Financial Literacy — Coins and Role-Play
Warm-up
Pass around one of each Canadian coin. 'What do you notice? How are they different? What do they have in common?' Sort by colour first, then by size. Introduce names: 'This golden one is called a loonie. Who knows why?'
Explore
Set up the classroom store with simple price tags (2, $3 for items). Students take turns as customer and shopkeeper. The customer picks one item, pays with coins (supporting them as needed), and the shopkeeper 'accepts' the payment. No change-making — keep it to exact amounts with whole dollars.
Consolidate
Practice
Students draw one thing they 'need' and one thing they 'want,' and share with a partner explaining their thinking. Exit: teacher holds up a coin — students say its name.
Exit reflection
'You have 3. Do you have enough? What do you need?' If the student needs support, lay out the coins and count together. The goal is the reasoning, not the speed.
This is one of the most common and important early financial misconceptions. Use the store: 'This costs 1 dime. This costs 1 nickel. Which one costs more?' The price tag is the authority. Repeat in multiple contexts until the size-value disconnect is internalized.