Money Math · Lesson Plan

Stock Market and Rational Numbers

Math and real life meet in the stock market. This lesson uses stock price changes — which move in points expressed as fractions and decimals — to teach rational numbers. Students learn what a rational number is, why fractions, decimals, percentages, and negative numbers all qualify, and then read real stock movements as the rational numbers they are.

Grades 6–9 Lesson Plan 45–60 minutes Free Lesson Plan Lesson & Activity: Full Membership

Stock market and rational numbers lesson illustration

For Teachers

Lesson at a glance

Topic: Money Math
Grade Level: Grades 6–9
Resource Type: Lesson + Worksheet
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
Format: Lesson + activity
Materials: Printable lesson, activity sheet, whiteboard

What Students Learn

Learning objectives

Explain what the stock market is
Define a rational number
Identify fractions, decimals, percentages, and negatives as rational numbers
Read stock point changes as rational numbers
Connect math to real-world stock movements

Materials

What you’ll need

Printed lesson and activity (one per student)
A sample stock table or financial page
Calculator
Pencils

Key Terms

Vocabulary

Stock: A share of ownership in a company.
Stock market: A market where shares are bought, sold, and traded.
Rational number: A number that can be written as a fraction of two integers.
Point: A unit of stock-price change, shown as a fraction or decimal.
Integer: A whole number, positive, negative, or zero.
Decimal: A rational number written with a decimal point.

For Teachers

Lesson plan

Estimated time: one 45–60 minute class period.

Lesson sequence

Stock market basics (12 min). What stock is and how its value rises and falls.
Rational numbers (15 min). Define rational numbers; show why fractions, decimals, percentages, and negatives qualify.
Connect (13 min). Read stock point changes as rational numbers in fraction and decimal form.
Practice (10 min). Students convert and interpret stock changes on the activity sheet.

Assessment

Assess the activity sheet for correct identification and conversion of rational numbers.

Discussion

Discussion questions

What is the stock market, and how does a share gain or lose value?
What is a rational number?
Why are fractions, decimals, and negatives all rational numbers?
How are stock point changes rational numbers?
Where else do you see rational numbers in money?

Printable Lesson & Activity