Dollars and Cents: a week of ready-to-teach maths
Five days of lessons for Year 3 Measurement. Print this pack and the week is prepared: each day has a one-page plan and a student worksheet, plus cut-out cards, a mini-check and answers.
Start here: five minutes to Monday
- Skim the week at a glance on the next page.
- Print the five days (plan + worksheet each).
- Cut out the card sheet once; reuse all week.
- Open the free interactive unit on your board.
- Teach from the plan: timings, talk prompts and answers are on one page.
No maths background needed
Written for the busy generalist teacher. Plain words, common muddles, and model answers are on every plan.
The week at a glance
One lesson a day. Run them in order where you can.
| Day | Lesson | Children learn and do | On screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A dollar in coins | Practise the idea with talk, board and worksheet | Board: A dollar in coins |
| 2 | Count the coins | Practise the idea with talk, board and worksheet | Board: Count the coins |
| 3 | Skip count one coin | Practise the idea with talk, board and worksheet | Board: Skip count one coin |
| 4 | Dollars and cents | Practise the idea with talk, board and worksheet | Board: Dollars and cents |
| 5 | Estimate the total | Practise the idea with talk, board and worksheet | Board: Estimate the total |
Materials (one trip)
- This pack printed (plans, worksheets, cards, mini-check).
- Pencils, scrap paper, and the board or projector for the interactive unit.
- Optional counters, number cards or rulers if your day plan names them.
A note home
This week in maths we work on dollars and cents. Ask: What did you practise today? Can you show me with a drawing?
seegongsik.com/au/y3/measurement/AC9M3M06/pack
A dollar in coins
Children practise the idea behind “A dollar in coins” using talk, the board picture, and a short worksheet. About 40 minutes.
We are learning to
- explain the idea of a dollar in coins in Year 3 words,
- use the board picture to check our thinking,
- record an example on paper.
Success criteria
- I can show one example of today’s idea.
- I can say the idea in a short sentence.
You need
- interactive unit open on “A dollar in coins”,
- worksheet (next sheet), one per child,
- optional cut-out cards from this pack.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 5 min | Warm-up Quick oral examples linked to yesterday if any. Ask: “What do you already know that might help today?” |
| 10 min | On the board Open “A dollar in coins”. Press through the controls while children predict. Ask: “What changed on the screen? What stayed the same?” |
| 15 min | Worksheet Children complete the day sheet. Circulate for muddles listed below. |
| 10 min | Share Two children share an example. Class finishes the exit sentence. Ask: “In one sentence, what was today’s idea?” |
Watch for
- Skipping the board and only copying answers -- bring them back to the picture.
- Correct answer with no explanation -- ask “how do you know?”.
Make it easier, make it bigger
- Easier: do the first two worksheet items together.
- Bigger: invent one new example for a partner to solve.
Answers and look-fors
- Meeting the idea sounds like a clear sentence about a dollar in coins.
- Drawings or numbers match the board story, not random decoration.
A dollar in coins
Use the board picture. Show your thinking.
Count the coins
Children practise the idea behind “Count the coins” using talk, the board picture, and a short worksheet. About 40 minutes.
We are learning to
- explain the idea of count the coins in Year 3 words,
- use the board picture to check our thinking,
- record an example on paper.
Success criteria
- I can show one example of today’s idea.
- I can say the idea in a short sentence.
You need
- interactive unit open on “Count the coins”,
- worksheet (next sheet), one per child,
- optional cut-out cards from this pack.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 5 min | Warm-up Quick oral examples linked to yesterday if any. Ask: “What do you already know that might help today?” |
| 10 min | On the board Open “Count the coins”. Press through the controls while children predict. Ask: “What changed on the screen? What stayed the same?” |
| 15 min | Worksheet Children complete the day sheet. Circulate for muddles listed below. |
| 10 min | Share Two children share an example. Class finishes the exit sentence. Ask: “In one sentence, what was today’s idea?” |
Watch for
- Skipping the board and only copying answers -- bring them back to the picture.
- Correct answer with no explanation -- ask “how do you know?”.
Make it easier, make it bigger
- Easier: do the first two worksheet items together.
- Bigger: invent one new example for a partner to solve.
Answers and look-fors
- Meeting the idea sounds like a clear sentence about count the coins.
- Drawings or numbers match the board story, not random decoration.
Count the coins
Use the board picture. Show your thinking.
Skip count one coin
Children practise the idea behind “Skip count one coin” using talk, the board picture, and a short worksheet. About 40 minutes.
We are learning to
- explain the idea of skip count one coin in Year 3 words,
- use the board picture to check our thinking,
- record an example on paper.
Success criteria
- I can show one example of today’s idea.
- I can say the idea in a short sentence.
You need
- interactive unit open on “Skip count one coin”,
- worksheet (next sheet), one per child,
- optional cut-out cards from this pack.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 5 min | Warm-up Quick oral examples linked to yesterday if any. Ask: “What do you already know that might help today?” |
| 10 min | On the board Open “Skip count one coin”. Press through the controls while children predict. Ask: “What changed on the screen? What stayed the same?” |
| 15 min | Worksheet Children complete the day sheet. Circulate for muddles listed below. |
| 10 min | Share Two children share an example. Class finishes the exit sentence. Ask: “In one sentence, what was today’s idea?” |
Watch for
- Skipping the board and only copying answers -- bring them back to the picture.
- Correct answer with no explanation -- ask “how do you know?”.
Make it easier, make it bigger
- Easier: do the first two worksheet items together.
- Bigger: invent one new example for a partner to solve.
Answers and look-fors
- Meeting the idea sounds like a clear sentence about skip count one coin.
- Drawings or numbers match the board story, not random decoration.
Skip count one coin
Use the board picture. Show your thinking.
Dollars and cents
Children practise the idea behind “Dollars and cents” using talk, the board picture, and a short worksheet. About 40 minutes.
We are learning to
- explain the idea of dollars and cents in Year 3 words,
- use the board picture to check our thinking,
- record an example on paper.
Success criteria
- I can show one example of today’s idea.
- I can say the idea in a short sentence.
You need
- interactive unit open on “Dollars and cents”,
- worksheet (next sheet), one per child,
- optional cut-out cards from this pack.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 5 min | Warm-up Quick oral examples linked to yesterday if any. Ask: “What do you already know that might help today?” |
| 10 min | On the board Open “Dollars and cents”. Press through the controls while children predict. Ask: “What changed on the screen? What stayed the same?” |
| 15 min | Worksheet Children complete the day sheet. Circulate for muddles listed below. |
| 10 min | Share Two children share an example. Class finishes the exit sentence. Ask: “In one sentence, what was today’s idea?” |
Watch for
- Skipping the board and only copying answers -- bring them back to the picture.
- Correct answer with no explanation -- ask “how do you know?”.
Make it easier, make it bigger
- Easier: do the first two worksheet items together.
- Bigger: invent one new example for a partner to solve.
Answers and look-fors
- Meeting the idea sounds like a clear sentence about dollars and cents.
- Drawings or numbers match the board story, not random decoration.
Dollars and cents
Use the board picture. Show your thinking.
Estimate the total
Children practise the idea behind “Estimate the total” using talk, the board picture, and a short worksheet. About 40 minutes.
We are learning to
- explain the idea of estimate the total in Year 3 words,
- use the board picture to check our thinking,
- record an example on paper.
Success criteria
- I can show one example of today’s idea.
- I can say the idea in a short sentence.
You need
- interactive unit open on “Estimate the total”,
- worksheet (next sheet), one per child,
- optional cut-out cards from this pack.
Lesson flow (about 40 minutes)
| 5 min | Warm-up Quick oral examples linked to yesterday if any. Ask: “What do you already know that might help today?” |
| 10 min | On the board Open “Estimate the total”. Press through the controls while children predict. Ask: “What changed on the screen? What stayed the same?” |
| 15 min | Worksheet Children complete the day sheet. Circulate for muddles listed below. |
| 10 min | Share Two children share an example. Class finishes the exit sentence. Ask: “In one sentence, what was today’s idea?” |
Watch for
- Skipping the board and only copying answers -- bring them back to the picture.
- Correct answer with no explanation -- ask “how do you know?”.
Make it easier, make it bigger
- Easier: do the first two worksheet items together.
- Bigger: invent one new example for a partner to solve.
Answers and look-fors
- Meeting the idea sounds like a clear sentence about estimate the total.
- Drawings or numbers match the board story, not random decoration.
Estimate the total
Use the board picture. Show your thinking.
Talk cards for Dollars and Cents
Cut out. Hold up a card and give an example. Partner checks with the board if needed.
Give an example.
Give an example.
Give an example.
Give an example.
Give an example.
Store in an envelope labelled AC9M3M06 for next year.
Show what you know: Dollars and Cents
Work on your own. Use pictures or numbers.
Answers and look-fors
- Item 1: names the unit idea (dollars and cents) in child words.
- Items 2-3: two different correct examples linked to the week’s pictures.
- Item 4: a real muddle (wrong place value, unfair compare, mixed units, etc.).
- At standard: clear example + short explanation. Beyond: teaches a partner with a new example.
Use day-plan look-fors across the week; this check is summative, not a surprise trap.
Descriptor: recognise the relationships between dollars and cents and represent money values in different ways