How to Teach Touch Coin Math

Teaching the value of coins is important for understanding money.

During early elementary school, money is a large focus of the math curriculum. If you're about to embark on teaching your students the concept of money, begin by introducing them to coins. Coins are the smallest denominations of money, so it makes sense to begin with them. To help students gain a firm comprehension of the different coins, use engaging hands-on activities that enable them to manipulate them.

Instructions

1. Provide each student with a penny, nickel, dime and quarter. Hold up the penny and ask children to locate the penny in their pile of coins. Tell them the name of the coin, how much it is worth and how many pennies they need to make a dollar. Do the same for each of the other coins.

2. Set out a mixed up pile of coins on each students' desk. Ask students to sort the coins, making a pile of pennies, a pile of nickels, a pile of dimes and a pile of quarters. Once they have sorted the piles, ask students to hold up the coin that equals one cent and to tell you the name of the coin. Follow suit with each of the coins.

3. Instruct children to make rubbings of each coin. This will allow them to interact with the coins on a different level, helping to foster a greater comprehension of each coin. Have them lay a heads-up penny under a piece of white paper and rub a pencil over it. Instruct them to flip the coin over so that the tails side is facing up and have them make a rubbing of this side of the coin as well. Instruct them to write the name of the coin and its value above the rubbing. Do the same for each coin. Children can refer to this as a cheat sheet.

4. Ask students to use their coins to make different amounts of money. State or write a coin amount on the board. Ask students to make that amount of money using their coins. Ask them to make the amount in a different ways. If you've written 25 cents on the board, ask them to show you three ways to make 25 cents: for example, one quarter, two dimes and a nickel, and five nickels. If students need help, allow them to refer to their coin rubbing sheets.

References

• Atlantis: Counting on Coins