Money -- School-Age
Poems/Songs
Coins
Penny, penny,
Easily spent
Copper brown
and worth one cent.
Nickel, nickel,
Thick and fat,
You're worth five cents.
I know that.
Dime, dime,
Little and thin,
I remember,
You're worth ten.
Quarter, quarter
Big and bold,
You're worth twenty-five
I am told!
Half dollar, Half dollar
The biggest coin
You are worth fifty cents
And hard to find!
(verse contributed by Gavin)
Video
World Play Money
Print play money from around the world.
If you have access to a copy machine copy play money onto colored paper. Cut the money out and have lots of inexpensive play money
Coins
Why do we use money? Money Basics Lesson k-2
Don't lose your money Worksheet
k-2Counting Money In Cupcake Liners
k-2Ways to Make 25 cents activity.
Coin Scoop Game and more games.
Coins & Currency
Chips Math Center Activity Grades 3-5. Students count out the money they will need to buy snack chips.
<The Spending, Saving, and Giving lesson Grades 3-5. Students practice making choices about how much to spend on different items.
Bulld A Budget Lesson Grades 3-5
Video
Art
Banks
Create a bank out of milk jugs making a slot for the money and keeping the cap on so that the money can be easily accessed. Or make a bank out of paper mache so that money can’t be easily accessed.
Contributed By: Cemour
Coin Rubbing
To familiarize children with the various types of coins, hot glue on construction paper or tag board each coin showing the front and then the back. Write the name of the coin and its value under it. Give children crayons and blank paper to do money rubbings.
Contributed By: Cemour
Coin Patterns
Give each child a sheet of copy paper. Have the children make rubbings using a pencil of a pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. When done with the rubbings have the children add up and write on their paper how much is represented.
Make a design on the paper using the coins and rubbing over them. Write on the paper how much money was used to make the patterns.
Create Money
Make fake money by cutting out dollar shape paper and let the children decide what their money would look like. If you have a digital camera you could scan children’s pictures to glue on so they have personalized money. . Use colored clay to create coins.
Contributed By: Cemour
Literature
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
by Judith Viorst
Alexander Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday Activities
Need: play money, variety of price marked items
Although Alexander and his money are quickly parted, he comes to realize all the things that can be done with a dollar.
After reading the story as a group list how Alexander's money was spent and how much each choice cost him. The children then need to calculate how much money Alexander spent and count out the amount he spent in play money.
The children will need 2 pieces of paper. Take one paper and cut a square. Glue down 3 sides of the square on the other paper to make a pocket.
Children then need to view the priced items in the room. On the paper with the pocket the children make a list of how they would spend a dollar, writing their choices on one side of the paper with what the item cost. They do not have to spend the whole dollar.
After completing their list of items they would buy. The children then count out enough paper money for each item on their list and place the paper money in the pocket on their paper.
Have children trade papers with each other and count the money in each other's pocket and add up the cost of items bought.
Math
Sort Your Coins
Need: mixed up penny and nickel paper coins, paper cups labeled from 1 to 9.
Have children put the correct amount of paper coins into the cups. Discuss different combinations of coins for values more than five cents.
Coupon Money (Grades 1-2)
Need: coupons, play money, paper and glue.
Place coupons in a container. Have children draw a coupon from the container. Give each child a paper. The children then glue their coupon on one side of the paper. On the other side of the paper, the children glue play money (coins and/or bills) that would be needed to equal the amount on the coupon. You can have the child draw the amount of money that represents the coupon amount if no play money is available.
Clip and Save (Grades 1-3)
Need: coupons, coins, price list of various items (written on board or on a handout).
Give each child an assortment of coupons.
For each coupon the child:
Will need to show how much money it is worth.
How much is saved by using the coupon.
Must find at least one item that could be purchased with the savings.
Price Comparison
Have the children go to the store and choose items they would like to buy or have boxed and canned food items in the classroom. Find out how much it costs with tax and how many servings it has so you will know how much you need to serve your class. Make grafts on what items are more popular. What cost more by serving and by price. Figure our how much each student would need to bring in to purchase that item for a party. Then at the end of the week have the students by the items.
Contributed By: Cemour
Class Paychecks
Have each child earn class money by doing jobs in the class, keep track of what they earn on a chart. At the end of the week give them a paycheck they can purchase stickers pencils or other cheap items. Talk about other occupations and the concept of wages. Also the concept of hard work earns more can be discussed.
Contributed By: Cemour
Wish Books
Bring in old magazines and catalogs and let the kids cut out pictures of things they would like to buy if they had lots of money. Have them put each on the paper and find out how much each item costs. Let them pick just a few items. Then have them do the math to find out how much money they would need to purchase all these items. At Holiday time this would be a fun book to give mom and dad for what they want for their special gifts.
Contributed by Cemour
