Combine math, financial literacy, and collaboration with PROJECT: Plan a Friendsgiving Dinner —an activity that invites students to plan their own Friendsgiving feast! With practical applications and problem-solving at every step, here are four ways you can use the activity to reinforce essential math skills.

Spotlight: Plan a Friendsgiving Dinner

Students become planners, shoppers, and financial analysts to budget a Friendsgiving dinner. Their mission? Collaborate on a menu, comparison shop for ingredients, and calculate costs within a set budget. Here's how you can reinforce algebra skills every step of the way:

1. Define Variables for Group Size and Budgeting

Challenge students to define variables for total budget, per-person budget, and group size, and write equations.

Use "What-If" Scenarios:

• Modifications: Change one variable, such as group size or per-person contribution. Then, students recalculate and see how the change impacts their budget.
• Benefits: Students reinforce algebraic thinking and see how each variable affects outcomes in a real-world context

2. Menu Planning with Budget Constraints

Have students set category-based budget limits (e.g., 40% for main dishes). Use inequalities to express limits and explore how reallocating funds impacts other categories, applying algebraic thinking to practical budgeting. 

3. Ingredient Analysis with Equations and Unit Pricing

Students calculate total costs using equations based on unit prices and quantities.

Use “What-If” Scenarios:

• Modifications: Adjust quantities and have students comparison shop unit prices between name brands and store brands
• Benefits: Students practice multiplication, division, and scaling in a real-world context

4. Visualize Budget Distribution with Graphs and Spreadsheets

Encourage students to create bar or pie charts to visualize budget distribution, interpreting patterns to add insight to their budgeting decisions.

Explore PROJECT: Plan a Friendsgiving Dinner

About the Authors

Dave Martin

Dave joins NGPF with 15 years of teaching experience in math and computer science. After joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program and earning a Master's degree in Education from Pace University, his teaching career has taken him to New York, New Jersey and a summer in the north of Ghana. Dave firmly believes that financial literacy is vital to creating well-rounded students that are prepared for a complex and highly competitive world. During what free time two young daughters will allow, Dave enjoys video games, Dungeons & Dragons, cooking, gardening, and taking naps.

More posts by Dave

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.

More posts by Kathryn