Reading for Life (RFL) Lessons

Minnesota ABE Supplemental Services, Linda Strand, 2004-2005

and the Minnesota Literacy Council

Focus: Counting Change (Reading for Life volume 2, unit 13: Coins and Currency)

Objectives: Learners will be able to add coins and demonstrate knowledge of the value of those coins.

Key Vocabulary: change, decimal point, total, cent (sign), dollar (sign)

Topics to Review: names and values of coins, numbers 1-100, skip counting by 5s, 10s and 25s

Materials: jar of coins; grocery store ads (optional)

Procedure:

Real-life application:

T elicits coin names and values and writes them on the board (numerically and in words). T divides students into small groups to work with coins. T distributes coins to students. T asks students to take 1 nickel and 1 penny from their pile. T asks: “How much money is it?” T writes answer on board. T repeats, using just two-coin combinations at first and then moving to three or more coins.

T writes amounts on the board (e.g. $.74, $.22, $.97) students take out coins to show the amount. T monitors, correcting and helping where necessary.

Students work in pairs or small groups. The first student takes out some coins. The second student says the amount and writes it down. (If there are groups of three the third student should write.) Students switch roles. A variation on the activity is for the first student to say the amount, and the second student to take out the coins that show that amount (and write).

Students look through grocery store ads to find items that are less than a dollar. They then take out coins to represent that amount. Stronger students can figure out how much change they would get for the item if they paid with a dollar bill and take out that amount of coins.

Progress to Reading for Life, v.2 competency worksheets: Applicable worksheets: RFL v.2 pages 38, 39, 40, 43, 44, 45 and 46. Choose from worksheets listed according to your learners’ needs. Please see your copy of Reading for Life for additional worksheets and units.

Most of the pages listed above are from the internet site www.moneyinstructor.com The site has a variety of activities that focus on this skill. Just click on the link “Counting money with coins”. You will need to create a user name and password to download and print activities.

Progress to multiple-choice format activities: Multiple choice worksheets corresponding to pages 38, 43 and 44 in Reading for Life v.2 are attached as well as a bubble answer sheet.

Extensions:

See Daily Living Activities on page 37 of Reading for Life v. 2

Click on links within text above for attached pages.