"Show Me the Money"

Subjects :Mathematics
Grade : K-2; 3-5;6-8

Brief Description
"Show Me the Money" is a game that has students solve math problems related to money and express answers in the most efficient denominations.

Objectives :-
Students

  • record math problems accurately.
  • use computational skills.
  • represent a dollar amount in the least number of bills and/or coins.
  • work cooperatively in groups.

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    Keywords
    math, game, coins, bills, money

     

    Materials Needed

  • grade-level appropriate math computation or word problems that involve money
  • pretend coins and bills for each student group, if desired
  • paper and pencils

    • Lesson Plan

    Find your favorite math word or computational problems that involve money and get ready to put them to use in a fun review! Show Me the Money asks students to solve these math problems and express their answers in the largest denominations possible. Young students and older ones can practice their math skills and become smarter consumers as they engage in this fun group game.

    For younger children who are just starting out with money skills, students may work in pairs. One may write an amount or a simple problem read by the teacher on paper. (Students might write "$4.25" when it is read by the teacher.) After one partner records the amount or solves the problem, the other partner can use pretend coins and bills to represent the amount or answer. When the teacher says, "Show me the money!," the students reveal their change. It is checked by the teacher, and play proceeds. ($4.25 would require four $1 bills and a quarter.) The students reverse roles in the next problem.

    Older students are ready for a greater challenge. They may work in groups of as many as four, taking turns in the roles of

  • recorder (writes the problem accurately),
  • calculator (performs computation),
  • exchanger (expresses the amount in the largest denominations possible), and
  • organizer (oversees solving of problem, checks computation, and checks expression in dollars and cents). In advance of playing, students might list denominations that may be required for the amounts in the problems going down the side of a page. This list is likely to include $100, $20, $10, $5, $1, $.25, $.10, $.05, and $.01.

    The teacher announces a problem, and the students complete it on paper in their roles within the groups. When the teacher says, "Show me the money!" the students reveal their calculations and change. The teacher may choose one group to discuss the problem and how it achieved the correct answer and appropriate use of currency. If desired, the organizer may serve as the speaker for the group. Then the next problem is read.

    Variation
    In a foreign language class, students may convert an amount and express it in the currency of the country they study.

    Assessment

    The teacher will monitor younger students as they work. Older students may receive points in their groups:

  • Two points are awarded for correct answers expressed in the largest denominations.
  • One point is given if the answer is correct but the money expression isn't the most efficient possible.


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