Will sending you back to school this year cost a fortune?

With high inflation rates, supply shortages, and rethinking what is essential spending, back to school spending might be different this year. Back-to-school spending is huge and students might not appreciate what it costs to send them back to, essentially, their job of learning.  In this activity students decide what equipment and supplies are necessary, estimate how much that will all cost, confer with classmates to refine their lists, and then research to find out more accurately how much it will probably cost to send them back to school. 

This activity could be used for students in upper elementary school all the way to high school.  It offers an opportunity for kids to estimate, research, reason, calculate and communicate with each other.