Unit Plan 15 (Grade 2 Math): Money—Solve Dollar/Cent Word Problems
Count mixed coins using $ and ¢, skip-count efficiently by 25s/10s/5s/1s, and solve one- and two-step purchase and change word problems with clear models and correct notation.
Focus: Use $ and ¢ symbols; count collections and solve one- and two-step word problems with dollars, quarters (25¢), dimes (10¢), nickels (5¢), and pennies (1¢).
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Mathematics (Measurement & Data • Operations & Algebraic Thinking • Math Practices)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 35–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students build fluency with coin values and count-on strategies to total cents and dollars. They solve real-world purchase problems (buying items, combining coins, making change from $1 or a few dollars) and clearly write answers using $ and ¢. Emphasis is on reasoning about value, selecting efficient counting paths, and explaining choices.
Essential Questions
- How do coin values help me count on efficiently to find a total?
- When should I use ¢ and when should I use $?
- How can I model and explain money problems so my answer makes sense?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify coin names/values and count collections using efficient skip-counts (25s, 10s, 5s, 1s).
- Write totals with correct $/¢ symbols and labels (e.g., 67¢, $2).
- Solve one- and two-step money word problems (buying, combining, making change) using drawings, tables, and number lines.
- Explain solutions with quantitative reasoning (what each number means, why the strategy works).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 2 (spiral across the unit)
- 2.MD.8: Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and ¢ symbols appropriately.
- 2.OA.1: Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems with unknowns in all positions.
- MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively (make sense of quantities, units, and symbols).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name coins and their values and count on by 25s, 10s, 5s, and 1s.
- I can write amounts with $ or ¢ correctly (for example, 75¢, $3).
- I can model and solve money problems and explain what my numbers mean.
- I can find change from $1 (or a few dollars) and check that my answer is reasonable.