
rather debate
Formative assessment: teacher to evaluate students chosen examples and listen to
class discussion during sharing
Summative Assessment: students to hand-in their own generated example and
solution

Plans for
Differentiatio
n

References

ELL students or students who have difficulty reasoning verbally are encouraged
to use their mini-whiteboards or manipulatives to communicate their reasoning.
Both linear and discrete models of representation are provided to enhance student
perspective (number line and area model with blocks)
For advanced open-ended extension: What makes certain fractions become
repeated decimals? What is the criteria? Do all prime denominators make
repeated decimals?

Ontario Gov't,. (2015). Student Success. Retrieved 28 October

2015, from
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/studentsuccess/Proporti
onReason.pdf