Grades K–2
Penny & Pals
Hello, money friend!
This book belongs to a young saver. Inside you will meet the coins, sort wants from needs, fill three jars, and start your very first savings goal. Work one page at a time and color as you go.
Six lessons
- 1Meet the Coinsp. 3
- 2Wants and Needsp. 5
- 3Save, Spend, Sharep. 7
- 4Where Money Comes Fromp. 9
- 5Do I Have Enough?p. 11
- 6My Credit Unionp. 13
Penny & Pals · 2Meet the Coins
Money comes in coins and bills. Let’s meet Penny’s coin friends and learn what each one is worth!
Penny1¢
Nickel5¢
Dime10¢
Quarter25¢Color and match
- Color the penny brown and the other coins silver.
- Draw a line from each coin to how much it is worth.
How many pennies make one nickel?
Penny & Pals · 3Counting Coins
Coins add up! Start with the biggest coin and count on from there.
How much money is in each pile?
| Pile | What is in it | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 dimes and 1 nickel | ¢ |
| 2 | 1 quarter and 3 pennies | ¢ |
| 3 | 2 dimes and 3 nickels | ¢ |
| 4 | 2 quarters and 1 dime | ¢ |
Make 25¢ three different ways
Draw or write the coins you would use.
Way 1
Way 2
Way 3
Penny & Pals · 4Wants and Needs
A need is something we must have, like food or a warm coat. A want is something that is nice to have, like a toy or candy. We cannot always buy every want, and that is okay!
Is it a need or a want? Check one box for each.
Draw one need and one want of your own.
A need
A want
Penny & Pals · 5Choosing What Comes First
When you do not have much money, needs come first. Then, if there is money left, we can pick a want.
Help Penny decide
Which one should Penny buy? Circle it:
🥪 The lunch or ⭐ The sticker book
Why?
Put these in order from 1 to 4
Write 1 next to what you would buy first, and 4 next to what you would buy last.
- 🥪 Lunch for school
- 🎲 A new board game
- 🥾 Shoes that fit
- 🍬 A bag of candy
Penny & Pals · 6Save, Spend, Share
When you get money, you can do three smart things with it. Penny uses three jars!
What are you saving for?
Draw it here:
It costs about: $
I will save $ each week.
Penny & Pals · 7Filling My Three Jars
Every time money comes to you, split it up. A little in each jar keeps all three growing.
You get 10 coins. Where do they go?
Color in one circle for each coin you put in that jar. Use all 10.
| Jar | My coins |
|---|---|
| SAVE | ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ |
| SPEND | ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ |
| SHARE | ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ ◯ |
Color a jar each week you save something
Who would you like to help with your share jar?
Penny & Pals · 8Where Money Comes From
Money does not just appear. Grown-ups get money by doing a job. A job is work that helps other people, and the person you help pays you for it.
Draw a line from each worker to the job they do
The jobs are mixed up! Draw a line from each worker’s dot to their job. Example: Teacher → Helps children learn.
Interview a grown-up you know
What is your job?
Who do you help?
What is the best part?
Penny & Pals · 9Ways I Can Earn
Kids can earn too! Doing a helpful job around the house is a real way to add coins to your jars.
Jobs I could do to earn money
| The job | How often | I earn |
|---|---|---|
| $ | ||
| $ | ||
| $ | ||
| $ |
Ideas: feed the pet, water plants, set the table, pick up toys, help sort laundry.
Draw a job you would like to have when you grow up.
Penny & Pals · 10Do I Have Enough?
Before you buy something, count your money and compare it to the price. If your money is the same or more, you have enough. If it is less, you need to save more first.
Write YES or NO in the last column
| I have | It costs | Enough? |
|---|---|---|
| $3 | $2 | |
| $2 | $5 | |
| $7 | $7 | |
| $5 | $6 |
Find what is missing
You want a toy that costs $12. You have $8.
You need $ more.
If you save $1 a day, it will take days.
Penny & Pals · 11Penny Goes Shopping
Penny has $6. Help her shop and figure out her change.
Today’s prices
Pick two things. Can Penny afford them?
Item 1: costs $
Item 2: costs $
Total: $
Penny has $6. Is that enough? Circle one: YES NO
If yes, her change is $ . If no, she needs $ more.
Penny & Pals · 12My Credit Union
A credit union is a safe place to keep your money. It is not a jar on a shelf. It is a building with people who take care of your money until you need it.
People who save at a credit union are called members. The members own it together. Fort McClellan Credit Union is a credit union. It has served East Alabama since 1953.
Learn these
Circle the right word:
Penny brings her jar money to the credit union. She will deposit / withdraw it.
Penny reached her goal and wants her money to buy the toy. She will deposit / withdraw it.
Penny & Pals · 13My First Savings Account
Practice filling out a deposit slip, just like a real member does. Pretend you have 4 quarters (that is $1) and one $1 bill.
My deposit slip
| My name | |
| Today’s date | |
| Coins I am depositing | $ |
| Bills I am depositing | $ |
| Total deposit | $ |
If you deposit $2 every month, how much will you have?
| Month | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total saved | $2 |
Draw what you will do when you reach your savings goal.
Penny & Pals · 14My Money Badge
Check a box for each thing you can do now!
Check off what you learned
- I can name the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.
- I can tell a need from a want.
- I know the three jars: save, spend, and share.
- I know that grown-ups earn money by working.
- I can count coins and check if I have enough.
- I know a credit union keeps my money safe.
Draw yourself putting money in your savings jar.
Penny & Pals · 15Great job, saver!
You finished your first money book. Keep your savings jar somewhere you can see it, and keep growing.
Fort McClellan Credit Union
Serving East Alabama since 1953.
fortmcclellancu.org
Teachers: request class sets and the free answer key.
Request class sets →Scan or visit fortmcclellan.getostrich.com/classroom
This workbook is provided for educational purposes only and is not financial advice.
Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair, and Chambers Counties, Alabama, plus their family, can join.
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