Grade 2 · Number
Financial Literacy: Coin Combinations to 100 Cents
Grade 2 financial literacy extends to mixed coin combinations and introduces the concepts of spending and saving. Counting a mix of coins (2 quarters, 1 dime, 3 nickels) requires organizing by denomination and adding the subtotals. The equivalence of different combinations making the same total (25 cents = 1 quarter = 5 nickels) is proportional reasoning in a real-world context. Spending and saving decisions introduce a values dimension: mathematics is not just about calculation but about decisions.
LESSON VIDEO
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Lesson video
A short walkthrough to play in class or assign for flipped/at-home viewing.
WHAT STUDENTS WILL LEARN
✓Count mixed combinations of coins to 100 cents
✓Use different coin combinations to make the same total (e.g., 25 cents = 1 quarter = 5 nickels = 2 dimes + 1 nickel)
✓Distinguish between spending and saving; apply wants-and-needs thinking to financial decisions
✓Role-play financial transactions using coins and bills to 100 cents
✓Connect coin equivalences to place value: 100 cents = 1 dollar