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KS2 · Year 5 · Lesson plan

Comparison shopping — finding the best deal

A classroom-ready 45 minutes lesson plan with starter, main, plenary, differentiation, SEND adaptations, EAL support and assessment criteria. Free to use, no login.

Key Stage
KS2
Year group
Year 5
Age range
9–10
Duration
45 minutes
Subject
Maths / PSHE
Cost
Free

Learning aim

Pupils can calculate the unit price of items sold in different sized packs and identify which offers the best value per item.

CURRICULUM National Curriculum links

RESOURCES What you'll need

LESSON Lesson structure (45 minutes)

0–5 min
HOOK
Show two real-style price tags side by side: "6 apples for £1.20" and "4 apples for 90p". Ask: "Which is the better deal? How do you know?" Take 3 answers. Don't resolve — let pupils notice they need to compare per apple, not the total.
5–15 min
TEACH
Introduce "unit price" on the board: the price of one item, found by dividing the total price by the number of items. Model: 6 apples for £1.20 → 120p ÷ 6 = 20p per apple. 4 apples for 90p → 90p ÷ 4 = 22.5p per apple. So the 6-pack is the better deal. Try a second example with pasta packs.
15–30 min
GUIDED
Pairs work through 6 supermarket comparison scenarios on the worksheet. Each scenario has two pack options. Pupils calculate the unit price for each and circle the better deal. Walk the room to check calculation accuracy. Push pupils to explain "by how much per item is it cheaper?"
30–40 min
CHALLENGE
Display the trickier scenario: "Big bag of crisps: 200g for £1.20. Small multipack: 6 × 30g bags for £2. Which is better per gram?" Pupils calculate: big bag = 0.6p per gram, multipack = £2 / 180g = 1.11p per gram. Discuss: "When might the multipack still be the right choice?" (Convenience, portion control, school lunch.)
40–45 min
PLENARY
Display one final comparison. Pupils calculate on mini-whiteboards. Hold up answers. Final question: "Why do supermarkets sometimes make the bigger pack worse value than the smaller one?" (Discuss psychology of "bigger looks better".)

DIFFERENTIATION Adapting for all learners

Support (working below ARE)

Use comparisons with round numbers only (e.g. 4 for £1 vs 5 for £1.50). Provide a calculator. Pair with a confident partner.

Stretch (working above ARE)

No calculator. Use prices like £1.99 and £3.49. Add a "loyalty card discount" twist: "What if you got 10% off the bigger pack?" Recalculate.

SEND SEND adaptations

For pupils with dyscalculia: use multiples of 10 only (10 for £1, 20 for £1.50, etc.) so division is mental. For pupils with autism: provide a procedural card "1. Divide total by number 2. Compare unit prices 3. Smaller unit price = better deal".

EAL EAL support

Vocabulary: "unit price", "per item", "per gram", "deal", "value", "multipack". Sentence frame: "___ costs ___ per ___. ___ costs ___ per ___. ___ is the better deal because ___."

ASSESSMENT Assessment criteria

Pupils can: (1) calculate the unit price of an item given a multipack price; (2) compare two unit prices and identify the better deal; (3) explain why bigger packs aren't always better value. Exit ticket: one comparison question.

HOME Homework pack

Four activities about getting more for your money. ~25 minutes.

Unit price hunt

What pupils do: In your kitchen, find any 2 different sized packets of the same product (e.g. small and big rice bag). Write the price of each and divide by how many grams. Which is cheaper per gram?

Expected output: A small table with sizes, prices, price-per-gram, and a winner.

Marking guidance: 1 mark per correct calculation, 2 marks for the correct conclusion.

Brand vs supermarket-own

What pupils do: Compare a brand-name product (e.g. Heinz beans) to the supermarket's own brand of the same thing. Find the price difference per tin/jar/box.

Expected output: A side-by-side comparison with prices and difference.

Marking guidance: 1 mark per price, 2 marks for a correct difference and a reasoned conclusion.

Sale or scam?

What pupils do: Find any "buy 2 get 1 free" or similar offer. Calculate: is it actually cheaper than buying 1 product? By how much per item?

Expected output: A calculation showing per-item cost with and without offer.

Marking guidance: 2 marks for correct calculation, 2 marks for a clear comparison statement.

Extension (optional)

What pupils do: Find 3 different sources for the same product (a supermarket, a brand website, an online marketplace). Compare prices. Which gives best value? Why might the cheapest one not always be best?

Expected output: A 3-source comparison plus a "best value" decision with reasoning.

Marking guidance: Up to 6 marks for thorough research and reasoning.

Family discussion prompt (safeguarding-aware)

Next time you shop with a grown-up, find one item that has different brands at very different prices. Talk together about what you would choose and why.

SAFEGUARDING Classroom safeguarding

Note for teachers: Use generic supermarket-style examples, not brand names. Don't ask pupils to share what their family buys or what shops they use.

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