Book Summary
This poem follows a child's trade with family members for different coins that equal $1.00. Students learn to listen for ending rhyme in this poem, as well as interesting facts about current and prior coins used in the United States. Approximate book level: Q. 

Build Background
Ask students to think about the types and purposes of coins. Ask them to describe coin combinations they know that equal $1.00. List these combinations on the board. 

Discuss poetry's rhymes and rhythms. Read the title, Trading for Lunch Money. Ask students to name different coins and how much they are worth (penny, one cent; nickel, five cents; dime, ten cents; and so on). Point out the word ten. Ask students to identify words that rhyme with ten (den, hen, men, pen, then, when). 

Explain that rhyming poetry follows a beat that is based on syllables. Have students practice clapping the syllables in each word on the board. Ask volunteers to come to the board and put a slash mark between syllables in each word. If necessary, remind students of the rules for dividing words into syllables (VCV: between the consonant and vowel; VCCV: between the two consonants; compound words: between the two words). 

Preview the Poem
Show students the front and back covers of the book. Discuss the pictures. Turn to the title page. Discuss the picture and the information on the page (title of book, author's name). Ask students to explain what this poem might be about based on the pictures and what they already know about money. Explain to students that thinking about what they already know about the topic will help them to understand and enjoy the book. 

Explain to students that in this poem, the second and fourth sentences end with rhyming words. Read page 4 and ask students to tell you the two rhyming words at the end of the sentences (bank and sank). 

During Reading
Have students listen as you read the poem. Tell them to clap or raise their hands whenever they hear the second word of a rhyming pair. Read the book expressively and emphasize the words that rhyme in each pair of sentences.  

Use think-aloud strategies to remind students to use what they already know about money and its uses to help make sense of the poem. React to parts of the poem with facial expressions and gestures. Allow students to stop and ask questions during reading, especially if they do not understand something. 

Point out and read the additional facts about coins that are not part of the poem (Estimate, Cents Sense, Math Minute, and so on). Allow students to practice reading the poem aloud to a partner, focusing on rhythm, rhyme, and expression. 

After Reading
Reader Response
Ask students what they thought of the poem. Have volunteers summarize the poem or describe their favorite part. Encourage students to practice skip counting to $1.00 using the different groups of coins pictured on the pages. 

Comprehension
Ask specific questions that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the poem.

• How many pennies equal $1.00? Nickels? Dimes? Quarters?
• What is the author's purpose for writing this poem? Is it to explain, entertain, or persuade?
• Why did the child trade so many times? What would you have done if you were in the child's place?