Description
Bring real-world math to life with this engaging Thanksgiving Feast Budget Project! Perfect for upper elementary and middle grades, this collaborative activity has students plan a full Thanksgiving dinner while practicing multi-step operations, budgeting, unit conversions, and critical thinking.
What Students Will Do:
Students work in groups to “host” their own Thanksgiving meal. They begin by choosing how many guests to invite and setting a realistic spending budget. Using real grocery store flyers (PDF ads and live website flyers, included!), groups shop for ingredients to create a complete Thanksgiving menu—including a main dish, side dishes, desserts, and extras they want to add.
As they shop, students calculate the cost of each course using the prices they find. They may need to convert units, compare product sizes, or choose between brand options—making the math authentic and meaningful. Once their menu is complete, students determine the total meal cost, both with and without tax, and calculate the cost per person to see whether they stayed within budget.
What’s Included:
✓ Step-by-step Google Slides project guide (easily assign individual copies through Google Classroom, Schoology, and more)
✓ Printable recording sheets for all calculations, item lists, and totals
✓ Space for tax calculations, per-person cost, and final budget summary
✓ A reflection page for students to evaluate their work and decisions
✓ Optional class presentation slide so groups can share their final feast plan
Skills Covered:
• Multiplication & division
• Multi-step problem solving
• Money concepts & budgeting
• Unit conversions
• Real-world analysis
• Collaboration & communication
Why Teachers Love It:
✔ High engagement—students love planning their own feast
✔ Real-world math that connects directly to everyday life
✔ Easy to manage with clear directions and ready-to-assign slides
✔ Flexible for individual, partner, or group work
✔ Works great for a pre-holiday project or as an extended math task
Help your students develop confidence with applied math while having fun planning the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner!
Highlights
Description
Bring real-world math to life with this engaging Thanksgiving Feast Budget Project! Perfect for upper elementary and middle grades, this collaborative activity has students plan a full Thanksgiving dinner while practicing multi-step operations, budgeting, unit conversions, and critical thinking.
What Students Will Do:
Students work in groups to “host” their own Thanksgiving meal. They begin by choosing how many guests to invite and setting a realistic spending budget. Using real grocery store flyers (PDF ads and live website flyers, included!), groups shop for ingredients to create a complete Thanksgiving menu—including a main dish, side dishes, desserts, and extras they want to add.
As they shop, students calculate the cost of each course using the prices they find. They may need to convert units, compare product sizes, or choose between brand options—making the math authentic and meaningful. Once their menu is complete, students determine the total meal cost, both with and without tax, and calculate the cost per person to see whether they stayed within budget.
What’s Included:
✓ Step-by-step Google Slides project guide (easily assign individual copies through Google Classroom, Schoology, and more)
✓ Printable recording sheets for all calculations, item lists, and totals
✓ Space for tax calculations, per-person cost, and final budget summary
✓ A reflection page for students to evaluate their work and decisions
✓ Optional class presentation slide so groups can share their final feast plan
Skills Covered:
• Multiplication & division
• Multi-step problem solving
• Money concepts & budgeting
• Unit conversions
• Real-world analysis
• Collaboration & communication
Why Teachers Love It:
✔ High engagement—students love planning their own feast
✔ Real-world math that connects directly to everyday life
✔ Easy to manage with clear directions and ready-to-assign slides
✔ Flexible for individual, partner, or group work
✔ Works great for a pre-holiday project or as an extended math task
Help your students develop confidence with applied math while having fun planning the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner!
