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Teacher copy — includes answer key

Money Explorer - Ages 8-9

uktaxdrag.co.uk · Print on A4 or save as PDF.

Ages 8-9 ยท 12-15 minutes

Money Explorer lesson pack

Best for change, better deals, and building a simple saving-spending-giving plan.

Lesson aim

Help the learner calculate simple change, compare value properly, and explain one balanced mini budget.

You will need

The Ages 8-9 worksheet, a few prices from home or a shop receipt, and optional scrap paper for working out.

Success looks like

The learner can explain why one choice is better value instead of guessing based on the biggest pack or roundest price.

1

Warm-up

Ask one quick question: if something costs 80p and you pay with 1 pound, should the change be more or less than 20p?

2

Play focus

Use Making Change, Best Deal Challenge, and Pocket Money Budget. Let the learner talk while they work.

3

Talk it through

Ask how they spotted the better deal and what would make a weekly budget fall apart.

4

Offline extension

Use a real receipt or shop website and compare two items to decide which is better value per item.

Talk prompts

  • What is the fastest mistake people make with change?
  • Does cheaper always mean better value?
  • How would you split 5 pounds if you wanted some left at the end of the week?

Helpful teaching note

Keep pointing back to "what happens per item" or "what is left after paying". Those two questions unlock most of the reasoning here.

Stretch idea

Make a pretend cafe menu and ask the learner to buy two things without going over a set budget.

Answer key and teaching notes

Worksheet answers

  1. Change challenge: 2 pounds minus 1.35 pounds leaves 65p.
  2. Best deal check: there is no single answer. A good response compares quantity and price, not just total cost.
  3. Mini budget: any split totalling 5 pounds can work if the learner explains why they chose it.

What to listen for

  • The learner uses subtraction or counts up from the price to the amount paid.
  • They can explain that a larger pack can still be worse value.
  • They understand budgeting as planning before spending, not after.

If they struggle

Use whole numbers first, then reintroduce pence. A visual number line or real coins often helps more than repeating the same abstract question.