Lesson Plan Title:
Grade 3 Mathematics Lesson Plan: Understanding Money and Making Change
Materials Needed:
– Play money (coins and notes)
– Price tags or price list
– Worksheets with money problems
– Whiteboard and markers
– Digital presentation or images of South African currency
– Scissors and glue for an arts and crafts activity
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recognise different denominations of South African currency.
2. Count money accurately.
3. Understand basic transactions and make change correctly.
4. Solve simple word problems involving money.
Vocabulary:
1. Currency – The money in use in South Africa.
2. Denomination – The value of a particular coin or note.
3. Transaction – The act of buying or selling something.
4. Change – The amount of money given back when a payment exceeds the price.
5. Sum – The total amount of money.
Previous Learning:
Students have previously learned basic addition and subtraction, as well as place value for units, tens, and hundreds. They have also had brief exposure to identifying coins but not in detail.
Anticipated Challenges and Solutions:
1. Difficulty recognising denominations: Provide clear images of each coin and note with large, readable labels.
2. Counting mixed coins: Use practical exercises with play money to help students practice.
3. Making change: Use guided examples to demonstrate the process step by step.
Beginning Activities (4 minutes):
1. Introduction to Learning Objectives: Briefly discuss the objectives of recognising money and making transactions.
2. Activate Prior Knowledge (6 minutes):
– Show an image of South African currency on the board.
– Ask students to identify and name different coins and notes.
– Quick discussion about when they use money in real life (e.g., buying snacks).
Middle Activities (32 minutes):
1. Direct Instruction (10 minutes):
– Demonstrate recognising and counting different denominations.
– Show how to add up different coins and notes to make a total amount.
- Guided Practice (10 minutes):
- Distribute play money and price tags to small groups.
- Set up a mock ‘store’ where students use play money to ‘buy’ items and practice making change.
- Teacher circulates to assist and correct students.
- Independent Practice (12 minutes):
- Distribute worksheets with money-related word problems and exercises.
- Students work individually to solve problems.
- Teacher provides individual assistance as needed.
End Activities (4 minutes):
1. Exit Ticket:
– Each student receives a small task sheet with 3 questions: one asking to count money, one to determine if an amount is enough to buy something, and one for making change.
2. Wrap-Up (2 minutes):
– Brief discussion on what they learned today.
– Encourage students to think about how they can practice these skills at home or in the community.
Assessment and Checks for Understanding:
– Observational assessment during guided and independent practice.
– Worksheets and exit tickets to evaluate understanding and correct usage.
– Classroom discussion used to gauge overall comprehension.
Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners:
– For struggling learners: Provide manipulatives and visual aids; allow peer tutoring and extra practice with easier sums.
– For advanced learners: Assign more complex word problems or higher denomination transactions; encourage them to run their ‘store’ with less teacher guidance.
Teaching Notes:
– Emphasise the real-life applicability of these skills to engage students in learning.
– Incorporate multicultural aspects by discussing money use in different cultures, especially within the South African context.
– Ensure all materials are accessible for students with disabilities, such as large print or Braille for worksheets.
– Personalise examples where possible to student interests to maintain engagement.
This lesson plan ensures Grade 3 students build foundational money management skills, contributing to their financial literacy and numeracy readiness in future grades.