Lesson Plan

Beat the Bank

Main Subject Area: Mathematics

Duration of Lesson:  30 minutes

Keywords:

• Cent
• Coins
• Counting
• Dime
• Math Games
• Nickel
• Penny
• Quarter

Brief Description:

Students will play a coin identification game to familiarize themselves with coin values. They will add coin values to determine the game’s winner.

National Standard(s):

• Number and Operations

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

Objectives:

Students will compare numbers between 1 and 100 using manipulatives.

Students will recognize and express the value using cent notation of penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.

Students will add coin amounts together.

Materials (online):

Materials (offline):

For each team you need:

1 small tackle (or similar) box with labels in each section reading 1, 5, 10, and 25 cents

Separate containers of coins for the “Bank”

A handful of play coins of each denomination: cents (pennies), nickels, dimes and quarters placed in a container called the “Bank”

Counters

Math journals

Coins Used in Lesson:

Currently circulating U.S. cents (pennies), nickels, dimes and quarters

Grade Level(s):   K-2  

Procedures (online):

Procedures (offline):

1. Introduce this activity by reviewing the coin amounts of 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, and 1 cent. Tell the students they will be working in teams and playing a game together.

2. Explain the following rules to the students: A player puts a counter in the tackle box, shakes the tackle box so that the counter lands in one of the coin slots. The player should open the tackle box and read the coin amount aloud. The student should then take a coin or coins equal to that amount from the bank. Each player keeps the coins and play continues for four turns. Then the players count the total amount of coins. The player who has the greatest amount of money wins.

3. Divide students into teams of two to three players and distribute materials to each team.

4. Students can play the game several times. At the end of each game, the students record their total amount for the game in their math journals.

Assessment / Evaluation:

Students can be evaluated on the entries in their math journals. The teacher can also observe students when they are adding their money together.

Differentiated Learning Options:

For more advanced students, label the tackle box with amounts that require the students to assemble different coin combinations.