Mathematics

: Money Bags

Approach: One to one
Resources: Bag of money: 1 @ $2; 2 @ $1; 2 @ 50c; 3 @ 20c; 5 @10c; 4 @ 5c.
Questions / instructions: We are going to use some real money in this activity, so we will need to take care of it. Give the student the bag of money. Write their answers on the recording sheet.
		% responses
		y4	y8
1. Count the money in the bag. How much is there altogether?	$6.30	57	86
2. How much more money would you need to have $10?	correct, given answer to (1)	27	75
3. I want you to pay me 75 cents. Choose the fewest number of coins to make 75 cents.	correct: 3 coins >3 coins	47 30	89 7
4. This time you are to pay me $2.35, using the fewest number of coins.	correct: 4 coins >4 coins	68 17	92 4
5. Suppose I owe you 45 cents. Here is $1. Now give me the right change. How much change did you give me?	correct, given and stated	38	89
6. Suppose I owe you $1.15. Here is $2. Now give me the right change. How much change did you give me?	correct, given and stated	26	74
Commentary: Year 8 students had high success rates with these tasks. Year 4 students did quite well on the addition tasks, but much less well on the tasks involving change (subtraction).