How to Learn to Make Change With Money in the Fourth Grade
In early grades students learn the value of currency. Fourth grade students should know that a quarter equals 25 cents, a dime equals 10 cents and a nickel is five cents, and they should be able to make up each of these values using pennies. Students should also know the value of a dollar and how to use different coins to make up its value. To learn to make change with money, students can practice different real-world shopping scenarios that require addition and subtraction.
Instructions
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Give each student two $1 bills, four quarters, ten dimes, 20 nickels and five pennies of toy money.
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Give students a shopping scenario. For example, have students determine the total amount of money spent when purchasing a pencil case for $0.80, a glue stick for $0.75 and a pencil for $0.13. Do not include tax in this problem, as multiplying decimals is not part of fourth grade math. The total is $1.68.
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Tell students they will pay for this purchase using their two $1 bills. Have students use subtraction to determine the amount of change they will receive. They should determine their change will be $0.32.
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Ask them to count the change they will receive using only quarters, nickels and pennies. They should determine the change will include one quarter, one nickel and two pennies.
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Have students count their change using only dimes and pennies. They should determine the change will include three dimes and two pennies.
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Tell students to count their change using only nickels and pennies. They should determine the change will include seven nickels and two pennies.
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Create additional shopping scenarios to help students practice what they have learned about making change with money.
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References
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