I completed the Basic Skills Assessment (read my blog post about that resource) this past August with my students and after reviewing the results, I realized that my students were weak in executing basic money math and functional math skills. Many struggled with reading an analog clock, identifying or counting money, performing Dollar Up (consistently), or reaching for the calculator when performing a simple math problem. The Functional Math Review Worksheet is now available AND there is a Canadian Money Functional Math Review Worksheet and Australian Money Functional Math Review Worksheet now too! (P.S. You can try a FREE Functional Math Skill Review Worksheet )
These were skills that I personally address through formal lessons and practice on a weekly basis in the community, but they were still the skills that needed the most attention (and immediately). I needed a functional math worksheet practice (and yes, I eventually created a Functional Reading Comprehension Worksheet Workbook too).
My goal for this resource was to address the biggest skill deficits, the skills that we practiced week after week in the community. I wanted to find a consistent way to practice these skills in the safe space of my classroom. I wanted to model the correct way multiple times and work collaboratively with students who needed that one-to-one direct instruction until their skill set was stronger. I wanted the money to look real. I had a lot of wants and my final product reflects that!
Knowing that these are key life skills AND often areas of need for most students, I looped this resource in with my consumer math lesson units too. Whether you teach high school or transition, consumer math skills and functional math skills are both equally important for functioning in the real world!
