Teaching Coins in 2nd Grade

Hey y'all! Do your 2nd graders struggle with money? Where we're at, the standards have changed often, and learning about money changes grade levels all the time. The result is that my 2nd graders end up missing out on the standard because one year it's taught the grade level after them and the next year it's taught the grade level before them.

So...we end up spending at least a couple of weeks learning about money. How to identify coins, what their values are, and how to add them up. This year, the kiddos are expected to be able to solve word problems involving money. But they have to know the coins' values first!

On Monday of the first week, we go over the value of each coin and how to identify them. Many have learned some of this skills at home (thank goodness!), but for others, it's all new.

Tuesday through Thursday, the kids go to a series of stations where they practice identifying coins and counting them. While they are at stations, I'm walking around the room scaffolding students, clearing up any misconceptions, and reteaching as needed. It's a great way to assess where each individual student is at in their learning.

And since they are playing games and working independently, they don'r realize just how much they are actually learning!

The following week, we relate adding coins to skip counting. Some students come to this realization on their own, but many don't. Once they make that connection, though, their understanding of adding coins takes on a whole new level.

The stations the second week focus on solving word problems involving money. Most are strictly coin related, but some involve dollars as well.

One of the things I love about this setup is that there are direction cards included for each station. Students don't have to keep asking what to do because the instructions are right there with pictures.

Skills spiraled into this unit are using a number line, skip counting, comparing numbers, and solving word problems. It's a win-win.

For more information on how I structure math time click here or here. (Freebies included!) To find out more about this unit, check it out on my Teachers Pay Teachers store here. This is the second unit in a series of math units coming out soon so be sure to stop by for more math units like this. These are very similar to my science units as well, so if you like this setup, click here or here for more. 

Thanks for stopping by and stay sweet,