Counting Coins, Lesson 1 - Sorting Coins

We're starting Sophie on an allowance when she turns 5 next month.  I thought it would be good to start teaching her the value of money - both literally and ideologically.  So for homeschool the next few weeks we'll be focusing on coins.  Sophie already knows all the coins and their names, so this lesson is actually with Xander, who I'm trying to include as much as his attention span allows.  Of course he's not ready to learn the coin's names, but he is right at the perfect age to start sorting activities (if I was a good mommy I would have already been doing this with him - but, like many second born, he has been sadly left to his own devices educationally.  I was doing sorting activities with Sophie when she was a year!).  Kids love this activity because they're human and love to play with money.  Who doesn't??

Lesson:  Sorting Coins

Objective:  Student will identify the similarities and differences between pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters, and will sort them into like groups.

Materials:  An assortment of coins (pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters).  1 piece construction paper.  Marker.

Process:  
1.  On the construction paper, draw four large circles.

2.  Instruct child to observe the coins, and place one in one of the circles.  Ask:  "Can you find another one like that one?" and when he does, guide him to put that coin with the first.

3.  Continue the process, until all the coins are sorted.  Try to keep from telling the child where to put the coins, but instead, ask leading questions to help him think out the problem.