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Year 2

Combine coins and notes to make totals.

I can combine coins and notes to create different amounts.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 2

Combine coins and notes to make totals.

I can combine coins and notes to create different amounts.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It is more efficient to pay for items using fewer coins.
  2. When making a given value, it is more efficient to use coins or notes with a greater value when you can.

Keywords

  • Coin - A coin is a small flat piece of metal used as money.

  • Note - A note or banknote is a piece of paper money.

  • Value - The value of something is how much it is worth in money or other things for which it can be exchanged.

  • Total - The amount or number after everyting is counted or added together.

Common misconception

Children may not be familiar with the concept of 'getting change' and think they can only buy something when they have the exact amount of money.

Explain the concept of 'getting change' - where we pay too much and get some money back. There are some examples of this in the lesson.


To help you plan your year 2 financial education lesson on: Combine coins and notes to make totals., download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Make this lesson as practical as possible. Encourage children to manipulate and combine coins to make different amounts. Start with the largest-value coin each time in order to use the most efficient method for calculating.
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Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which coin is not a circle?
5 p
10 p
Correct answer: 20 p
£2
Q2.
Laura has these coins. What is the total value of the 3 coins?
An image in a quiz
3 p
6 p
Correct answer: 8 p
7 p
Q3.
How many 5 p coins are equal to 20 p?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 4, four
Q4.
Laura has these 4 coins. She chooses 3 coins and finds the total. Which total cannot be made using any 3 of the coins?
An image in a quiz
5 p
8 p
9 p
Correct answer: 10 p
Q5.
How many £2 coins are equal in value to a £20 note?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 10, ten
Q6.
What is the total value of these 3 coins?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 75 p, 75p, 75 pence
Q5 Adam Gilchrist/Shutterstock.com

6 Questions

Q1.
Laura has these two 5 p coins and a 2 p coin. How much money does she have in total?
An image in a quiz
10 p
11 p
Correct answer: 12 p
22 p
Q2.
Which of these values cannot be made using one note?
£5
£10
Correct answer: £15
£20
Q3.
Andeep collects all the coins with a value less than £1. Which coin is missing?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 10 p, 10, 10p, ten
Q4.
Laura uses one note and one coin. Which of these values could she make?
£4
Correct answer: £6
Correct answer: £7
Correct answer: £12
Q5.
Match each total to the coins and notes used to make it.
Correct Answer:£5 + £2 + £2,£9
tick

£9

Correct Answer:£5 + £5 + £2,£12
tick

£12

Correct Answer:£5 + £5 + £1,£11
tick

£11

Correct Answer:£5 + £2 + £1,£8
tick

£8

Q6.
Andeep has these coins. Which coins does he need to use to make exactly 72 p?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 50 p
Correct answer: 20 p
5 p
Correct answer: 2 p
1 p