Creating and Solving Money Problems

Victoria Brumfield
Grade 2 / Math

Common Core Standards:

2.MD.8 Solve problems with money.

a. Identify nickels and quarters by name and value. (Refresher portion)
b. Find the value of a collection of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.
c. Solve word problems by adding and subtracting within 100, dollars with dollars and cents with cents (not
using dollars and cents simultaneously) using the $ and ₵ symbols appropriately (not including decimal
notation).

Lesson Summary:

The purpose of this lesson is to have students learn how to count a collection of coins and use that knowledge
to solve word problems. The students will get a refresher on the names and values of pennies, dimes, nickels,
and quarters. Once the students show an understanding with the refresher, they will each use google slides to
create one word problem for a group of classmates to solve. The word problem can contain dollars with dollars
or cents with cents, but not a mixture of the two. Once each student has created their word problem (and solved
it correctly themselves), they will gather with several other students and have those students try to solve their
problem. The student creator of the word problem will serve as the “checker/teacher” once each student thinks
they have the answer.

Estimated Duration:

This lesson will take about five 50-minute class periods.

Commentary:

To start this lesson, the class will participate in an exercise that will refresh their memory on the names and
values of coins. To “hook” the students into the lesson, they will get into their table groups with a total of four
groups. Each group will be given a large image of one coin. They will come to the front of the class, hang it up
on the board, and match the value and name of the coin with their image. This will transition them into the rest
of the lesson. One of the greatest challenges I expect is the students having trouble creating their own word
problem. They could struggle with creating a proper word problem and getting the correct answer. To prevent
this, I will have my students share their google presentation with me. This allows me to check their word
problem along with the written work to make sure their word problem is solvable. I can also make sure they
have the correct answer to their word problem.
Instructional Procedures:

Five 50-minute class periods

Day 1: The teacher will begin by making sure the students are divided into a total of four groups. The teacher
will pass out an enlarged image of a penny, dime, nickel, or quarter. They will have 5 minutes to discuss which
coin they have and its value. Once their five minutes is up, each group will come to the front of the class, hang
the enlarged picture on the board and from the word bank on the board grab the value and name of their
specific coin. Once the students up front are finished, the rest of the class will verify whether they are right or
not. (15 minutes)
Once all the coins have been properly labeled, the students are then ready to move on to counting coins in a
collection of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. They will each get a set of fake coins. The teacher will
project on the white board their own coins so that they can count a long with the students. Then, the teacher
will put random coins on the board and ask them all to count how much is there. Several examples will be
provided. (25 minutes)
After counting the fake coins with teacher assistance, the students will be given a worksheet with different
collections of coins and they will have to complete the worksheet. (10 minutes)

Day 2: The teacher will begin by selecting a collection of coins and projecting it to the class. For the class
warm-up, students will have to independently figure out how much change is in the collection. (5 minutes)
After all the students have had a chance to count the change, the teacher will then reveal the answer to
determine if the students are right or not. After this warm-up, students will continue to work on and complete
the worksheet they were given the day prior. (15 minutes)
Once all students are done with the worksheet, they will turn it in for the teacher to look over. The teacher
wants the students to continue practicing how to count a collection of coins. The students will be put together
with a partner and they will play a game called coin war. Each student will be given a stack of cards, and each
card will have a certain amount of change. The students will both flip over a card at the same time and the
student’s card that has the highest amount of change gets to keep both cards. They will continue to play this
until they complete the stack of cards. The student with the greatest number of cards at the end wins. (30
minutes)

Day 3: The students should now be familiar with counting different coins in a group. Now that they should
know how to count coins and dollars (from a past lesson), they will now begin to solve word problems by
adding and subtracting within 100 ($ and cents symbol used appropriately). The teacher will give each student
a bag of fake dollars and coins so they can count along with the word problem. The teacher will read word
problems out loud and students will have the same ones in front of them. The teacher will do the first couple
problems with the students. Make the students underline the money they will be adding or subtracting. Have
them figure out first of they are dealing with dollars or cents. Once that is determined, have them decide of
they are adding or subtracting. Finally, have them add/subtract from the word problem and solve it. They
should provide a final value that they got at the end of each word problem and have them write it down at the
end of each word problem. Students should make the visual with their fake money and then once that is correct
they should draw what they made on the word problem to show their work. Teacher will do the sample ones
with students and provide any help needed throughout the lesson. (30 minutes).
Once the students become more familiar with word problems and how to go about solving them, they will
receive a worksheet that has more problems for them to complete. This will be turned in at the end of the day
to see the progress. (20 minutes)

Day 4: Students should now have a grasp on how to count money collections (dollars with dollars and coins
with coins). They should also be familiar with word problems and solving equations. The students will now go
onto google slides and create their own word problem. Half of the class will come up with coin problems and
the other half of the class will create dollar problems. They will create their own word problem and solve it,
have it checked, and then share their google slide with the teacher. The teacher will combine all the slides and
create one large power point of sample word problems created by the students. This will finally serve as an
online study guide or extra practice for the students in the class. (35 minutes)

Day 5: The students will have their own word problems completed and the teacher will have them combined in
one google slide. The teacher will project the student created word problems up front and the students will
come up and solve each problem. The creator of the word problem will come up front too and check the work
of the student solving the problem. The student will then tell the solver if they are correct or need to retry the
problem. (40 minutes)

For the remainder of the class, the teacher will answer any questions from the students about counting coins in
collections and solving word problems. Students will finish solving the problems on the google slides created
by the class for practice over the weekend. They will be tested on Monday over the concept of solving word
problems. (10 minutes)

Pre-Assessment:
Teacher will hold up a picture of each coin and see if the students can tell her what each coin’s name is and the
value. Students will each have their own white board, write out what they think it is, and when the teacher
counts to three, all students will turn their white boards around so that the teacher can see the answer.

Scoring Guidelines:

Students should score a ¾ on the coins if the understand the content prior to the lesson. The lesson
deals with counting collections of coins, and then eventually word problems.

Teacher will conduct ongoing assessment by seeing which students are struggling throughout the
lesson. The teacher will review several worksheets that the students complete and determine who needs
more help and who understands the lesson. The teacher will be able to watch students as they go
through the student-created word problems.
Post-Assessment:
The post assessment will consist of five-word problems for the students to complete on their own the following
week (Monday). This post-assessment will be a quiz. They will do this individually and turn it in for a grade.

Scoring Guidelines:
Students should score a 90% (4/5). If they do not reach this score, they will meet with the teacher and
go over what they missed on the quiz. The teacher will catch the mistakes of the student and steer them
in the right direction. Once their mistakes are found, they will be given two more-word problems to
ensure that they know how to solve them.

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated
students:
An extra challenge for gifted/accelerated students is have them solve word-problems with coin and dollars
together. They could also be given word-problems that are over 100 and still have dollar with dollar or coin
with coin.

Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the
material:
If the student is constantly struggling, sit them next to or partner them up with a gifted student that understands
the lesson.

Extension
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/early-math/cc-early-math-measure-data-topic/cc-early-math-
money/v/counting-american-coins
Khan Academy video could be used for students to learn how to count a collection of coins together.

https://www.education.com/resources/second-grade/money-word-problems/
This website has a list of worksheets that could be used for students. It is different activities dealing with
counting money and word-problems.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Students will be able to access the google slides of all the word problems created by the class. They will use
this to review and study for the test.
Parents are encouraged to get their students involved when at the grocery store. Maybe give them a certain
amount of money (75 cents or $1) and let them find something that would not go over that amount. If the get
money back, have the student calculate how much they should be receiving back. If parents are unable to give
their child any money, the parent can still have the child add or subtract with cents or dollars to keep them
engaged from this lesson.

Interdisciplinary Connections
Who is on each coin/dollar and their importance could be added in with this lesson if social studies were to be
integrated. Language arts could be applied in this lesson as well because the students are creating word
problems. The word problems must grammatically make sense so the students can successfully solve the
problems.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers Projector/white board, Coin War cards, word problems worksheet, collection of coins
worksheet, fake money (dollars and coins), enlarged images of coins, names, and
values, post assessment quiz, extra practice worksheet

For students Students will need a Chromebook, google slides, highlighter (underline money in word
problems), fake money, dry-erase white board, dry-erase marker, eraser

Key Vocabulary
Dollars, Coins, Quarter, Dime, Nickel, Penny, Value, Word Problem, Collection, $ and Cent Symbols

Additional Notes

None.