Market Day is one of the most memorable projects for students. It is more than just a fun classroom event — it’s a powerful opportunity to make math and economics come alive for students. So why stop the learning there? Build on that student excitement by integrating some extension activities and deeper knowledge application.
New to Market Day? Find a step-by-step Market Day Guide here.
Here are three creative and purposeful ways to extend this Market Day activity: Market Day Math Tasks, Persuasive Commercial Script Writing, and Local Business Guest Speaker
Students are given a variety of multiplication and division word problems that could be real-life Market Day Scenarios. The task card and worksheet formats are a dynamic and engaging way to help students apply their math skills.
Low-Level Example: “Six people purchased your e-book of Rubik’s Cube tricks. The e-book is priced at $5.00 per copy. How much money did you make?”
Higher-Level Example: “Six people purchased your e-book of Rubik’s Cube tricks, which is priced at $6.00 per digital copy. Three of them also bought your instructional video series for $12.00 each. If you offer a 50% discount on the video series for anyone who buys the e-book, how much money did you make in total?"
There are two differentiated sets, ensuring that each student is appropriately challenged. The market theme adds an element of fun and creativity, helping maintain students' interest and motivation.
Here are 7 ways you can use these Market Day Math Tasks:
Small Group Stations: Set up a few different Market Day Math task cards at each station, and have students rotate through the stations.
Math Warm-Ups: Project one of the task cards in a large format, or use one of the full-page posters as a math warm-up to give students quick, authentic money-based word problems.
Scavenger Hunt: Post the task cards or posters at various places around the room in a random order. Provide the recording sheet and a clipboard to each student, and have them find and solve all of the math tasks. Note: I recommend setting the expectation that only three students are allowed at a task card location at one time.
Math Centers: Create a dedicated math center with market day math materials where students work independently or with partners to reinforce addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills.
Fast Finisher Activities: Offer the task cards as a go-to activity for students who finish their work early, keeping them engaged with meaningful practice.
Assessment Tool: Use the worksheets as formative assessments to gauge students' understanding of money concepts, decimals, and multi-digit operations.
“Teach the Class”: Assign one task card to each group of 3-4 students. Give them time to solve the problem, and figure out different strategies for showing their work. Call up one group at a time to teach the class how to solve their problem. White boards, posters, math tools, and acting it out work great for this, and students LOVE it!
Students write a persuasive commercial script for their Market Day product or service, using persuasive techniques such as emotional appeal, strong word choice, and a call to action. You could also have students come up with a hypothetical product or service if you are implementing this before the actual Market Day Project.
The unique format of Emoji Writing provides a visual framework for their stories, offering just the right amount of structure while still leaving room for creativity. The Writing Checklist guides them through the commercial script writing process, and the fun interactive emoji pieces spark ideas (even for those students that struggle with writer’s block). Emoji Writing makes the task approachable for all students, even those who might not always feel confident in their writing skills.
How Emoji Writing Works:
Arrange Emojis:
Students cut out and arrange emoji pieces in the sequence of their choice. These are glued onto a writing sheet.
Write a Paragraph:
Next, they write a creative, persuasive Commercial Script that follows the sequence of the specific emoji representations.
Illustrate:
Finally, they draw an illustration that represents how they might advertise their product or service.
(OPTIONAL) You could allow students to present their commercial scripts aloud to the class! They LOVE this!
3.Local Business Guest Speaker
This is a wonderful way for students to gain real-world insights into entrepreneurship by learning directly from a local small business owner, connecting Market Day concepts to authentic experiences.
Preparation:
Identify a Local Business Owner:
Choose a business owner from the community (a shop owner, artisan, restaurant manager, or service provider).
Reach out via email or phone to invite them to speak with the class. Provide an overview of Market Day and explain the learning goals.
Confirm a date and time that works for both parties. A 30-45 minute session is ideal.
Prepare the Students:
Discuss the importance of small businesses and how they are similar to and different from the students' Market Day businesses.
As a class, brainstorm what they’d like to learn from the guest speaker (e.g., How do you set prices? How do you attract customers? What challenges have you faced?).
Have students individually or in pairs create thoughtful questions.
Create a master list of 8-10 questions and assign them to different students to ensure everyone has a role during the Q&A.
The Guest Speaker Visit:
Introduction:
Welcome the guest and give a brief overview of Market Day. Let the students introduce themselves and their business ideas.
Allow the speaker to share their background, the story of their business, and key aspects of running it (pricing, marketing, customer service, handling money, etc.).
Q&A Session:
Students take turns asking their prepared questions.
Encourage follow-up questions to promote active listening and deeper understanding.
Hands-On Component (Optional):
If the business owner has a product, they could show a sample or demonstrate a quick aspect of their work.
The guest could also guide the class through a short brainstorming session on improving their Market Day business strategies.
Post-Visit Reflection:
Class Discussion:
What surprised you about running a small business?
What ideas did you get for your own Market Day business?
Written Reflection:
Have students write a thank-you letter to the guest speaker, including one key takeaway from the visit.
Market Day is more than just a fun classroom event — it’s a powerful opportunity to make math and economics come alive for students. By incorporating extension activities that build on the excitement of buying, selling, and managing money, you’re fostering deeper learning and critical thinking that will stick with your students long after the day is over.
Ready to take your Market Day to the next level? Check out our engaging, ready-to-use resources designed to make planning a breeze and save you time! Click here to explore the collection and give your students an experience they’ll never forget! 😁
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