Giving Change Basics

Context and Curriculum Links

This 60-minute lesson is designed for a Primary 3 (P3) class of 25 students in Scotland, introducing the concept of giving change in money. The lesson is closely aligned with the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), specifically:

• Mathematics and Numeracy - Money
  Experiences and Outcomes (CfE Level 2 - appropriate for P3):
  • MNU 2-09a: I can use money to pay for items, and can work out how much change I should receive.
  • MNU 2-02a: I am becoming familiar with the value of coins and notes and can use this to calculate simple totals and give change.

Learning Intentions

• Understand the concept of giving change.
• Recognise UK coins and their values up to £2.
• Calculate simple change from amounts up to £5.
• Practise exchanging money in real-life contexts.

Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Recognise coins (£1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p) and their values confidently.
• Given a price and an amount paid, work out how much change is needed using mental calculations and practical methods.
• Participate actively in collaborative activities and games involving giving change.

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Resources Needed

• Play money sets (£1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p).
• Simple price tags (1p to £5) on laminated cards.
• Whiteboards and pens for group work.
• “Shop counter” setup with classroom items or pictures and price tags.
• Worksheets for extension/challenge.
• Visual coin charts.

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Lesson Outline

Starter (10 minutes) – Coin Recognition and Values (Active Whole Class)

• Begin with a quick, interactive coin flashcard game:
  • Flash coins one by one to class; students call out their values.
  • Students line up coins from smallest to largest value on desks.
• Link the coin values to everyday shopping (shopping trolley analogy).
• Success criteria: All students can identify coins and their values confidently.

Introduction (10 minutes) – What is Change?

• Use story-telling: “You want to buy a chocolate bar that costs 60p and give the shopkeeper £1. How much change should you get back?”
• Demonstrate with play money how to find the change using subtraction.
• Explain the term ‘change’ and emphasise paying the correct amount and receiving the difference.
• Students mimic in pairs with different price amounts and coins.
• Success criteria: Students explain change in their own words and give an example.

Main Activity 1 (15 minutes) – Collaborative ‘Mini Shop’ Role Play (Small Groups)

• Set up five mini "shop stations,” each with items and price tags.
• Groups of 5 students take turns as shopkeeper and customer.
• Customers use play money to ‘buy’ an item and calculate change together, supported by teachers or peers.
• Encourage verbalising thinking: “I gave £1. The cost was 75p... I should get 25p back.”
• Teacher circulates, assists with calculations, ensures engagement.
• Use simple prices up to £2 to keep calculations manageable.
• Success criteria: Students calculate change correctly in at least 3 transactions.

Main Activity 2 (15 minutes) – ‘Change Chase’ Game (Active, Collaborative)

• Create small teams (5 groups of 5).
• Each team receives a set of price cards and a ‘payment’ coin card.
• Teams race to write the correct change on whiteboards as fast as possible.
• Points scored for accuracy and speed.
• After each round, discuss solutions aloud.
• Success criteria: Students use coin values and subtraction to find correct change quickly and explain their reasoning.

Plenary (10 minutes) – Reflect and Consolidate

• Group discussion on learning: What was easy? What was tricky?
• Recap key terms: amount paid, cost, change.
• Quick quiz: flash random prices and payments; students hold up fingers for the amount of change.
• Set a simple homework challenge: find examples of giving or receiving change in shops with family.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Profile	Adaptation
Support Needs:	Provide additional adult/peer support in ‘mini shops’. Use coin mats with pictures and values for reference.
Greater Depth:	Challenge with prices up to £5 and giving change with multiple coins; introduce subtraction written methods or money problems.
EAL (English as Additional Language):	Use clear visuals, real coins, and bilingual key vocabulary cards. Model language frequently.
Kinesthetic Learners:	Emphasise physical handling of coins and active role-play.
Anxious Learners:	Allow smaller group work with trusted peers, scaffold instructions step-by-step.

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

• Teacher observes group transactions and provides immediate feedback.
• Use success criteria checklist during activities.
• Collect whiteboard answers from ‘Change Chase’ game for quick formative assessment.
• Use plenary quiz to assess overall understanding.

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Reflection Notes for Teacher

• Monitor whether students struggle more with subtraction or coin recognition.
• Adjust complexity in future lessons by introducing change with notes and larger payments gradually.
• Plan to integrate digital maths tools next, like interactive change calculators or apps, for variety.
• Consider linking money skills with real-world skills and financial literacy.

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This lesson introduces giving change in an active and collaborative way, embodying CfE’s emphasis on practical numeracy, real-world relevance, and engaging learning experiences. The use of role-play and games ensures accessibility and motivation for Primary 3 students new to money subtraction concepts.