Mathematics · 1st Class · Time · Summer Term

Using a Calendar

Learn how to use a calendar to find important dates. We will find today's date, your birthday, and other special days.

TL;DR:Let's make maths real by bringing the shop to the classroom. This topic gives pupils their first taste of financial literacy by exploring the coins they see every day.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• PSMC: Measures - Time

About This Topic

This topic introduces First Class pupils to euro coins, a fundamental component of the Measures strand in the Irish Primary School Mathematics Curriculum. The focus is on developing pupils' ability to recognise and understand the value of coins up to 20c. This foundational knowledge is crucial for developing early financial literacy. The learning experiences should be highly practical and hands-on, using play money or real coins to explore their physical attributes like size, shape, colour, and texture.

By engaging in activities such as sorting, matching, and simple shopping scenarios, pupils connect abstract number concepts to tangible, real-world applications. This unit builds directly upon their existing skills in counting, number recognition, and sorting from the Early Start and Junior Infants curriculum. The primary goal is to foster confidence in handling money, preparing them for simple transactions and the concept of value, which will be expanded upon in subsequent class levels.

Key Questions

1. Identify today's date on the calendar.
2. Explain how you would find the first Monday of a month.
3. Justify why a calendar is a useful tool.

Learning Objectives

• Recognise and name the 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, and 20c euro coins.
• Sort a collection of coins based on their physical attributes and value.
• Combine coins to make a total value up to 20c.
• Tender the correct coins to pay for an item costing up to 20c.
• Calculate simple change from 10c or 20c for a single item.

Key Vocabulary

Coin	A flat, round piece of metal used as money.
Cent	The smallest unit of money in the euro. We use a 'c' to write it down.
Value	How much a coin is worth.
Cost	The amount of money needed to buy something.
Change	The money you get back when you pay with more than an item costs.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The value of a coin is determined by its size. For example, a pupil might think a 2c coin is worth more than a 5c coin because it is physically larger.

What to Teach Instead

Explain that value is a fixed amount assigned to a coin, not related to its size. Use a number line to show that 5 is more than 2, and have pupils trade five 1c coins for one 5c coin to reinforce the concept of equivalent value.

Common Misconception

Confusing the physical properties of coins, especially the 1c and 2c coins which are both copper-coloured, or the 10c and 20c coins which are both 'goldy'.

What to Teach Instead

Provide ample time for sorting and handling activities. Explicitly point out the differences in size, thickness, and the number written on each coin. Use sorting mats to help pupils categorise them correctly.

Common Misconception

Thinking that having more coins means having more money. For example, a pupil might believe that three 1c coins are worth more than one 5c coin.

What to Teach Instead

Use practical examples. Set up a scenario where one item costs 5c. Show that three 1c coins are not enough to buy it, but one 5c coin is. Count out the value of each set of coins together to compare them.

Active Learning Ideas

Morning Circle

Coin Detectives

Give each pupil or pair a small pot of mixed coins (1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c) and a magnifying glass. Pupils examine the coins, describing their colour, size, and the images on them. They can then sort the coins into separate piles based on their findings.

15 min·Pairs

Morning Circle

The Classroom Shop

Set up a simple shop in the classroom with items (e.g., pencils, rubbers, small toys) priced up to 20c. Pupils take turns being the shopkeeper and the customer, using coins to buy one item at a time.

25 min·Small Groups

Morning Circle

Coin Rubbings

Pupils place a coin under a thin sheet of paper and rub over it with the side of a crayon to create an impression. They can create a chart of all the different coins and label them with their value.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Buying a small treat or a copybook from the local shop.
• Putting money into a piggy bank or savings jar.
• Using pocket money to pay for something at a school fair or tuck shop.
• Seeing parents use coins to pay for parking or at a supermarket checkout.
• Donating coins to a charity collection box.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Observe pupils during the 'Classroom Shop' activity. Note their ability to select the correct coins for a purchase and whether they can identify coins by name.

Quick Check

Provide a simple worksheet where pupils circle the correct coins to match a given price tag, or draw a line from a coin to its correct value.

Quick Check

Ask pupils to give a 'thumbs up' if they can find a 10c coin in a pot, or to hold up the coin you call out from a selection on their table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 2c coin bigger than the 5c coin?

That's a great observation. The people who designed the coins decided to make them different sizes and colours to help us tell them apart easily, but the size doesn't tell us its value. We have to look at the number on the coin to know how much it's worth.

How can I support a pupil who is struggling to differentiate the coins?

Focus on one or two coins at a time. Use sorting activities with real coins and sorting mats. Feely bag games, where a pupil identifies a coin by touch, can also be very effective for reinforcing their physical attributes.

Do we have to use real money?

Using realistic play money is perfectly fine and often more practical for classroom management. However, allowing pupils to see and handle real coins initially can be very beneficial for understanding their look and feel.