Count Money: Pennies, Nickels, & Dimes

Teaching Notes

Teach students to sort coins by value (dimes, then nickels, then pennies) and count from highest to lowest. Emphasize skip counting for dimes and nickels to build efficiency.

Vocabulary

Penny: Worth 1 cent.

Nickel: Worth 5 cents.

Dime: Worth 10 cents.

Common Mistakes

• Miscounting when switching between coin values.
• Forgetting to add the pennies last.
• Confusing coin values (e.g., nickel for dime).

Differentiation

Discussion Questions

• Why is it helpful to count the largest coins first?
• What strategies do you use to count mixed coins?
• If you had only pennies, how would you make 25 cents?
• How is counting money similar to skip counting?

Extension Activities

• Make coin rubbings.
• Count mixed coin sets.
• Play store with play money.

Parent Tip

Have your child sort and count coins from your change.

Skill Cluster

Financial Literacy

Estimated Time

15 minutes

Skills Practiced

Prerequisites

• Counting by 1s, 5s, 10s
• Identifying coin values

Next Steps

• Counting with quarters
• Solving money word problems
• Counting Money: Quarters
• Making Change
• Money Word Problems