Author: lmushin2

Readeez: The Value of a Dollar

The Value of a Dollar

Grade Level: 2nd

Content Level: Math

TEK: 111.4. (b) (5.4) Number and operations. The student applies mathematical process standards to determine the value of coins in order to solve monetary transactions. The student is expected to: (A) determine the value of a collection of coins up to one dollar.

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULwhJ-8VlAQ

Summary:

The Value of a Dollar is a video created and produced by Julian Waters, founder of Readeez, an organization founded on the belief that children’s videos should be both educational and enjoyable. Throughout the video, Waters teaches children how to add coins up to a dollar through song. He includes the values of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. He uses each coin to represent the value of a dollar (i.e. 100 pennies equals 1 dollar). The video includes real images of the coins and the dollar.

Instructional Use Suggestion:

After introducing the lesson objective, I would play the video once for my students – just to watch. Then I would give them a worksheet with a series of questions to answer while watching the video for a second time. For example questions could be, how many nickels equal one dollar? After watching the video the second time through, I would lead a mini review over the worksheet. Then I would ask students to think about different coin combinations that add up to a dollar, and write them down on the worksheet. To complete the lesson, I would ask students to turn and talk to their partner about different coin combinations that add up to one dollar.

To make the lesson more hands on, I would give students pretend coins and have them “test” their coin combinations by counting.

Another strategy would be to encourage the students to create their own song based on their coin combinations that add up to one dollar.

Finding Lincoln

Author: Ann Malaspina

Illustrator: Colin Bootman

Publishing Information: 2009 by Albert Whitman & Company

Grade: 3rd through 5th

Topic: Social Studies

TEKS: §113.14. Social Studies

  • (1) History. The student understands how individuals, events, and ideas have influenced the history of various communities. The student is expected to:
    • (A) describe how individuals, events, and ideas have changed communities, past and present.

Summary:

Set in Alabama during the 1950’s segregation, Malaspina follows the journey of a young African American boy, Louis, who cannot use the public library for a class assignment over Abraham Lincoln.  However, a young librarian allows Louis to come to the library after hours where she assists him in finding the book he needs.  Malaspina includes historical notes about segregation during the 1950’s, followed by a short biography of President Lincoln, and sources for more reading.

Snippet:

“On his way home from school, Louis walked past the main library.  The doors swung open, and Louis could see an enormous room filled with books.  Why, there must be a million books in there, maybe more.  Louis wished he could go inside and count them for himself.”

“The books reminded Louis that he had to write an essay on President Lincoln.  But the library was for white people only, just like the strawberry milkshakes at the drugstore lunch counter, the swings in the city park, and the best seats at the movie theater.”

“It was 1951 in Alabama, and Louis could play all his piano scales and roller-skate backwards.  Still he couldn’t borrow a book from the main library.”