← Lower Secondary · Ages 11–13

STEM Project

Plan a School Trip

Maths with a real budget

The class needs to organise a two-day trip for 25 students with a budget of €2,000. Students choose between three Bulgarian cities – the historic city of Plovdiv, the old capital Veliko Tarnovo and the seaside city of Varna – work out the costs and adjust the plan until it fits.

  • Ages 10–12
  • Maths + STEM
  • About 40 minutes
  • In pairs or small groups

Runs in the browser. No account required.

STEM Project Ages 10–12

Maths • Percentages • Money

  • Budgeting
  • Percentages
  • Planning

How the activity works

Six short steps take students from choosing a destination to defending a final plan that fits the budget.

  1. Choose a destination

    Students compare the transport price and travel time of three cities.

  2. Work out the costs

    They calculate the budget, transport, a hotel discount and food. Answers are checked automatically.

  3. Check the budget

    They add a 5% reserve and, if the plan is too expensive, choose changes that make it fit.

  4. Defend the plan

    Each pair or group explains its choices and presents its final plan to the class.

Maths and skills

Maths covered

  • Multiplying and adding amounts of money
  • Finding a percentage: a discount and a reserve
  • Comparing costs with a budget
  • Working out savings and what is left

Problem solving and financial literacy

  • Comparing options by price and time
  • Improving a plan to meet a budget
  • Justifying decisions in writing
  • Working together in pairs or small groups

Teacher guidance

Short practical guidance is also available in the lesson, under the For teachers button.

What you need

  • One device per pair or small group
  • No printed materials
  • About 40 minutes

Running the lesson

  • Different groups can choose different destinations and reach different results.
  • Let students discover for themselves which changes make their plan fit the budget.
  • Progress is saved automatically on the device.
  • At the end, compare 2–3 different plans in front of the class.

Ready to plan the trip?

Open the interactive lesson on your students' devices.

Start the interactive lesson