Ideas for teaching Australian money for students in Year 3 and 4. Teaching ideas include higher order thinking skills.

2. Teaching Money
• Content Descriptor: Represent money values in
multiple ways and count the change required for
simple transactions to the nearest five cents
(ACMNA059)

3. Engage: How is money made?
Whole class task:
• Introduction to money:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ8HEsoI39s
• Explore how money is made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u3upZG4toE
(BTN episode)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTggA4jVPj0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTggA4jVPj0

4. History of Australian money
• Explore the history of Australian money. History
PDF’s can be downloaded from:
http://www.ramint.gov.au/education/factsheets/histor
y.cfm
• Depending on the level of your students you can
read, highlight key events, create a time line etc.
• Student might read how coins are made and then
create their own commemorative coin.

5. Robots at the Royal Aust. Mint
• Did you that the Royal Australian Mint employs 3
robots? Download the fact sheets:
http://www.ramint.gov.au/education/factsheets/techn
ology.cfm and then watch the videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u3upZG4toE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boCAzu9jXwA
• The questions on the PDF relate to robots that are
used and the Royal Australian Mint and the benefits
of using robot technology.

6. How do banks work?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA8voAVn1jk

7. Thinkers Keys Money Tasks
• The reverse key: Find 5 items that you cannot buy from the canteen with only
$1.00.
• The what if key: What if there were no 10 cent pieces? Would prices change?
• The bar key: Invent a new coin or note by making it bigger, add something to it and
replace something on it.
• The disadvantage key: What are the disadvantages of earning money?
• The prediction key: Predict how we will use money in 20 year’s time.
• The commonality key: What do money and lolly pops have in common?
• The alternative key: How can you buy a new toy without paying for it?
• The question key: Give 5 questions which have the answer of money.
• The brainstorming key: There are too many different currencies, notes and coins
in the world. Brainstorm a list of solutions.
• The combination key: Combine the attributes of notes and coins into a single
object.
• The interpretation key: Ms Villis had $12 one hour ago, now she has only 5 cents.
What happened?
• The variations key: How many ways can you make money?

8. Adding money amounts
• Demonstrate different ways of adding small money
amounts. Allow students time to practice adding
small money amounts using real money or paper cut
outs of money.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC5PgQqeDY8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxWSr1nnHUg

9. Student Tasks
• Make $1.00 in 3 different ways
• Make 60 cents in 3 different ways
• Make $2 in 3 different ways
• Make $3.50 in 3 different ways
• Make $5 in 3 different ways
• Make $2.25 in 3 different ways
• Make 30 cents in 3 different ways
• Make $10.00 in 3 different ways

10. Calculating change
• Teach students different methods of calculating
change. This may include counting on or using
vertical subtraction. If using vertical subtraction
ensure that stunts line up the units, tens, decimals
etc.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=022t6_tZnpA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjfb49aZzFM

11. Higher order thinking tasks
• Remembering: What do the Australian notes and coins look like?
Draw what they look like.
• Understanding: What notes and coins could I use to show $6.30?
• Application: You have $20. Buy 3 item out of a catalogue that will
leave you with at least 5c in change.
• Analysis: If you could buy healthy items from the canteen that will
provide you with enough for recess
and lunch what would you buy? Calculate the total and the change
from $20.00.
• Evaluation: List 4 reasons why children should be given pocket
money and reasons why they should not be given pocket money.
• Creation: Create a new healthy menu for the canteen.

12. Royal Adelaide Show Tasks
• What costs money at the Royal Adelaide Show? In groups, brainstorm a list of
things that cost money at the show and then order them from what you think is
the cheapest to the most expensive.
• Visit the official Royal Adelaide Show website and investigate the show bags.
a) Find the most expensive and the cheapest show bag. Name them.
b) Which show bag do you think is the best and why?
c) Which show bag do you think is the best value for money? Why do you think
this?
d) If you were able to buy two show bags for people who are special to you,
which show bags would you choose and why?
e) Choose one show bag for each member of your family. Use Microsoft Excel
to calculate the cost of one show bag for each member of your family.
• Video tutorial for EXCEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWEPzgjGQ4Q

13. Higher order thinking skills
• The answer is 35 cents. What could the question be?
• In Australia $1.00 and $2.00 notes were once used but now we
have $1.00 and $2.00 coins. What do you think is better?
Why?
• I have 5 coins in my pocket. Two coins are the same. How
much could I have?
• I have $3.45 in my pocket. How many different combinations of
coins could I have?
• Write a submission to your parents for an increase in pocket
money. How would you best show how you would use the
money? How much money do you think the jobs you do at
home are worth?

14. Created by Joanne Villis
• Inter-tech Education
http://intertecheducation.edublogs.org/
• Joanne on Pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/joannevillis/