A Percentages and Interest Unit for Grades 7–8
A Percentages and Interest Unit for Grades 7–8
Grade 7 and 8 math teachers who need a percentages and interest unit can use the one in the Everyday & Financial Math Bundle, covering discounts, sales tax and simple interest. It comes with a ratio, proportion and percentage unit that builds the groundwork and a business maths unit using the rule of three. Start with ratio if students need it, then move straight into percent problems.
See the percent unit bundle →For a Grade 7–8 percentages and interest unit, the Everyday & Financial Math Bundle ($49.99) includes a unit on discounts, tax and simple interest, plus a ratio, proportion and percentage unit and a business maths unit with the rule of three. The three units cost $69.97 separately, a $19.98 saving. The bundle is written for Grades 7–12 and covers these topics, not a full Grade 7 or 8 math year.
The resources
Everyday & Financial Math Bundle, Grades 7–12
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Everyday & Financial Math Bundle | Percentages, Interest, Ratio and Business Maths | 3 Units | Grades 7–12
Algebra 1 Pathway Bundle | Equations, Linear Functions & Systems, Quadratics | 3 Workbooks | Grades 7–10
High School Data & Statistics Bundle | Hypothesis Testing, Matrix Route Planning & Data Analysis Escape Room | Grades 10–12
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Where percent goes wrong in middle school
Percent is one of the topics middle schoolers think they understand until the problems change shape. Find 20 percent of 80 is fine. Find the original price when an item costs 64 dollars after a 20 percent discount, and many students take 20 percent of 64 and add it back. Ask what 5 percent tax on top of a discounted price comes to, and they apply both percentages to the original. The root is usually proportion. Students who see percent as a rate per hundred, and can set up a proportion to match, handle the twists. Students who memorized a procedure for one problem type cannot adapt it. Simple interest adds another step, since it combines a percent with time, and students mix up the rate, the principal and the interest earned. Grade 7 and 8 classes also bring a wide range. Some students handled ratio tables easily in Grade 6; others still find fractions shaky. A unit has to give the confident ones problems that stretch them while giving the rest a way back to the basics of ratio and proportion without stopping the whole class.
Why it fits
What the bundle gives a Grade 7–8 class
The percentages and interest unit is the core; the other two units support it from below and beside.
- The percentages and interest unit covers discounts, sales tax and simple interest, the typical Grade 7–8 percent topics.
- A ratio, proportion and percentage unit gives struggling students the groundwork percent problems depend on.
- The business maths unit's rule of three offers stronger students a second method for proportional problems.
- Money contexts like sales and savings give middle schoolers problems they recognize from daily life.
- Each unit stands alone, so you can run different units with different groups at the same time.
- Bought as a bundle, the three units cost $19.98 less than buying each one on its own.
Getting started
A two-week path through percent
A suggested sequence for a Grade 7 or 8 class. The bundle has no built-in calendar.
- Open with a sale-price puzzleAsk students to find the original price of a discounted item. Note who works backward correctly and who applies the percent to the wrong amount.
- Rebuild proportion where neededStudents who struggled work in the ratio, proportion and percentage unit for a few days, while the rest start the percentages and interest unit. Regroup after a short check.
- Teach discounts and taxBring the class together for discounts and sales tax. Practice the order of steps carefully, since combining the two causes most mistakes. Use worked examples on the board.
- Move into simple interestIntroduce simple interest with a savings example. Have students label principal, rate, time and interest in every problem to avoid mixing them up. Vary the time periods too.
- Stretch with the rule of threeGive students who finish early tasks from the business maths unit. The rule of three offers another route to the same proportional reasoning. Compare both methods together.
What to buy
Which purchase suits your class
If you only need the percentages and interest unit, it is sold separately. Most Grade 7–8 classes need some ratio support too, and the Everyday & Financial Math Bundle at $49.99 gives all three units for $19.98 less than buying them at $69.97. If your Grade 8 students are moving into linear equations and functions, the Algebra 1 Pathway Bundle ($44.99) is the next step. The High School Data & Statistics Bundle ($39.99) is written for Grades 10–12, so save it for older students.
Honest limits
Honest limits for middle school
The bundle covers percentages, discounts, tax, simple interest, ratio and the rule of three; it is not a full Grade 7 or Grade 8 math course and does not cover geometry, statistics or other strands. Percent change and compound interest are not listed, so check whether you need extra material for them. No alignment to Common Core or state standards is claimed; compare it with your pacing guide. Use by a grade-level team needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. You can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this unit aligned to Common Core Grade 7 or 8 standards?
No alignment or endorsement is claimed for Common Core or any state standard. The bundle is written for Grades 7–12, and its percent unit deals with discounts, tax and simple interest. Check the units against your own standards and pacing guide before planning. Your district's pacing guide is the best place to start.
Is the level right for Grade 7?
The bundle is written for Grades 7–12. The percentages and interest unit covers topics typical for middle school. Look at the previews on the product page to judge whether the level suits your students. Grade 7 students who find it demanding can start with the ratio, proportion and percentage unit and move to percent problems once proportion is secure.
Does it cover percent increase and decrease?
The listed topics are discounts, tax and simple interest, plus ratio, proportion and percentage. Percent change is not named separately, so check the product page or plan that topic yourself. The proportional reasoning practiced in the ratio unit gives students a good base for percent change when you get there.
Can my grade-level team share it?
The licence covers your own teaching. For use by colleagues on your team, send Teach Lessons a short message first. Explain how many teachers will use it and for which classes. Sorting this out before sharing files keeps everyone covered and lets your team plan the percent unit together.
Can I buy only the percentages and interest unit?
Yes. Each unit is sold separately. The three cost $69.97 together if bought singly; the bundle is $49.99. If your Grade 7 or 8 students are already secure with ratio and proportion, the single unit may be enough. If many need groundwork first, the bundle saves $19.98 compared with the three separate units.
What if it is not right for my students?
Within 7 days you can exchange it for store credit of equal value. It is not a cash refund. Check the unit previews on the product page against your Grade 7 or 8 pacing guide before buying. Credit can go toward another product, such as the Algebra 1 Pathway Bundle for Grade 8 students moving on to linear equations.
Teach percent so it sticks
Open the product page to see the percentages and interest unit and the two units that support it.
See the percent unit bundle →