Monday Math Freebie - Coin Counting Puzzles

While cleaning out my graphics folder I came across some decent coin images, so this week I'm sharing a set of coin counting puzzles. There are puzzles for coins and their denominations, as well as puzzles with values in 5 cent increments from $.05-$1.00.

Here's a sneak peak at the contents.

 Download Coin Counting Puzzles.

I hope you get a chance to use these in your home or classroom. Please let me know if you try these and how you like them! 

Counting Coins and Skip Counting

I'll be getting a new work computer in June, so I've slowly been trying to clean up my files. I'll admit that I've been pretty lazy and my download folder is a HUGE mess. (Translation: I have more 5000+ files to review!) This means that as I try to figure out what to keep and what to trash that I've run across some interesting things. When I came across coin images from ClipArt ETC, I decided to create these simple coin counting forms.

Download Counting Coins.

I hope you get a chance to use these in your home or classroom. Please let me know if you try these and how they work! 

Money in Second Grade

In Second Grade the Standards of Learning state, "the student will count and compare collections of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters whose total value is $2.00 or less; and correctly use the dollar symbol, the cent symbol, and the decimal." 

Measurement, money in particular, is a real-world application that should be introduced with a variety of representations.

Therefore, this post will provide some children's literature that can be useful in supporting the instruction on money in second grade, as well as, some fun web resources.

A Quarter From The Tooth Fairy. By Caren Holtzman. Illus. Betsy Day. (1995). Cartwheel, (0590265989). 40 p. Gr. K-3.

In this book, Caren Holtzman [Hello Math Reader, Level 3] recounts in verse how a young boy spends the quarter he got from the Tooth Fairy for his tooth.   He first buys a monster for his quarter but then decides it wasn't quite right and returns it, getting 2 dimes and 1 nickel back.   Each time he buys and returns an item, he gets his 25 cents back in a different combination of coins, making this book an excellent introduction to the problem of how many different ways students can make 25 cents.

Pigs Will Be Pigs: Fun with Math and Money. By Amy Axelrod. Illus. Sharon McGinley-Nally. (1997). Aladdin, (0689812191). 40 p. Gr. K-3.

In this book, Amy Axelrod tells how the hungry pig family finds an empty refrigerator and then decide to hunt all over the house for money. After finding different amounts of money, they drive to their favorite restaurant, Enchanted Enchilada, and order 4 daily specials from the menu.

Jenny Found a Penny. By Trudy Harris. Illus. John Hovell. (2007). Millbrook Press, (0822567253). 32 p. Gr. K-3.

In this book, Trudy Harris describes how Jenny saves different values of coins to make a special purchase that costs one dollar. But even when she has the correct amount, will she be able to buy her item? There's a real life lesson in the story and is a great resource to pave the way towards financial responsibility.

The Coin Counting Book. By Rozanne Lanczak Williams. (2001). Charlesbridge Pub Inc, (0881063266). 32 p. Gr. K-4.

In this book you will find large, clear photographs of money that instruct students in coin denominations, grouping, and counting. This book is valuable as an introductory lesson on money.

How the Second Grade Got $8,205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty. By Nathan Zimelman. Illus. Bill Slavin. (1992). Albert Whitman & Company, (0807534315). 32 p. Gr. 1-3.

Nathan Zimelman takes a humorous look at a second grade fund raising project and the many adventures and misadventures along the way. What better way to slip in the concept of money to a second grade class than with a book exclusively about second graders raising money.

The Penny Pot. By Stuart J. Murphy. Illus. Lynne Cravath. (1998). HarperCollins, (0064467171). 40 p. Gr. K-2.

Stuart Murphy explores the world of money when Jessie want to have her face painted at the school fair. However, it costs 50 cents and she only has 39 cents. Therefore, she hangs out at the "leave a penny, take a penny" penny pot to gather additional change until she has enough.

Where the Sidewalk Ends. By Shel Silverstein. Illus. same. (1974). HarperCollins, (00605722345). 192 p. Gr. K-5.

The poem Smart, written by Shel Silverstein in Where the Sidewalk Ends, is a good-humored look at our money system and a child's misunderstandings about the size and value of coins. This is especially effective when student's "act out" the poem using the large coin cutouts or when students draw their own coin illustrations for the poem. Additionally, by having the students work out the equations for what occurs in the poem, you are encouraging some reversibility of thought.

Here are some fun websites that "coin"cide with teaching money in second grade. http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm This site provides ten different games on money, from verifying the amount, comparing, and matching.

http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games/ This site provides some dynamic, educational video games while teaching important money skills, such as "Peter Pig's Money Counter". http://www.hbschool.com/activity/counting_money/ This site reinforces basic money counting skills by totaling the value of the shown coins correctly to fill in the box.

http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/money.html This site provides six different money games - like paying for bus fare, running a lemonade stand, and shopping. Here is an additional site for fun facts about money. It can help bring in a history element to the learning process.   http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_exhibits/moneyville/pop5.htm

Teaching Money in First Grade

Books to help teach counting, savings and spending  with coins to first graders:

The Penny Pot. By Stuart J. Murphy. Illus. by Lynne Cravath. (1998). Harper Collins, (0-06-0446717). 33 p. Gr. 1-3.

This book starts at a school fair.  A student who has just spent her money on an ice cream cone decides that she would like to get her face painted.  The teacher offers her the pennies that people put in the pot.  Fortunately, some people drop larger denominations coins.  The coins are counted and shown on the pages so that you can track her growing tally. The story is charming and gives a counting lesson each time more money is added.  Will she finally gather enough coins to be able to get her face painted?


You Can't Buy a Dinosaur with a Dime.  By Harriet Ziefert. Illus. by Amanda Haley. (2011).
Blue Apple Books, (978-160905464). 32 p. Gr. 1-3. 

Pete is savings his money.  He decides to spend most of it on a dinosaur but then starts rethinking his purchase.  He make a new goal and decides to start again.  Even though this book does include dollars, it's a great idea for topics in writing..how do you decide what you can afford, how do you make money, when is a good time to buy, and how do you keep track of what you earn?

Jelly Beans for Sale. By Bruce McMillan. Photos by author. (1996). Scholastic Press, (978-0590865845). 32 p. Gr. 1-2.

This book is full of fun colorful photos of real kids!  The borders of the pages are also surrounded by jelly beans.  Each two page spread shows a child buying jellybeans with coins.  The first purchase shows a child buying one jelly bean for one penny.  As the book progresses, a combination of coins is used.  

The Counting Book. By Rozanne Lanczak Williams. (2001). Charlesbridge Publishers,  (978-0881063264). 32 p. Gr. 1-2.

Rhyme  and clearly shot photographs allow children to practice their counting skills in this book. Each coin is introduced and then shown in a variety of visuals to make other coin values.  By the end of the book, the author is guiding the reader to making combinations of coins adding up to  a dollar.

Websites for Teaching Coin Counting to First Graders
Learn to Count Money Game - The game on this site begins with a choice of counting coins only or a combination of both coins and paper bills.  The object is to click and drag the amount shown in the box.  When you are correct, a fish tank appears and a fish begins swimming around.  Your goal is to collect 10 fish!  If you guess wrong you lose a fish.  The opportunities to make combinations of coins is unlimited.  Once the student is introduced, it is totally independent.  If the student completes, they can go to a more complicated level which combines dollars.  Allows for more challenge for faster learners. 

Counting Money Game - This site is great for the beginner or the student who needs a little practice with penny, nickel and dime before adding in the quarter. The student counts the amount then types it in.  If the student is incorrect, they will be told  to try again.  If they are correct, it will tell them so and allow them to advance.  After about 10 activities, a short 30 second video cartoon appears and then gives them the option to start again.  Very easy and totally independent.

Break the Bank Sorting

Counting Money Games