Today is rung 5 of 9 on this topic
Time to five minutes, and money with change
Can do: Reads a clock to the nearest five minutes, and works out change from a dollar.
Why it matters
Both are skip counting applied to the real world, and both come up daily — which means they're practised for free if you use them.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Reads 3:45 as "three forty-five" but can't say quarter to four; counts change by counting coins rather than by counting up from the price.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Set 2:40 and 6:15. Then: "Something costs 65 cents and you pay a dollar. What's the change?"
Solid looks like: Both times correctly, and 35 cents.
The full activity for this topic · 15 minutes
Count Up for Change
- 1For time, count the minute hand round in fives, touching each number.
- 2Say each time both ways: two forty, twenty to three.
- 3For change, teach counting up: 65… 70, 75, 80, 90, 100. Count the coins as you go.
- 4Do it as a shop game with real coins and real prices.
- 5Ask how long until something real happens — dinner, bedtime, the end of a programme.
If it's too hard
Time to the quarter hour; change from 50 cents.
If it's too easy
Elapsed time across an hour, and change from five dollars.
Say this
"Count up from the price to the money you gave. 65… 70, 75… how much did you count on?"