4.10.A

Math4th Grade

The Standard

distinguish between fixed and variable expenses

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students decide whether a cost usually stays the same or changes from one time period to another. They use the amount and payment pattern to explain their choice.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students correctly sort costs such as rent, subscriptions, groceries, and electricity. They explain each choice by telling whether the amount usually stays steady or changes.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think fixed costs are always needs and changing costs are always wants. They may also think a fixed cost can never change, rather than staying steady during a set period.
How to Assess It: Give students four costs: rent, groceries, electricity, and a bus pass. Ask them to sort each cost and explain one choice.

Lesson moves

Give groups expense cards and two labeled hoops, then have them place each card in a hoop and explain their choices.
Ask students to write which cost is more predictable, internet service or electricity, and explain why.
Play an expense sorting relay where teams classify one card at a time and earn a point for each correct explanation.
Show two sample monthly budgets and have students identify which costs stayed steady and which changed between months.

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