AN ASSORTMENT OF MONEY AND PLACE VALUE GAMES & ACTIVITIES

GRADES: 1-5

These activities are meant to provide practice with recognizing alternate ways of "naming" numbers. For example, 284 could be described as 2 hundreds, 8 tens, and 4 ones. It could also be described as 1 hundred, 18 tens, and 4 ones. This can be complicated for students. Renaming with money is also a confusing skill for students.

ACTIVITY 1--RACE FOR 100 GAME

This game is simple, but it strengthens student understanding of place value and trading. I question students a lot and have them count often (before and after trading).

MATERIALS:

  • place values boards with a column for ones, tens, and hundreds

    dice

    Base 10 blocks

    • METHOD:

  • Students roll one dice. They take the number of one cubes indicated on the dice. When they can trade for a tens rod they do so.

    The game continues until one student trades up to 100.

    That student is the winner.

    • VARIATIONS:

  • Play the game backwards. This will provide a foundation for subtraction with regrouping (or a strengthening of basic knowledge for older students).

    Use Place Value boards with a thousands column to play "Race to 1000" if time permits.

    Make the connection between money and place value. Penny= ones; Dime=tens; Dollar Bill=Hundreds. Call the game "Race for A Dollar".

    • ACTIVITY 2--THE HOMES OF THE TENS AND ONES FAMILIES

    MATERIALS:

  • two teacher-created, construction paper houses (one house should be labeled "ones family", the other "tens family") I drew little people outside the door of each house. The ones family person had a jersey with #1 on it. The tens family representative had a #10 on his shirt.

    Base 10 blocks (or substitute with individual beans & popsicle sticks with groups of ten beans glued on)

    2-digit subtraction problems involving regrouping

    • METHOD:

  • When I teach subtraction with regrouping to students, I walk them through the process using the tens and ones "family" houses.

    I explain that the ones family keeps single cubes (or beans) in their house. The tens family keeps only groups of 10. For each problem, I place the appropriate number of tens manipulatives (Base 10 rod or popsicle stick with beans) on the tens house. I place the appropriate number of ones manipulatives (blocks or beans) on the ones house. So, the problem 57-29 would require 5 tens and 7 ones.

    As I walk the students step by step through the problem, they use the houses as a place value mat. The ones family "borrows" a ten from the tens family. The students can count how many tens are left and then record on paper (slash previous number and record 1 less ten over it). Then, they can count how many units/beans the ones family now has and then record it in the ones column on their paper.

    • ACTIVITY 3--MONEY MARATHON

    MATERIALS:

  • a poster with the following poem on it:
  • Five pennies, trade a nickel. . .

    Two nickels, trade a dime. . .

    Two dimes and a nickel,

    Trade a quarter everytime!

    • laminated 4-column board with the following headings for each column (respectively from left to right): Quarter, 25 cents; Dime, 10 cents; Nickel, 5 cents; and Penny, 1 cent

    dice

    real or plastic quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies

    • METHOD:

  • Students take turns rolling a dice and taking that number of pennies for their board.

    As the students collect coins that can be traded, they should do so. Saying the poem is a great way to help students figure out the trades on their own. Most of my Resource Room students have memorized the poem by this time.

    The first student to get any designated amount (75 cents for example) is the winner.

    • ACTIVITY 4--SORTING AND RECORDING DINOSAURS

    MATERIALS:

  • dinosaur counters (anything small, motivating and easily counted could be substituted)

    paper cups

    recording sheet (see details below)

    • METHOD:

  • Make up a recording sheet before hand--Write: ______tens and ________ones Number:_______ _____ + _____=______ (Repeat this on the worksheet several times)

    Have students grab a handful of dinosaurs, buttons, whatever... Then, have them sort the objects by putting groups of ten into paper cups. When they are through, they should count how many groups of tens their are and how many single objects, then record that on their papers.

    If a student had grabbed 23 objects, here is what the recording sheet would look like: __2__ tens and ___3__ ones Number: __23__ _20_ + _3_ = _23_ (This provides practice with expanded notation).

    • submitted by

    •

    JAN DEMONTIGNY
    FARM HILL SCHOOL
    MIDDLETOWN, CT
    dwaynejan@snet.net