Fun with shopping (and math!)

Just before winter break, our math class had a great time shopping!  Students were divided into two groups, and each tasked with finding (online) a floorplan for a 2 bedroom house.  After they selected their house, they determined the budget for each room by calculating the area, and received a budget of $10 per square foot (the kitchen got $15).  Once they had the budget, the team divied up the rooms and each person set about furnishing their room(s)!  Buying appliances, selecting the bathtub, (or opting just for a shower), choosing bedroom furniture... it was quite an adventure!  Among other things, we learned how to calculate sales tax (so as not to accidentally go over budget!), as well as several valuable lessons about how to "shop" online!  As we discovered, the picture is not always what you're getting (e.g., that $25 couch at Ikea is actually just a slipcover for one of the couch pillows...)  Altogether, it was a great way to practice budgeting and calculating sales tax while having the fun of imagining future homes.