Money, Money Money

We are continuing to practice, practice, practice counting coins.  This week we used the Chromebook lab and this list on the blog to practice with online interactive games.   The students worked very hard.  You can access any of these learning games from home by clicking on the links.  The children already know their favorites!

 1. Money Sort

2. Counting Money

3. Enough Money

4. Count the Amount

5. Feed the Dolphin

6. Fruit Shoot 

Not only do we use computers and iPads to practice counting coins, we also use manipulatives.  One example of a game the students love is called race to a quarter.  This is a game students can play at home.  To play, you will need a di and many pennies, nickels, and dimes.  Players take turns rolling the di and taking that many pennies.  When students have enough pennies to trade for a nickel, they can make the exchange.  Further, when a player has two nickels,  he/she exchanges for a dime.  Play continues until a player gets a quarter.  The game can be extended to race to a dollar.  

 

We have had all sorts of games to help us with identifying and counting coins. Of course, the best way to practice counting coins...is to practice counting coins.  The students love to use real money!  First graders should be able to identify pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and count amounts up to 25 cents.  However, I find these students love a challenge.  We have been counting MUCH higher than 25 cents.  

 

 
Another activity we did to was making words with a coin code.  We used this coin code to show coins that represent each letter.  Then we would spell words, match the coins, and count the amount. Students even found the worth of their first and last names. Then, the children uploaded a photo of their coin name to their digital portfolios in the app SeeSaw.  With the photos on SeeSaw, the students could compare the value of their name to their classmates. You can try out this activity at home.  Who's name is worth the most in your family?