The students have finished up their Saxon Textbooks.  So we’re reviewing those objectives in Math that they all struggle on.  Counting coins is a big tedious process for most of the students.  Adding 25s, 10s, 5s, and 1s, requires them to practice their addition, multiplication and skip-counting processes in their heads.

Like anything else difficult, you put the word game next to the activity, and do it with a partner.  They are to take turns grabbing a handful of coins, and draw out what they found on their worksheet.  After totaling it up, they return it to the cup, and do it again.  Simple.

Its like the ‘Lightbulb’ effect.  Even the ones who have spent the whole year stumbling on the Coin Counting, get it.   We end the year with more confidence in our ability to count money.