Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

1

Students will be able to calculate ingredient, portion, and menu-item costs using decimal operations and multiplication/division to determine the real cost of each food truck item.

2

Students will be able to use unit rates and percentages to set menu prices and estimate profit for a food truck that can attract customers and still make money.

3

Students will be able to gather and interpret student survey data to revise food truck pricing and menu choices based on evidence of what customers would actually pay.

4

Students will be able to create and defend a mathematical business plan using tables, graphs, and profit calculations to show which food truck plan is most successful.

5

Students will be able to collaborate effectively by revising a food truck design through critique, shared decision-making, and reflection on team contributions.

Products

individual

Food Truck Investigation Notebook

A personal research notebook showing each student's question, cost calculations, survey notes, pricing tests, tables/graphs, and final analysis. It documents individual thinking, evidence, revisions, and conclusions about whether the food truck can make money.

team

Food Truck Business Plan and Open-for-Business Pitch

A team investigation report and live presentation that combines members' evidence into one clear case for the best menu, pricing, and profit plan. The product must explain methodology, include visual data displays, address conflicting findings, and defend the team's final recommendations.

Rubric
Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric
Category
Learning Goal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • I can make sense of the food-truck menu problem by identifying the information I need (ingredient costs, portions, and prices) and explaining what the goal is in my own words
  • I can persevere by trying a first pricing approach and checking that my results match the problem’s question.
  • I can use a math plan to solve the menu pricing problem by modeling item costs and estimating unit rates or percentages to compare options
  • I can look for structure (like patterns in portion sizes and cost per item) and revise my approach when my first attempt doesn’t fit the profit goal.
  • I can construct and test multiple menu pricing strategies using math models (tables/graphs) and justify why each option would attract customers and still earn profit
  • I can critique my own reasoning and incorporate survey or feedback evidence to improve portion choices and pricing decisions.
  • I can independently design and refine a pricing system that balances customer appeal and profit by using precise models (unit rates, decimals, and profit calculations) and evaluating trade-offs across menu items
  • I can explain how the structure of my cost and pricing models led to my final decisions, and I can persist through setbacks by using evidence to guide the next revision.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Effective Communication
  • I can clearly explain my food-truck menu pricing choice using the math we calculated (cost per portion, unit rate, and profit) and point to specific numbers in my tables or graphs.
  • I can communicate my reasoning in a step-by-step way, using survey results and profit calculations to justify how and why I changed ingredient amounts, portion sizes, or prices for better customer appeal and money-making.
  • I can construct a strong, evidence-based argument about my pricing plan by connecting data (customer interest and what they would pay) to math models (percent/profit/unit rate) and responding to feedback by revising my explanations.
  • I can critique and refine my team’s message with sophistication by comparing alternative pricing strategies, addressing counterpoints from other teams, and presenting a clear, audience-ready pitch that links structure in the math to decisions in the final menu.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Content Expertise
  • I can use a decimal cost model (ingredient price × portion/amount) to find menu-item costs and match them to a simple table for one draft pricing plan
  • I can show my steps and check that my numbers make sense in the context of a food truck menu.
  • I can model menu-item costs and prices using structure (unit rates, portion sizes, and percentage markup or discount) and explain how each part of my table connects to profit
  • I can revise one pricing decision by using evidence from survey results (e.g., what people would pay) and update my calculations correctly.
  • I can build and compare multiple pricing options by modeling realistic cost structures, unit rates, and profit calculations (revenue − cost) for several menu items
  • I can justify which plan best balances customer interest and profit using data from tables/graphs, and I can critique my own reasoning by identifying where assumptions or portions changed outcomes.
  • I can create an accurate, well-reasoned pricing and portion strategy for a full food truck menu that stays internally consistent across costs, prices, and profit
  • I can construct a clear mathematical argument (with evidence from models and survey charts), critique and respond to others’ pricing reasoning, and choose next-step improvements based on what the data and structure show.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Collaboration
  • I can work with my team to share ideas for our food truck menu and pricing (costs, portion sizes, and customer appeal) and I can complete my assigned tasks on time using a clear checklist.
  • I can collaborate by making shared decisions with my teammates, explaining how my math results fit our menu plan, and I can revise my work when the team uses survey feedback to improve pricing or portions.
  • I can collaborate effectively by leading parts of our planning and critique rounds, using evidence from our cost/profit calculations to suggest changes, and I can help the team resolve disagreements by comparing different reasoning fairly.
  • I can collaborate independently and with strong shared leadership by coordinating roles, modeling strong communication during share-outs, building on others’ ideas to improve our menu and pricing strategy, and reflecting on my impact with a specific next-step goal for the team.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Academic Mindset
  • I can describe my role and goals in our food-truck menu project and keep trying when my first pricing or cost idea doesn’t work, using feedback from my team to make a small revision.
  • I can set a next-step goal for what I will research or adjust (like a portion size, ingredient cost, or survey question), persist through challenges, and explain what changed in my plan and why using my math models and results.
  • I can monitor my progress toward team goals by connecting my decisions to evidence from customer survey data, unit-rate/percentage/profit calculations, and cost tables, and I can revise my menu or pricing with clear reasoning after critique.
  • I can independently improve our food-truck business plan by using structured math models to test and justify multiple approaches, persisting through setbacks to refine profit-and-appeal tradeoffs, and reflecting on how my contributions changed the final outcome during the expo and presentations.