Introduction
Have you noticed that cooking oil costs differently in every store, or that your favorite instant noodles are more expensive this year than last year? Prices are not random. Every price you see is a message about supply, demand, and the choices of millions of people.
In this WebQuest, you will work as a Price Watch Team for a family that needs help planning its weekly budget. Your job is to find out what is happening to prices, explain why, and give advice that a real family can actually use.
Task
Your team is helping a family of five that has Php 1,500 per week for basic goods. Build a "Family Budget Advisory" that answers: What should this family buy, where, and why?
Your final product must include:
1. A price data sheet of five basic goods (for example: rice, cooking oil, sugar, laundry soap, canned sardines)
2. The total cost of the family's basket, with a computation of the percentage change or the price difference between brands or stores
3. An economic explanation of why one item's price changed, using demand and supply
4. A one-page infographic with three practical budgeting tips for the family
5. A three-minute oral presentation of your findings
Process
1. Form a team of four and choose roles: Data Collector (finds the prices), Analyst (computes totals and percentage change), Economist (explains demand and supply), Designer-Presenter (makes the infographic and presents).
2. Choose five basic goods that a Filipino family really buys every week.
3. Visit DTI e-Presyo and record the price per unit of each good. Write down the date, the brand, and the store or region.
4. Compute the total cost of your basket in Google Sheets. Then compute the difference or percentage change between brands, stores, or time periods.
5. Choose one good whose price changed. Identify one real factor behind it, such as weather, fuel prices, holiday demand, or imported supply, and explain how that factor moved the price.
6. Design your Family Budget Advisory in Canva with three practical tips. Check the rubric, then prepare your three-minute presentation.
Evaluation
Grading scale: 4 = Excellent, 3 = Good, 2 = Fair, 1 = Needs Improvement
Data accuracy & completeness (30%)
4 - All 5 goods with correct prices, units, and dates
3 - 4-5 goods; minor recording errors
2 - 2-3 goods; incomplete data
1 - 1 or no data recorded
Economic analysis (demand & supply) (30%)
4 - Clear cause-and-effect explanation with a real factor
3 - Correct idea but shallow explanation
2 - Names a factor without explaining it
1 - No economic explanation
Computation & budget advisory (25%)
4 - Accurate totals and % change; 3 useful tips
3 - Minor computation error; tips are generic
2 - Major errors; few practical tips
1 - No computation or advisory
Collaboration & presentation (15%)
4 - All members share; confident 3-min talk
3 - Most members participate
2 - Uneven participation
1 - One member does everything
Conclusion
Prices are not just numbers. They are signals that tell us what is happening in the market, in our farms and factories, and even in the weather.
Now that you have played the role of a price analyst, write a short reflection of three to five sentences. Think of one product your family buys every week, then answer this: What do you think will happen to its price if the supply suddenly becomes limited, and what can your family do about it?
Credits
This WebQuest was developed as a workshop output for Technology for Teaching and Learning, Iqra Development Academy.
Sources and resources used:
• DTI e-Presyo, Online Price Monitoring System — https://epresyo.dti.gov.ph/
• DTI Latest Suggested Retail Prices of Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities — https://www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/latest-srps-basic-necessities-prime-commodities/
• Philippine Statistics Authority — https://psa.gov.ph
• Canva — https://www.canva.com
• Google Sheets — https://sheets.google.com
• Araling Panlipunan Grade 9 learning materials (Presyo, Suplay, at Demand)
The WebQuest format is based on the model developed by Bernie Dodge and Tom March of San Diego State University.
Teacher Page
Grade Level & Subject: Grade 9 – Araling Panlipunan (Ekonomiks)
Time Required: 3 sessions, about 45 minutes each
Learning Competency: Nauunawaan ng mga mag-aaral ang konsepto ng presyo at ang ugnayan ng demand at supply sa pagbuo ng matalinong desisyon sa pagbili.
Objectives: At the end of this WebQuest, learners will be able to:
1. Gather and compare the prices of basic goods using an official price monitoring source
2. Explain a price change using the concepts of demand and supply
3. Prepare a simple family budget advisory with practical recommendations
Prerequisites: Learners should already be familiar with the concepts of demand, supply, and equilibrium price.
Materials: Smartphone or laptop with internet access, Google Sheets, Canva, and the DTI e-Presyo website.
Teaching Notes:
Session 1 – Introduce the WebQuest, form groups, and assign roles.
Session 2 – Data gathering and computation. Make sure learners record the date, brand, and unit of every price.
Session 3 – Presentation of the Family Budget Advisory and written reflection.
If internet access is limited, download the SRP bulletin beforehand and let learners work from printed copies.
Differentiation: Give the less confident groups a smaller number of goods to compare, and prepare printed Canva templates for learners without devices.
Assessment: Group output will be graded using the rubric on the Evaluation page, plus the individual reflection on the Conclusion page.
Reminders: Guide learners to use only official sources, and remind them to give proper credit to the websites they used.