Viola Desmond BRICK REVEAL - Annuities (5 Versions, TVM Solver included)

As students solve annuities problems they will unlock more Lego bricks of the Viola Desmond portrait. The bricks appear like magic in the spreadsheet, motivating them to complete their work. Below each correctly answered question is a tally of the bricks revealed, should students wish to actually purchase physical bricks and build the picture!

This is digital product (no physical toy bricks are included!) available in both Microsoft Excel format and Google Sheets format.

Five different problem-set versions are included, so students can help each other without copying.

Sharing files with your students differs slightly for each platform (OneDrive vs. Google Drive) and your teaching set-up (Google Classroom, Teams, in-person, remote etc.) I provide some tips in the Google Version file. Feel free to reach out if you need help!

Included:

• 5 Excel files + Answer Key file (.xlsx format)
• Every file includes a second tab with a TVM Solver (spreadsheet replica of Texas Instrument's solver)
• Each file involves 12 word problems (humorous at times!)
• pdf with save-a-copy links to the Google Sheets versions
• Bricks required summary page (tally by brick size and colour)

Math Details:

• Find future value
• Find present value
• Find total interest accumulated, given the future value
• Find total interest accumulated, given the present value
• Find the payment, from a future value scenario
• Find the payment, from a present value scenario

You can have students complete this in the classroom using cloud-devices/Chromebooks, or use it for virtual / distance learning!

Check out the product preview to see the Excel version. (The first 4 questions, and the TVM solver are unlocked to give you an idea of how this product works.)

I encourage you to use this activity as a launch pad for discussion about an important figure in Black History and the civil rights movement, particularly in Canada. Viola is the current (2022) face on the Canadian 10 dollar bill. Since this is a financial math topic, I felt the $10 bill image provides a smooth segue to have a cultural discussion with students. You can learn more, and direct students to learn more, about her legacy at the bank of Canada website (Canada’s Vertical $10 Note - Bank of Canada) or many online encyclopedias.

Your top-star rating, constructive feedback, and followership are always appreciated!

Enjoy!

~CalfordMath