Cool Math Activities: 10 Ways to Use Shopping Catalogues for Learning

Shopping catalogues are a cool maths resource when relief teaching as they form the basis of some quick math thinking. Kids love them and they are so handy. Firstly they are free, secondly they are easy to get and thirdly they can be the basis of some cool maths activities. I keep at least 50 or so catalogues in my bag of tricks. I usually ask (but not always) before grabbing 30 or so catalogues from the shopping display cabinet. Catalogues are great for teaching math activities. They can be used for a number of cool maths activities which will keep students actively engaged.
Students will need to cut and glue.

It may be a cool maths activity but it involves some mess and some noise. Perhaps you need to let the teacher next door neighbour know. They may think you are have a relief teaching riot. But for valuable learning - it's worth it. Some times, when I am relief teaching, I let them know we are doing some really cool maths stuff and challenge them with some of the math activities below.
Often it turns into a race - particularly with the boys. At other relief teaching gigs, I write 5 or so on the board and let them go.

Stop the activity when most of the kids and finished, and write another 5.
10 quick math sessions using catalogues.

Purchase 5 items and get the LEAST change from $50.

Purchase 10 items and get your total between $70 and $75. (You can alter the value to suit the catalogue of the kids) Make two purchases - one of 10 items and one of 5 items.
The totals must be within $5 of each other.
Purchase 5 items for your teacher.
(Let them know what you like) Purchase 5 non-food and 5 food items which are within $1 of each other.
Purchase 6 items which will give you less than $10 change from $100.
Find five items less than $20 each and put them in ascending order/descending order.
Purchase a pair of items that will make $2, and another pair which will make $3 and go up to $10 (or $20) Purchase 3 items at a time - but the total must be $2, then $3, then $4 and so on.

Purchase any 5 items.
Purchase another 5 items so the total is one half of your first purchase. It is easier for the activity if the students all have the same catalogue from which to work.
If catalogues are not at the entrance/exit of the shop, I ask at the service counter of the grocery shop if I can grab 30 or so.
The shop assistant looks at me like I must have escaped from a mental institution, but she normally hands them over.