Money - Coins
Introduction
Students will compare and sort coins according
to attributes of colour, size, shape, mo9f and
value.
Resources
• Early FISH Kit
• Collection of coins – Australian and other
countries
• Crayons and paper
 Sorting circles or draw chalk circles
• Coins on whiteboard:
http://www.idealresources.com.au/index.php
 Coin dice – BLM
• Coin dice and coins – colour
Time/Classroom Organisation
The Sorting activity may be introduced to the
whole group, and then divide into small groups
to sort the coins. The Big coins, little coins
Activity may also be introduced in a whole group
circle or carpet time, with small groups taking a
coin each to determine how many lollies they
could purchase with their coin. Come back to the
whole group for the discussion on the size versus
value of the coins.
1.2.4
Australian Curriculum Year One
Recognise, describe and order Australian coins according to
their value (ACMNA017)
Word Wall: make to ten,,
Activity Process-­‐Big and Little Coins
1. Place the coins on felt in front of the group
Proficiency Strand:
Problem Solving – using materials to model authentic
problems
Activity Process-­‐ Sorting
1. Explore a mixture of coins from Australia and other
countries. Ask students: which coins do you recognise?
Sort the coins into Australian coins and other.
2. In groups, ask the students to sort the Australian coins.
Each group describes the attribute they have used for
sorting, for example: silver coins and gold coins; round
edges and straight edges; big coins and little coins;
dollars and cents.
gold
silver
2. Ask: Which is the biggest coin in size?
Which has the greatest value – which
would buy the most? Record the students’
responses.
3. Show the students a container full of
“lollies” (counters). Say: These lollies cost
1c each. How many lollies would I get for
5c? How many lollies would I get for 50c?
Count out the lollies you could buy with
each coin and place them on a piece of felt
next to the coin.
big
little
3. Discuss the features of the Australian coins. Display
coins on the whiteboard. Each student takes a coin and
describes the coin without revealing what it is for
example:
my coin is round, it has a platypus on one
side, it is silver, it has a number 20 on it.
The other students identify which coin on
the display. The student reveals the coin to
check the response.
4. Review the question asked earlier -­‐ Which
is the biggest coin in size? Which is the
greatest in value – which would buy the
most? Review the students’ responses and
draw a conclusion. Discuss this until the
students understand that the largest coin
does not have the greatest value.
5. Order the coins in order of value.
Variations & Extensions
1. Coin Dice Roll
Resources: Coin dice and mini whiteboard
and pen for each player.
Students play this game in small groups. Each
player writes their name on the top of the
whiteboard. Take turns to roll the coin dice.
Each student writes down the value of the coin
they have rolled. When all players have had a
turn, they compare the value of their coins. The
player with the highest value, circles the coin on
his/her whiteboard. The winner is the person
who has the most coin values circled on their
whiteboard.
2. Coin Drop
Resources: Collec9on of 5c ,10c , $1 and $2
coins and piggybank or purse
Ask students to count the 5c coins as you drop
them into the piggybank : 5,10,15,20,25,30.
When finished counting ask : How much money
is in the piggybank? Repeat the process for 10c;
$1 and $2
Year three NAPLAN Numeracy test links
• Money – counting collections
Links to Related MAGs
1.4.5 – Money – 2
Digital Resources
http://www.ideal-resources.com.au/index.php
Routines and Transitions:
•Roll a dice and count out the rolled number of 5c or
10c, for example: roll a four and count out four 10c –
10, 20, 30, 40. That’s 40c all together.
Assessment
Contexts for Learning
Play:
•Shop – Have a selec9on of items in the shop
labelled with 5c; 10c; 20c; 50c; $1; and $2. The
students’ role play purchasing the objects and giving
the correct money for the item.
•Coin rubbings – using crayons and coins. Cut out
and use for play.
Investigation:
Investigate different ways to represent 50c using one
coin, two coins, three coins , four coins and five coins.
Real life experience:
When collecting money for missions, have a running
tally of each coin on display, for example: line up all
the 5c and count in fives to find the total amount.
‘For children to become (young) mathematicians
requires creative thinking, an element of risk-­‐taking,
imagination and invention – dispositions that are
impossible to develop within the confines of a work-­‐
sheet or teacher-­‐led written mathematics.’
Carruthers, E. and Worthington, M. (2003) ‘Research uncovers
Children’s creative mathematical thinking, Primary Mathematics, Vol.
7/3 (Autumn).
Observe students as they play the Coin dice roll. This
will give information about the recognition of coins,
as well as whether or not students understand the
value of each coin. As a transition activity, the teacher
can observe students as they place the coins in order
of value.
Achievement Standard: recognise Australian coins
according to their value.
Background Reading
Children can learn to recognise the coins through
exploration, play and discussion. Learning about the
value of money is the challenge, as bigger does not
necessarily mean a coin is worth more.
Even when children are very young, they become
aware of the significance of money.- making it
important to start teaching them about financial
literacy. Professor Matt Sanders, Director of the
Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University
of Queensland recommends that children around
aged six or seven are ready to start pocket money
systems and to learn the value of money.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/08/03/2971848.htm
‘All children can be successful with mathematics,
provided that they have opportunities to explore
mathematical ideas in ways that make personal sense
to them and opportunities to develop mathematical
concepts and understanding. Children need to know
that practioners are interested in their thinking,
respect their ideas, are sensitive to their feelings and
value their contributions’
Adapted for use in the Cairns Diocese with the permission of the
Catholic Education Office
Toowoomba
‘For children to become (young) mathematicians requires creative thinking, an element of risk-­‐taking,
imagination and invention – dispositions that are impossible to develop within the confines of a work-­‐sheet
or teacher-­‐led written mathematics.’
Carruthers, E. and Worthington, M. (2003) ‘Research uncovers Children’s crea+ve mathema+cal thinking, Primary Mathema+cs, Vol. 7/3 (Autumn).