Grade 2 Number Sense and Numeration

Money Sense:
This lesson is an extension to money sense. The class has been learning
about money, the names of coins, their value, and how to write money using
numerals and decimals in connection to place value. As an extension, our
goal is to challenge the class by taking their prior knowledge and extending,
through problem solving. As Van de Walle and Lovin (2006) explain,
recognition of coins is not a mathematical skill, but one that is learned
through exposure and repetition (VDW, p.150). Money supports students
early counting, skip counting, and trading actions. Ideas and skills include:
recognizing coins, identifying and using the values of coins, counting and
comparing sets of coins, creating equivalent coin collections, selecting coins
for a given amount, making change, and solving word problems involving
money (VDW, p.393). This lesson is one of many integrated into a number
sense unit for Grade 2 students and involving independent, whole class, and
small group expectations.
Specific Expectations:
Quantity Relationships

Represent, compare, and order whole numbers to 100, including

money amounts to 100 cents, using a variety of tools
Compose and decompose two-digit numbers in a variety of ways,
using concrete materials
Estimate, count, and represent the value of a collection of coins
with a maximum value of one dollar

Counting

count forward by 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s, and 25s to 200, using
number lines and hundreds charts, starting from multiples of 1,
2, 5, and 10
add and subtract money amounts to 100, using a variety of
tools and strategies

Lesson Objectives:

to identify and know the value of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters,

loonies, and toonies
to problem solve using coins
to count the amount of a purchase
to work collaboratively to problem solve

Materials:

activity sheets (1 per student)

plastic coins (Ziploc bag of mixed coins 1 per group)
coin organizer (1 per group)
Coloured sheets (1 purple, 1 orange, 1 green, 1 white, 1 grey, 1 yellow)
Cost labels

Beginning:

Purpose is to access prior knowledge and reviewing coin recognition

(matching coins with their proper names and accommodating amount).
Using a KWL chart, review what we know about coins, what we want to
know, and wait for consolidation to complete the what we learned
section.
Each group will have a collection of coins, a coin organizer, and enough
worksheets for each student.
Our problem is that we need to complete our worksheets but have to
purchase colours in order to complete them. Students may choose to
organize their coins first and discuss their plan in order to accomplish
the task. Some students might decide to work independently, though
they are encouraged to work as groups. Other students may require
peer support in order to recall the knowledge of naming/recognizing
coins and their amounts.
Walk the students through the process of using coins to purchase
colours (cost amounts are posted under each colour on the board).
They are required to send a member of their group to purchase colours
from the banker (the teacher, student leader, or volunteer). The
amount indicated will purchase 1 colour students will have to choose
whether they purchase enough for the whole group or if they plan to
share the 1 colour.
The problem is that, at any point, the bank can change the rules of
which coins they are willing to accept as payment. (This portion of the
lesson will be flexible and dependant on the ability and knowledge of
the students)

Middle:

This during phase of the lesson is when the students make big
decisions about how they will spend their money and how they will
work together as a team to make their purchases and complete the
worksheet. Students may be challenged with mixing coins in order to
meet their required purchases.
At points where the bank announces that they will no longer accepts
pennies or other changes, students may require a higher level of
support in brainstorming solutions. Repeated instruction and

reinforcement of expectations may need to be shared if students are

struggling. Possible prompts may be needed as students might hit
various roadblocks when faced with mixing coins or even making
purchases with larger coins and expecting change in return.
This is an opportunity to interact with the students and learn alongside
as questions/problem are presented, discussion continues, and
solutions are found. Make note of specific challenges to inform next
steps and where reinforcement will be needed. Students will be
challenged with thinking outside of the box when it comes to the
bankers rule changes and needing to adapt to shifts in expectation in
order to complete the task.
Ask questions: What are you thinking here?, What will you do to
make that purchase?, What coins could you use in place of pennies?
Encourage students to share their ideas and work

~Anticipated student responses: I was thinking that if I used

nickels instead of pennies that I would still be able to buy green,
We are going to have to use the rest of our dimes to buy enough
red for everyone in the group, We are only going to buy 1 yellow
and share it, We are going to spend the quarter and nickel to buy
purple for everyone ~
~For struggling groups, I supported with brainstorming solutions to
either not having enough money to buy enough colours for everyone
or worked together to mix coins to be able to make purchases. As
this was a lesson I taught my Grade 2 class, the concepts were
grasped by mostly everyone and for those who were struggling, the
groups worked together to support each other. It was a great
opportunity for student leadership as well as direct teacher support
and conferencing with groups. ~
~ As there was a solid prior knowledge of money sense and mixing
coins, most groups were successful in problem-solving the bank
problem of not accepting certain coins. If the students had
demonstrated a minimal understanding, I would have adapted the
lesson, taking out this particular step and supporting the students
in using all of their coins to make purchases.
~The reason I left out a specific amount that groups started with is
that they had a variety of coins, no group alike, and their decision
making on purchases would be based on the discussion and brain
storming component of the lesson. It was important to me to give
the students an opportunity to realize that they might not have

enough money to buy all colours for all of their group and work
together to find a solution (collaborate, predict, and deduce). ~

If groups finish early, encourage them to create their own money

challenges, expand their thinking through asking open-ended
questions, and offer opportunity to re-create the challenge.

End:

In order to consolidate the thinking during this lesson, it is

necessary to collaboratively review the opening KWL chart and
complete what was learned. Discuss why we need to know what we
learned together and how we can use the information we learned
about money.
Debate the impressions of evolving challenges in dealing with the
bank throughout the lesson.
What did we learn? (reinforcement of learning goals we
learned how to organize and count money, we learned
how to use money to buy colours, we learned how to mix
coins together, we learned how to work together when we
had a problem), What was the best part of the lesson?
(student feedback I really liked colouring the coins, the
best part was trying to figure out how we were going to
spend our money, the best part was buying the colours),
What challenged you the most? Why? (we had a lot of
trouble when the bank stopped taking pennies because
thats what was easiest for us to count and I couldnt
remember how to count by 25, we just gave other coins
but didnt really plan it, I didnt know how to make
change, we couldnt decide how many colours to buy
because everyone wanted a colour and we didnt have
enough money for everyone to have orange), How do we
know weve learned what we should have with this lesson?(our
colouring pages will be finished, we wont have any
money left, we will have enough colours to finish the
worksheet), Would you suggest any changes to the lesson? (I
think we should have a chance to be the banker, I think
we should all have the same amount of money to spend, I
think the bank should accept all coins all the time)
Student evaluation of the lesson can be an added component, 3
stars and a wish, to inform practice and next steps.

As this was a lesson I completed in the classroom with a Grade 2

class, it was easier to provide feedback on the student responses.
This particular class was highly successful with problem solving
when faced with challenges in either making change or
brainstorming possible alternatives to having each member
purchasing a colour. Many groups chose to share, which left them
with more money to use in the end. Some groups didnt have
enough money and asked to work collaboratively with other groups

to negotiate colours or asked to return some of their colours to get

money back (all extensions to their understanding that I wasnt
anticipating). Initially, I thought it would be a relatively simply
activity to reinforce their knowledge and understanding of money
but as the lesson progressed, I could see the possibilities open for
deepening their understanding and challenging through creating
real problems when faced with using money.

Follow up activities:
o Money word problems involving addition and subtraction
algorithms (including concrete manipulatives)
o Literacy component making connections to language
o Money challenges - How many ways can we use money to
represent a dollar?