K-4 MATHEMATICS STANDARDS

    CONNECTIONS ACTIVITY

    Standard's bullets addressed by activity

    • use mathematics in their daily lives

    Materials needed

    • Real or play coins (pennies to quarters)
    • Coin Count Recording Sheet (included)

    Description of Activity

  • Group or classroom management practices

      • Students work in pairs.

    Give each group a set of coins­pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. In situational contexts, ask students to make different combinations of various sums. For example:

      Maria bought a can of soda at a local store for 65 cents. Find as many combinations of coins that she could have used to buy the soda. (Students record their answers on the recording sheet.)

    Suggested questions:

    • How many possible combinations are there?
    • Can you predict how many combinations are possible?

    Other situations could involve giving correct change. For example: Jose bought a popsicle for 55 cents. He gave the cashier a dollar. What possible combinations of coins could the cashier give him for his change?

  • Extensions

    • Have students create a restaurant or store and design a menu or price list. Older students can develop word problems to go with their projects. Students can go to the restaurant or store and practice their estimation skills, mental math skills, and computational skills. Calculators may be used to verify their answers.

    Reference

    Goodman, J. (1992). Group solutions: Cooperative logic activities for grades K-4. Berkeley, CA: Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California ­ Berkeley. pp. 94-97. Coin Count Recording Sheet, p. 111.