Create Your Own Sweet Shop!!
This math project will allow students to practice multiple skills in a real-world context. It works great as independent practice or even as an extension or enrichment activity for your fast-finishers. Students will get to plan their own Sweet Shop and practice several key math skills.

I used this around Halloween time because the sweets theme still felt festive without stepping on the toes of those who may not celebrate, however, I think it would be great at any time of the year that lines up with skills being practiced (whether for current learning or spiraled review). It is designed to target 3rd grade standards, but could be good review for 4th graders near the beginning of the year.

Tasks Students Will Complete:
Design a blueprint: Students will decide how big to make each of their displays and how to best arrange them in their store before determining the area needed for each. MA.3.GR.2.2 (Florida); 3.MD.C.6 and 3.MD.C.7 (Common Core)
Stocking the store: Students will decide how much of each ingredient or item they need for opening week and the total cost they will need to budget for. MA.3.NSO.2.2, MA.3.NSO.2.1 (Florida); 3.OA.C.7, 3.NBT.A.2 (Common Core)
Hiring Employees: Students will determine how many employees they can hire to make sweets for each display based upon a given budget. MA.3.NSO.2.2 (Florida); 3.OA.C.7 (Common Core)
Planning an opening party: Students must estimate how much of each supply they will need for an opening day party. MA.3.NSO.1.4 (Florida); 3.NBT.A.1 (Common Core)
Analyzing opening week: Students will work on 2-step word problems to analyze how their store did in its opening week. MA.3.NSO.2.1, MA.3.NSO.2.4, MA.3.AR.1.2 (Florida); 3.NBT.A.2, 3..OA.C.7, 3.OA.D.8 (Common Core)
Presenting and advertising: Students will create an advertisement for their store and present on their approach to planning a Sweet Shop and reflection on their learning. ELA.3.C.5.1, ELA.3.C.2.1 (Florida); SL.3.4, L.3.3A (Common Core)

Teacher example included!