Lesson Plan

For Sale!

Main Subject Area: Mathematics

Additional Subjects: Language Arts

Duration of Lesson:  45 minutes

Keywords:

• Cent
• Coin Equivalents
• Dime
• Half Dollar
• Nickel
• Penny
• Quarter
• Skip Counting

Brief Description:

After reading an appropriate children’s math text, students will review same type (denomination) coin sets, and will build same type coin sets equaling fifty cents.

National Standard(s):

• Number and Operations
• Representation

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

• Demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process

Objectives:

Students will learn to display coin equivalents with same type coin sets (i.e. they will display the amount equivalent to a quarter using only nickels).

Students will learn the different ways to make 50 cents using a variety of coin denominations.

Students will practice skip counting using 5 and 10.

Materials (online):

Materials (offline):

An appropriate children’s text relating to the purchase of goods with coins, such as Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, The Great Pet Sale by Mick Inkpen, The Lunch Line (Hello Math Reader, Level 3) by Karen Berman Nagel, Monster Money by Grace MacCarone, or an alternate appropriate text.

Real or play coins: cents (pennies), nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollar for each group of students (or coin stamps)

Math Journals

Coins Used in Lesson:

Currently circulating cents (pennies), nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars

Grade Level(s):   K-2  

Procedures (online):

Procedures (offline):

1. Read the selected children’s story either in a reading group or as a read aloud.

2. At the end of the story ask the students questions about the purchases being made in the story, such as “What was being bought?” and “How much did it cost?” (If there is an item that costs 50¢, ask questions that revolve around that item).

3. Explain that as a group you are going to learn the different ways to buy an item that costs 50¢.

4. Review the value and characteristics of each of the coins that will be used in this activity [currently circulating cents (pennies), nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars].

5. As a group, review the idea that you can use smaller coin values to build a larger amount (five pennies is five cents, the same thing as a nickel). For this activity discuss only same type (denomination) coin sets.

6. Distribute real or play coins (of the denominations listed above) to each student.

7. Have your students show you how they can make different amounts with the coins that they have in front of them. Start with a small amount (such as ten cents) and ask your students to show different ways in which they can use cents (pennies) and then nickels to create this amount.

8. Once students seem comfortable with this concept, have them work in groups to try to make fifty cents using same type coin sets. For this first lesson make sure that the class becomes familiar with the basic equivalencies for fifty cents; ie. fifty cents (pennies); ten nickels; five dimes; two quarters; and one half dollar. This is an excellent time to teach skip counting or review skip counting with students working with nickels and dimes.

Assessment / Evaluation:

Students can demonstrate to each other the different ways to make 50 cents using the same coins. Students can record their findings in their math journals. Students can be evaluated on their math journal entries.

Differentiated Learning Options:

Advanced students could learn to skip count with quarters and half dollars. To give students additional practice, Math Keys Whole Numbers (or similar software) would allow students to practice their skip counting up to $1.00 or even $5.00.