My girls have been doing very well in their little math books for homework.

And I'm pretty impressed with their time and money lessons.

Except for tonight...

It's definitely getting more challenging. And in a way, I think it went from easy to hard too fast, but that's their book and there's nothing I can do about that. Let's just say I was thinking about a glass of wine when we were talking about giving change.

It went from doable to really hard, IMHO.

What other things should I do besides showing them play money? Manipulatives are the only thing I can think of.

There was some frustration tonight from everyone that I want to avoid next time.

Lisa

I use actual money for manipulatives and I can tell you right now that mine could not "make change". I worked at Burger King in high school and the only reason I was on the drive-thru and not standing over the fryer was because I could make change when 80 percent of the other high school students couldn't, if that tells you anything.

Michele
Sarah, Gregory, Amanda
born 1/22/04 at 35w1d

Our surprise baby Austin born 06/15/2005

www.fourtimesthefun.blogspot.com

I had sucky math teachers who helped me to ultimately hate math. I'm determined to not let that happen to my kids.

They are not going to stand over the fryer I tell you! LOL!

At age 5, what kind of change making are you talking about? Can they skip count?

I would use real money - best way to learn money. Could you set up a small store using round numbers? My kids spent a week on a RV roadtrip with my parents and played store off and on that whole week. They came back way ahead of their peers who learned in the classroom.

Deb
Son, 12
GGB, 10

Their homework had problems like a ball was 6 cents and 10 cents was used to pay for it so what's left over.

All I did was put the dime on one side and 10 pennies on the other side to show they were equal. I told them to take 6 pennies away since that was the price of the ball. And the left over pennies is the change.

They "got it" but only after I did those steps. I don't think they could get the answers on their own at this stage.

I have a cash register with money. Mabye I'll break that out for our math night. The store idea is a good one. Thanks!

Lisa

I voluntered in the schools up until the kids started 4th grade this year. I worked with kids in 2nd grade who still didn't get time and money. For time, they just had small plastic clocks with an hour and minute hand. I had the kids watch me change the time so they could see the hour hand move with the minute hand. The hardest time to tell for most kids was when the hour hand was closer to the next hour (like 8:45) they always wanted to read it as the next hour.
For money, the teachers gave me real change to work with. I had to ask the kids to show me each piece and how much was it worth. If they could get that, I would then ask if they could give me a certain amount (like $2.55) then ask if they could give it to me a different way. I think the way you are working with your kids is great. They will get it soon (and much quicker than a lot of kids) if you keep working with them and showing them how it is done. The store idea should make it fun. Mine use to run around the house and find things they wanted to buy while they took turns running the cash register. They had real change to play with too but I had to remind them not to make the price too high to learn with (no $50.00 teddy bears please!)
You are doing a great job just working with your kids, so many kids don't get that from their parents at all

Shell~
B/B/G 1/7/2000

I work in the school (sped para) and I think that many kids would need help with this kind of problem at this age. I deal with 3rd and 4th graders who still struggle with these abstract concepts. Money and time are very difficult.

I think what you did was great.

Deb
Son, 12
GGB, 10