Name of Learning Activity: Introduction of Counting with Yen
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Lessons are developmentally appropriate: Based on the standards presented, this activity
meets the standard and is developmentally appropriate for the second-grade level. I based this
particular activity knowing the standards for this grade level and how I was going to incorporate
that into the age appropriate lesson.
Mathematical concept: The concept is for younger students to get a grasp and concept of
money earlier. Not only will they be introduced to another cultures currency, but they will be
comparing it with the United States system. That being said, they will be getting a lesson on both
the Yen and the USD.
How is your learning activity relevant to the culture?: In this particular lesson, the students
will be is using the Yen to count out money. In Japan, the Yen is the official currency–– which
makes this lesson relevant to the culture in Japan.
NCTM Standard(s): Content Standard: Number & Operations. Process Standards: Connections.
What CORE Mathematics standards are connected to these activities?
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1
Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and
ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Understand the following as special cases:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1.A
100 can be thought of as a bundle of ten tens — called a "hundred."
What is the general sequence of the lesson/learning activity?
What are the students doing? What is the teacher doing?
Students will be asked: Ask students questions listed on the
- “What is currency?” left
- “Do you know what our currency is Hand out (fake) Yen
in this country? Each group will receive one:
- “What do you know about other -1, 5 ,10, 50, 100, and 500 Yen coins
countries currency? -1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 Yen.
Each group of students will be handed Allow students to observe the Yen
(fake) Yen. Give them the chance to compare it to
-1, 5 ,10, 50, 100, and 500 Yen coins the USD they know about
-1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 Yen. Ask questions
Have the observe/ play with Yen for a - “What do you notice?”
few moments. - “What do we have that is similar?”
Ask: Allow time for them to compare Yen
- “What do you notice?” and ask any questions
- “What do we have that is similar?” Let them know that 1 penny in the US
Students answer and ask any other currency system is just about equal to
questions they may have 1 Yen
Make comparisons of the USD and the So on, 500 Yen is about 5$ in the
Yen USD
Estimate what the Yen is worth While writing on the board, move on
compared to the USD to the bills.
Answer and brainstorm questions Discuss 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and
Based on what they previously learned 10,000 Yen
about Yen–– how do the Yen bills How do they compare to the USD?
compare to the USD Discuss and write on board:
Students will ask any questions they - 1,000 Yen = est. $10.00 USD
have about the currency of Yen and - 2,000 Yen = est. $20.00 USD
the USD - 5,000 Yen = est. $50.00 USD
- 10,000 Yen = est. $100.00 USD
In what ways would you check for student proficiency? : We will go around the room and the
teacher will hold up a piece of Yen randomly. Each student will be asked what that piece of Yen
is worth in USD. For example, if 1 Yen is held up, students will be expected to raise their hand
the answer, “1 Yen is worth 1 penny,” and so on until all students are able to correctly answer
what each Yen is worth. After that, they will be given a blank piece of paper. On this paper, they
will be using the fake Yen at their tables. Each student will briefly draw a picture of the piece of
Yen and the worth. Beside the Yen, they will answer what it equal in the USD.
Materials needed for teaching activity:
- Fake Yen
- Paper
- Pencils
- White Bored
- Markers
What websites/books/resources did you use?
- http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/2/NBT/
o For standards
- https://www.globalexchange.es/en/currencies-of-the-world/yen
o For facts and worth of Yen
- https://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?from=JPY&to=USD&amount=1
o To convert USD to Yen
Name of Learning Activity: Shopping with Yen
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Lesson is developmentally appropriate: According to the standards which I have presented,
this activity meets the standard and is developmentally appropriate for this grade level. I based
this activity knowing the standards for this grade level and how I was going to incorporate that
into the age appropriate lesson.
Mathematical concept: The students will be able to use the knowledge of the previous lesson
on Yen for this particular activity. Based on what they know about the worth of Yen and how it
compares to the USD, students are able to use the amount of money they are given to budget
how much money they have and are able to spend when they are “shopping.” Not only are they
converting money, but they are also practicing budgeting skills and the worth of items.
NCTM Standard(s): Content Standard: Number and Operations. Process Standard: Problem
Solving
CORE Mathematics standard(s):
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.B.5
Fluently add and subtract within 100 using strategies based on place value, properties of
operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.B.8
Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100-900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 from a
given number 100-900
General sequence of the lesson/learning activity:
What are the students doing? What is the teacher doing?
Groups will be given the Yen Pass out previously used (fake) Yen
Students should not be playing or Instruct them not to touch it until told
touching the Yen until instructed to do otherwise
so Have them discuss in groups the
Students can discuss with their group previous lesson and what the Yen is
members about the worth of Yen and worth
how it compares to the USD Tell students that we will be
Receive “shopping” lists “shopping” today
Students will listen and discuss items Hand out sheets of paper with items
that will be used to shop with during and their worth
this activity
After a review, they will ask any Allow students to have a second to
questions scan paper with objects
For the next 20 or so minutes, student Paper will have items that can be
will use the items in on their lists to found in the classroom and will have
try to “buy” as much as they can with their worth in USD next to it
the amount they have on their tables. Explain that the goal of this activity is
They will record the items on the list to “buy” as many items as they can
and if they want to buy it or not with the Yen that they are given
If they buy it, they will subtract that In total, each group should have
amount of Yen from their total $186.66 of USD worth of Yen
This will continue until they have no Add items add up to be $200.00
more Yen or too little to buy anything Teacher should walk around and make
else. sure all students are understanding the
Once students figure out what they activity
want to buy and what they won’t have Go around the groups so they can
enough for, they will gather back at share what they bought
their tables Ask students how much Yen is left
Students will share what they about over
and why How much is that in USD?
How much Yen do they? have left? Items will include things such as;
What does that equal in USD? - Pencil- worth $3.00 USD
- Apple- worth $4.00 USD
- Marker- worth $1.00 USD
- Lunch Box- worth $20.00 USD
- Desk- worth $40.00 USD
- Scotch Tape- worth $2.00 USD
- A shoe- worth $30.00 USD
- A telescope- $100.00 USD
Check for student proficiency: Students will hand in their “shopping lists” with the
conversions they did, what they bought, and how much Yen they have left. They will also
include what they have left in USD and provide an example of what they could buy if they had
the money for it. For example, “I had 200 Yen left. If I had 200 more Yen, I could have bought
the apple.”
Materials needed for teaching activity:
- Pencil
- Apple
- Marker
- Lunch Box
- Desk
- Scotch Tape
- A shoe
- A telescope
- Shopping List
- Fake Yen
Websites /books/resources:
- http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/2/NBT/
o For standards
- https://www.globalexchange.es/en/currencies-of-the-world/yen
o For facts and worth of Yen
Name of Learning Activity: Currency Creation
Grade level: 2nd Grade
Lesson is developmentally appropriate: This activity is developmentally appropriate based off
of the standards that I have found for this activity. I have altered and rearranged the ideas of this
lesson according to the standards found for this age range.
Mathematical concept: Students will be opening up their creative side with this activity.
Mathematically, they will be creating their own currency and it is up to them determine the
worth of each piece of money they create. They will also have to do two separate conversions.
One conversion with the USD and another with the Japanese Yen.
NCTM Standard(s): Content Standards: Measurement/ Number and Operations. Process
Standards: Connections/ Reasoning and Proof
CORE Mathematics standard(s):
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1
Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and
ones; e.g., 706 equals 7 hundreds, 0 tens, and 6 ones. Understand the following as special cases:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1.A
100 can be thought of as a bundle of ten tens — called a "hundred."
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1.B
The numbers 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 refer to one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, or nine hundreds (and 0 tens and 0 ones).
General sequence of the lesson/learning activity:
What are the students doing? What is the teacher doing?
Students will get out any material they Hand out any pervious material on
have from pervious lessons on currency that was collected
currency Ask students; “If you could create
Students will be asked: “If you could your own currency, what would it
create your own currency, what would look like?”
it look like?” Explain new activity to students
Made aware of new assignment–– They will be making their own
creating their own currency currency and they need to include;
They will know that this will be 100% What bills look like
original to them What coins look like
What they are worth
They will be set free to work Why they chose the worth
individually and can brain storm with What is the conversion to USD
their peers What is the conversion to the Yen
They will design their money Set them free from discussion as a
Create the worth of money pieces group to brain storm ideas
In a brief explanation, they will Have them make a plan for what they
describe what the money looks like, want in their currency system
what its worth is and the name of it. Walk around to answer any questions
Students will also create a conversion they may have about the assignment
sheet–– said sheet needs to have their In a brief explanation, have them
currency listed with the worth, the describe what the money looks like,
Yen listed and how it converts to what its worth is and the name of it.
theirs, and the USD and how it Allow students to create a conversion
converts to their currency. sheet that should include the new
They will receive the homework currency, the Yen and USD and how
assignment of creating a model of one both of those convert to the student’s
(or more) pieces of their currency. currency
Students will need to come up with: Give the homework assignment: Make
- What bills look like a model of one (or more) pieces of
- What coins look like currency. This can be in the media of
- What they are worth their choice; detailed picture, 3D
- Why they chose the worth model, technology model
- What is the conversion to USD
- What is the conversion to the Yen
Check for student proficiency: The students’ final product will include; a model of currency,
the conversion sheet, and the brief explanation of their created currency. Based on the conversion
sheet, what they have made for the model, and if their currency creation all makes sense, that is
how the students proficiency will be checked.
Materials needed for teaching activity:
Paper
Conversion Sheet
Previously used materials
Yen
Homework assignment
Why did you select this particular culture? : This may sound a bit odd–– but, I absolutely love
Japanese food. Because of that love for the food, I have been wanting to travel there for a while
now. I decided to do this project on Japan because I will be able to use this knowledge in the
future if I ever end up traveling there. Not only that, but I find Yen very intriguing to look at and
learn about. That being said, by doing these lessons and activities, I will be able to relay that
interest and excitement to the students I teach in the classroom.
