Two pages of visual notes for students to keep: every coin with its value, how to count a handful of coins, four solved problems in the style of the Piggy Bank Math game, and where we use money every day. To make a PDF, click Print and choose "Save as PDF."

Visual Notes: Counting Money

Grade 2 · CCSS 2.MD.C.8 · Pairs with the Piggy Bank Math game

Name

Key words

Penny

Worth 1 cent (1¢). Count by 1s.

Nickel

Worth 5 cents (5¢). Count by 5s.

Dime

Worth 10 cents (10¢). Count by 10s. It's small, but worth more than a nickel!

Quarter

Worth 25 cents (25¢). Count by 25s: 25, 50, 75, 100.

Cent (¢)

45¢

The unit for small amounts of money. 45¢ means 45 cents.

Dollar ($)

$1 = 100¢

A dollar is 100 cents, like 4 quarters or 10 dimes.

How to count coins

1. SortPut the coins in groups: quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies.

2. Biggest firstStart with the coins worth the most.

3. Count onAdd each coin's value as you go: 25, 35, 40, 41.

4. Write itUse ¢ for cents, or $ with a dot: 41¢ = $0.41.

Solved Step by Step

Visual Notes: Counting Money, page 2

1. Count a handful

Quarters: 25, 50
Dime: 60
Pennies: 61, 62, 63

✓ Total: 63¢

2. Dimes and nickels

Dimes by 10s: 10, 20, 30
Nickels by 5s: 35, 40

✓ Total: 40¢

3. Make 75¢ with the fewest coins

Use the biggest coin you can: quarters.
25, 50, 75: 3 quarters

✓ 7 dimes and 1 nickel also make 75¢, but that's 8 coins

4. Can I buy it?

Lemonade costs 45¢. You have 1 quarter and 2 dimes.

Count: 25, 35, 45
45¢ is exactly enough. Yes!

✓ 45¢ can also be written $0.45

Watch out

A dime is smaller than a nickel but worth more (10¢ vs 5¢).
Count the biggest coins first so the counting is easier.
$0.75 and 75¢ are the same amount.

Where you see it in real life

Saving: count what's in your piggy bank.

Selling: a lemonade stand counts its coins.

Shopping: check the price tag before you pay.

Stores: a receipt shows what you spent.