Mathematics Education – Money

Unit Plan

Victoria Fraser

Topic focus: mathematics money

Level of schooling: foundation/reception
School and class context: Gulfview Heights Primary School, co-ed school, 26 students in the
class, a range of learning needs and abilities.

Aims:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of what money is and its purposes.

Explore the features of coins.
Identify and acknowledge the different types of coins.
Gain an understanding of the value of coins.

Dispositions:

Students will develop the dispositions of learning by demonstrating confidence, persistence,

motivation, creativity, problem solving skills, cooperation and collaboration.

General capabilities:

Numeracy
Information and communication technology ICT capability
Critical and creative thinking

Links to curriculum frameworks

Australian Curriculum – numeracy continuum:

Typically, but the end of foundation year, students are able to identify situations that involve the
use of money. Students are able to recognise the different values of coins and notes in the
Australian monetary system.

Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF):

Outcome 1: children have a strong sense of identity.

1.1 Children feel safe, secure and supported.

Outcome 2: children are connected with and contribute to their world.

2.1: Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of
the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation.

Outcome 4: children are confident and involved learners.

4.1: Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence,
creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity.
4.2: Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry,
experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.
4.3: Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another.

Outcome 5: children are effective communicators.

5.1: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
5.3: Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media.
Teaching sequence
Lesson Teaching sequence Differentiation
Lesson 1 – Encouraging the students to quietly sit on the floor Organise and allocate
prior demonstrating the five L’s for good listening. grouping of students to
knowledge Introduce the new topic of money. Pose questions support learning needs
to the students to establish their prior/existing and social interactions.
knowledge.
What is money? Provide sensory aids for
What is money used for? students who require
Why do we have money? (uses, purpose) them.
Where do we get money from?
Record and document the student responses Accommodate for brain
using the interactive whiteboard. and water breaks.

Have a class discussion about the features of Provide one on one

each coin. Provide the students with picture of the assistance or scaffolding
coins and discuss something they know about the for students who need
coin or something they found interesting or learnt. additional guidance.

Provide the students with the opportunity to sort

the coins. Use pretend money for the students to
observe and manipulate. Question the students
about how they sorted their coins. At the end of
the lesson, have a class discussion to debrief
about what they have learnt, found interesting or
want to learn about. Discuss the many different
ways the students sorted their coins.

Lesson 2 – Begin the lesson by posing questions to the Organise and allocate
developing students about what they learnt about coins from grouping of students to
knowledge the previous lesson. Start a class discussion support learning needs
and about the numbers on the coins and what the and social interactions.
understanding numbers mean and represent. Discuss the
difference between the cents and the dollars and Provide sensory aids for
how the coin features are different. students who require
them.
Encourage the students to sit in a circle and as a
class create a timeline representing the coin with Accommodate for brain
the least amount of value to the coin with the most and water breaks.
amount of value. Observe and document what the
students know. Create a visual by using pretend Provide one on one
money on the floor and discussing each coin. assistance or scaffolding
for students who need
Provide the students with a sheet of paper with a additional guidance.
picture of each coin on it. The students will cut it
out and then glue them in their books by ordering
them from lowest value to highest value. Provide
support to any students who require additional
guidance.

Lesson 3 and Begin the lesson by posing questions to the Organise and allocate
4 – stations students to encourage and promote the use of grouping of students to
retelling their learnt knowledge about money.
Watch a short video clip about the coins, pausing support learning needs
and asking questions based on what was in the and social interactions.
video. Have a class discussion explaining the
money stations and have a visual on the Provide sensory aids for
interactive whiteboard. Students were already students who require
allocated a group and they would rotate around them.
the stations during the two lessons.
Accommodate for brain
One of the money stations will be a sorting and water breaks.
station. The students can sort the pretend money
and categories the coins into groups based on Provide one on one
their own knowledge, interpretations and assistance or scaffolding
understandings of the coins. for students who need
additional guidance.
Another station will be a stamping station.
Students will be provided with coin stamps and ink
pads and they can practice stamping the different
coins into their books. They can notice the
different shapes, sizes, textures and patterns
displayed on each coin and begin to recognise the
features of each coin. If the students have time,
they can begin to label the different coins.

The students will also have the opportunity to

work on the rubbing station. The students will be
provided with real coins where they can practice
rubbing the pattern of the coin onto the page. The
teacher will need to model and provide scaffolding
to support the students. The students will have to
place the coin on the table and put their piece of
paper over the top. Very carefully and lightly rub a
pencil over the top. This will leave an imprint on
the page. Students can notice the different
shapes, sizes, textures and patterns displayed on
each coin and begin to recognise the features of
each coin.

Another station was a worksheet station. This

provides the teacher with concreate learning to
establish the student’s knowledge and
understanding and a form of assessment.

The worksheet involves the students having to

identify the missing number values on each coin.
Once this worksheet is complete, the students will
be provided with flashcards with an item or
product to purchase and the amount it costs. The
student will have to match the amount with the
coins to buy that product. The students can try
using different coins to achieve the same amount
of money.

The final station is using an interactive program

which is study ladder. The students will use the
interactive whiteboard and take turns to answer
 questions based on money. The first activity is
about the value and numbers the coins represent.
The second activity requires the students to
identify if the different items are need or want
items.

Throughout all these stations, the teacher will be

conducting assessments. Photographs of what
the students are doing, and the learning will be
taken and observational notes will be recorded.

Lesson 5 – This lesson will be optional for the students to Organise and allocate
role play and participate in during activity time. The students will grouping of students to
dramatic play have the opportunity to create their own money support learning needs
using their prior knowledge of coins. The students and social interactions.
will then be able to use these coins to create a
shopping experience. They can use the money Provide sensory aids for
they made to have a role play and dramatic play students who require
experience and relate it to a real-life situation. The them.
students can practice buying products using their
money and role play a shop assistant using a Accommodate for brain
cash register. This lesson will be child initiated. and water breaks.

Provide one on one

assistance or scaffolding
for students who need
additional guidance.

This lesson and activity

was made optional to the
students. The students
who didn’t want to
participate were able to
play with another activity.

Assessment

Due to the age of the students, the majority of the assessments will be based on written
observations and photographs taken of their work samples. Through the engagement of class
discussions, the students ideas and knowledge have been recorded and documented. The
observational jottings will capture and record students developing understandings about the topic
of money.

Students will also undertake an individual assessment with the teacher. The teacher will pose
questions to document their knowledge and understanding. The teacher will provide the student
with pictures of money and ask the student to identify which coin it is and take notice on whether
the students labels the coin as cents or dollars. The teacher will then provide the student with a
picture flashcard with an item and the amount to buy the product. This is to assess if the student
knows which coins they will need to buy the item and if they are able to add the coin values
together. The teacher will then provide the student with two coins and ask the student which coin
 is worth more and why. All the student responses will be documented for assessment and to help
with future planning to develop the students understanding.

Links to literature

Value of structure
Following a predictable lesson structure provides students with a sense of security and helps to
maintain engagement (Arts Pop 2019). A predictable lesson structure is particularly constructive
for students with certain special needs, such as Autism, who benefit from a structured learning
environment and clear routines (Hyde, Carpenter & Doyle 2017, p. 294). Creating a clear structure
in the classroom environment is an effective way to create predictable environments that allow
students to feel safe and secure, allows students to reflect and develop on their skills and
knowledge as well as building community and a sense of teamwork (EYLF 2009).

Importance of activating prior knowledge

Activating students’ prior knowledge is an important process in a mathematics lesson as it enables
students to consolidate what they already know about the topic. Furthermore, it has been found
that prior knowledge activities are a valuable part of lessons, as they facilitate student engagement
in the topic (Cawthon, Dawson & Shasta 2011, p. 1).

Resources

Teacher resources
- Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) 2016, F-10
Curriculum, Mathematics, Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum v8.3, Australian Curriculum,
Assessment and Reporting Authority, viewed 3rd September 2019.
- Arts Pop 2019, Dance Planning, Arts Packages of Practice, Australian Government
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, viewed 31 March 2019,
http://www.artspop.org.au/content/view/index-docid=108.html
- Cawthon, S, Dawson, K, & Shasta, I 2011, ‘Activating Student Engagement Through
Drama-Based Instruction’, Journal for Learning Through the Arts, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1-31.
- Early Years Learning Framework 2009, Being, Belonging, Becoming (EYLF).

- Hyde, M, Carpenter, L & Dole, S (eds) 2017. Diversity, inclusion and engagement,
(3rd Edition) Oxford University Press, Melbourne Vic.

Student resources
- Pretend money
- Real money
- Interactive white board
- Paper
- Pencils
- Maths books
- Coin stamps and ink pads
- Worksheets
- Flashcards

Reflection
Throughout the teaching sequence, I used a loud clear voice when providing the students with
explicit instructions. I used the interactive white board as a tool to support the students with a step
by step procedures. I ensured that all students were able to see the board. When working on the
floor, the students formed a circle to ensure all students were able to see a demonstration as I
modelled the task. I have developed more self-confidence and discovered strategies to support
student engagement and behavior management. I have found that the 1, 2, 3 eyes on me, was
an effective method of getting the students attention. During the teaching sequence, the students
all demonstrated a large amount of interest within the lessons and we able to work collaboratively
with others. I walked around the room taking photographs, documenting and recording their
learning and providing additional support to students who needed it.

An area that I need to improve on for my practice, is time management. I need to ensure I am
using a timer and allowing for an appropriate amount of time for class discussion, reflection and
pack up. I also need to be aware that I need to provide the students with more specific instructions
and explain in detail or provide a definition for different terms.