Show Me the Money

The kids had a great time exploring money during math centers.  We are just beginning our unit of study on money.  The focus of these centers was to learn to count money using nickels and pennies or dimes and pennies. We used this Money Mat to help us count.  The idea originally came from here but I updated it by adding pictures of money and the value to help the students.

Eggs in a Basket - For this activity students counted the money placed inside the eggs.  Each child had a different colored baskets with numbered eggs.  They drew the quantity and added how much money was in each egg.  

The Bakery Shop - I used these cupcake mats which I purchased from here.  My students were not ready to do the activity as directed so I adapted it for the needs of my students.  Here they practiced counting dimes and pennies.  Each child completed two mats.



The Toy Store - The kids had a great time purchasing items to play with from the Toy Store.  They were able to purchase one item at a time, play with it, and then, make another purchase.  They loved it!



The last two centers included Monopoly Junior and their math workbook.  This was a fun and interactive way to learn about money.  What I loved about it was that I was able to access the children's knowledge through multiple ways.  Not all centers were paper-pencil tasks.  Yeah!

On another math note:  Have you heard about this summer's Book Study Blog Party? I'll be joining some wonderful bloggers (all of whom, I Follow and LOVE) this summer to share ideas, resources, and freebies based on Debbie Diller's Math Work Stations.  I am super excited!  Want to join us?  Order the book and get ready for an awesome adventure in learning via the blogs of Mrs. Wills Kindergarten, Primary Graffiti, Mrs. Patton's Patch, Oceans of First Grade Fun and Kindergarten Crayons.  If you aren't Following them or subscribing by email, go do so now! You do not want to miss out!

Happy Teaching and Learning!