Money and financial literacy

Summary

This video illustrates a mathematics lesson at Envelope Primary School for Year 1/2 students, focused on money and financial literacy. Teacher Russell McCartney differentiates activities to meet the diverse learning needs of students, ranging from matching coins to calculating combinations and working with change. Through hands-on activities and higher-order questioning, students develop their understanding of coin values and monetary concepts. The lesson includes formative assessments such as work samples to inform future lessons and address individual progress. The video emphasizes fostering critical thinking and creativity in the classroom to advance students’ financial literacy.

Takeaways

• 😀 The lesson was filmed at Envelope Primary School in a composite Year 1/2 class, focusing on money and financial mathematics for grades 1 and 2.
• 😀 The teacher, Russell McCartney, differentiates activities to cater to a wide range of student abilities and needs in his class.
• 😀 Year 1/2 students are expected to count collections and work with mixed coin values, forming the starting point of the lesson.
• 😀 Russell uses a 'money spotter' work sample to assess students' prior knowledge, checking if they know Australian coins and can add them together.
• 😀 Students are tasked with making a specific amount of money in as many ways as possible, offering practical problem-solving opportunities.
• 😀 Some students require additional support with understanding coin values and amounts, while others move on to calculating multiple coin values together.
• 😀 Russell encourages students to explain their thinking processes, asking them to make connections and record their understanding.
• 😀 Higher-order questions are used to push students’ critical and creative thinking, especially for those who can already calculate coin collections.
• 😀 Some students are introduced to more complex tasks such as calculating change and determining combinations of coins for specific amounts.
• 😀 The lesson involves gradually increasing the cognitive load, supporting students in expanding their learning and critical thinking abilities.
• 😀 Student work samples collected during the lesson will inform future lessons, providing feedback on student progress and areas where further consolidation is needed.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the lesson in the transcript?

The primary focus of the lesson is on the mathematic sub-strand of money and financial mathematics for grade 1 and 2 students.

How does teacher Russell McCartney differentiate activities for his class?

Russell McCartney differentiates activities by catering to the range of abilities and needs of his students, referencing the curriculum and numeracy learning progressions to plan the lesson.

What initial task did the teacher use to assess the students' knowledge of money?

The teacher used a work sample called 'money spotter' to assess whether students could identify Australian coins and add them together.

How does Russell McCartney ensure that students understand the amount of money they are working with?

He asks students to make connections, record their understanding, and explain their thinking processes, such as identifying different ways to make a given amount of money.

How are the students grouped based on their abilities in the lesson?

Students are grouped based on their ability to handle different levels of financial tasks, ranging from matching coins to amounts to calculating multiple coin values together and working with change.

What higher-order thinking questions does Russell McCartney ask the students?

Russell asks students how they would calculate combinations of money, such as how to make a given amount using various coins or how to calculate change from a transaction.

How does the teacher use critical and creative thinking in the lesson?

The teacher ramps up cognitive load by encouraging students to think critically and creatively, such as by asking how many different ways they can make a certain amount of money.

What is the role of student work samples in guiding future lessons?

Student work samples are used to provide feedback on students' understanding, helping to guide the following lesson and determine whether students need further consolidation or if they have built upon their existing knowledge.

What kind of students are working with the concept of change during the lesson?

Students who are more capable in calculating coin collections are starting to explore the concept of working with change and performing calculations involving change.

What teaching approach does Russell McCartney use to push students' learning further?

Russell uses a differentiated approach by gradually increasing the cognitive load, providing higher-order thinking tasks, and adjusting instruction based on students' progress.