Money — introduction
Money is all around us every day — when you go to the shop with your parents, when you get pocket money, when you pay for an ice cream. In 2nd grade you start to count it yourself.
What money is
Money is things you use to buy what you need. The currency depends on where you live:
- In the United States the currency is the dollar ($), with cents (¢) for smaller amounts.
- In the United Kingdom it's the pound (£), with pence (p).
There are two kinds:
- Coins — metal, small, hard. Common values: 1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢ and $1 (US) or 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2 (UK).
- Notes (or "bills") — paper, larger, soft. Common values: 5, 20 (US) or £5, £10, £20 (UK).
Cents/pence and dollars/pounds
One hundred cents make one dollar. One hundred pence make one pound.100 ¢ = $1
100 p = £1
Just like 100 ones make a hundred in maths.
What you'll learn in this topic
In 2nd grade we show you:
- Coins and notes — how to recognise them and what they're worth.
- Counting money — when you've got a pile of mixed coins, what's the total?
- Making change — if you pay with 7, how much change do you get?
- For parents — how to practise at home with real money.
A tip for getting started
Money learns best with real coins in your hands. Collect a few of each (from a parent's purse, with permission!) and lay them out in front of you. Move them around. That's how you remember which is which.
Summary
- Money splits into coins (small, metal) and notes (paper, bigger).
- US uses the dollar ($) with cents; UK uses the pound (£) with pence.
- 100 cents = $1 and 100 pence = £1.
- In this topic you'll meet the coins and notes, learn to count them, and work out change.