2nd Grade Money: Dollars and Coins Lesson (Free PDF)
This money lesson for 2nd Grade covers money: dollars and coins (Common Core 2.MD.C.8), with a free PDF to print.
Money is counted by adding the value of each coin and bill. A penny is 1¢, a nickel is 5¢, a dime is 10¢ and a quarter is 25¢. One dollar is 100¢. Start with the biggest value and count on. Write cents with the cent sign and dollars with the dollar sign and a dot, like $7.35.
Grade 2 · Common Core State Standards: 2.MD.C.8
Key facts in this money lesson
- Penny 1¢, nickel 5¢, dime 10¢, quarter 25¢.
- 100 cents make 1 dollar: 4 quarters, 10 dimes or 20 nickels.
- Count the biggest coins first, then count on.
- Use ¢ for cents and $ with a dot for dollars and cents.
- To find change, count up from the price to the money paid.
How much is each coin worth?
Money helps us buy things. To count money, we find what each piece is worth and then add. The sign ¢ means cents.
How do you count a pile of coins?
- Put the coins in order from the biggest value to the smallest.
- Say the value of the first coin. Then count on, adding the value of each next coin.
- The last number is the total. Write it with the ¢ sign.
Example: two quarters, a dime, a nickel and two pennies. We count \(25, 50, 60, 65, 66, 67\). The total is 67¢.
How many cents make a dollar?
One dollar is 100 cents. You can make a dollar with many different coins.
| Coin | Value | How many make $1? |
|---|---|---|
| Penny | 1¢ | 100 |
| Nickel | 5¢ | 20 |
| Dime | 10¢ | 10 |
| Quarter | 25¢ | 4 |
How do you count bills and coins together?
Count the dollar bills first. Then add the coins. We write dollars with the dollar sign and a dot. The dot separates dollars from cents.
Example: one \(\$5\) bill, two \(\$1\) bills, a quarter and a dime. The bills make \(\$7\). The coins make \(25 + 10 = 35\) cents. Together: $7.35.
How do you solve money word problems?
Read the story and decide: are we putting money together, or finding what is left? Then add or subtract. To find change, count up from the price to the money paid.
Example: A sticker costs 45¢. Hannah pays with one dollar. Count up: \(45 + 5 = 50\) and \(50 + 50 = 100\). The change is \(5 + 50 = 55\) cents.
Money lesson: questions and answers
How many cents are in a dollar?
There are 100 cents in one dollar. Four quarters, ten dimes, twenty nickels or one hundred pennies each make exactly $1.
What is each coin worth?
A quarter is 25¢, a dime is 10¢, a nickel is 5¢ and a penny is 1¢. A dime is smaller than a nickel, but it is worth more.
What is the easiest way to count mixed coins?
Start with the coin worth the most and count on. Say 25, 50, 60, 65, 66 and so on. Quarters first, then dimes, nickels and pennies keeps the work neat.
When do I use the dollar sign and when do I use the cent sign?
Use the cent sign when you count only cents, like 67¢. Use the dollar sign with a dot when you count dollars, like $7.35. Never use both signs for the same amount.
How do I find change?
Count up from the price to the amount paid and add the jumps. You can also subtract: the amount paid minus the price equals the change.
How to use this money lesson
Read the definitions first, then follow the worked method line by line and redo the example on paper without looking. When every step makes sense, move on to the worksheet, then check yourself with the quiz.
Download the money lesson as a PDF with the button below and keep it with your notes.
All Grade 2 chapters: Grade 2 math.
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