Candy Shop Treats
Pam was very excited because she was going to a candy shop.
The sign in the shop window read:
Candy Shop
• Mints . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 penny
• Gum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 nickel
• Lollipops . . . . . . . . . . . 1 dime
• Candy Bars . . . . . . . . 1 quarter
Pam had 28 cents in her purse. She did not know what to buy
because she liked everything in the shop! Help Pam by giving
her ideas about what to buy at the candy shop so that she will
spend all 28 cents.
Candy Shop Treats
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Candy Shop Treats
Suggested Grade Span
K–2
Grade(s) in Which Task Was Piloted
1 and 2
Task
Pam was very excited because she was going to a candy shop. The sign in the shop window
read:
Candy Shop
•
•
•
•
Mints . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 penny
Gum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 nickel
Lollipops . . . . . . . . . . . 1 dime
Candy Bars . . . . . . . . 1 quarter
Pam had 28 cents in her purse. She did not know what to buy because she liked everything in
the shop! Help Pam by giving her ideas about what to buy at the candy shop so that she will
spend all 28 cents.
Alternative Versions of Task
More Accessible Version:
Pam was very excited because she was going to a candy shop. The sign in the shop window
read:
Candy Shop
•
•
•
•
Mints .......................... 1 penny
Gum ........................... 4 pennies
Lollipops .................... 3 pennies
Candy Bars ................. 5 pennies
Pam had 10 pennies in her purse. She did not know what to buy because she liked everything
in the shop! Help Pam by giving her ideas about what to buy at the candy shop so that she will
spend all of her 10 pennies.
Candy Shop Treats
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More Challenging Version:
Pam was very excited because she was going to a candy shop. The sign in the shop window
read:
Candy Shop
•
•
•
•
Mints .......................... 1 penny
Gum ........................... 2 nickels
Lollipops .................... 3 dimes
Candy Bars ................. 4 quarters
Pam had $1.00 in her purse. She did not know what to buy because she liked everything in the
shop! Help Pam by giving her ideas about what to buy at the candy shop so that she will spend
all of her dollar.
NCTM Content Standards and Evidence
Number and Operations Standard for Grades Pre K–2: Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable students to ...
Compute fluently and make reasonable estimates.
• NCTM Evidence: Develop and use strategies for whole-number computations, with a
focus on addition and subtraction.
• Exemplars Task-Specific Evidence: This task requires students to use repeated addition
or subtraction to determine the amount of candy that can be bought with 28 cents.
Time/Context/Qualifiers/Tip(s) From Piloting Teacher
This task was given to first- and second-grade students who had been studying the values of
coins. It took one 45-minute class period. This task allows the teacher to assess students’
understanding of the values of coins. It also assesses computation of combinations that equal
the sum of 28. Students will see that there can be more than one solution to a task. Students
can be given a certain amount of money and asked to spend all of that amount on classroom
items. 12 Ways to Get to 11, by Eve Merriam, would be a good book to read to students to get
them to think of how different combinations can equal the same sum.
Links
This task obviously links well to a unit on stores and the community. Students could also
compare the cost of candy in this task to that in the “real world."
Candy Shop Treats
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Common Strategies Used to Solve This Task
Some students will use manipulatives to solve the problem while others will make a table.
Provide students with play coins or real ones, and manipulatives to represent candy, allowing
them numerous opportunities to “play."
Possible Solutions
Mints (1) Gum (5) Lollipops (10) Candy Bars (25) Total
28
0
0
0
28
23
1
0
0
28
18
2
0
0
28
18
0
1
0
28
13
3
0
0
28
13
1
1
0
28
8
4
0
0
28
8
2
1
0
28
8
0
2
0
28
3
0
0
1
28
3
1
2
0
28
3
5
0
0
28
More Accessible Version Solution:
Two candy bars
One candy bar, one lollipop, two mints
One candy bar, one gum, one mint
One candy bar, five mints
Three lollipops, one mint
One lollipop, one gum, three mints
Two lollipops, one gum
One lollipop, seven mints
More Challenging Version Solution:
One candy bar
Three lollipops, one gum
Ten gum
One hundred mints
Two lollipops, four gum
Two lollipops, three gum, ten mints
Two lollipops, two gum, twenty mints
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Two lollipops, one gum, thirty mints
One lollipop, seven gum
One lollipop, six gum, ten mints
One lollipop, five gum, twenty mints
One lollipop, four gum, thirty minutes
One lollipop, three gum, forty mints
One lollipop, two gum, fifty mints
One lollipop, one gum, sixty mints
Nine gum, ten mints
Eight gum, twenty mints
Seven gum, thirty mints
Six gum, forty mints
Five gum, fifty mints
Four gum, sixty mints
Three gum, seventy mints
Two gum, eighty mints
One gum, ninety mints
Task-Specific Assessment Notes
Novice
The Novice will demonstrate little or no understanding of the task. No math language will be
used beyond that presented in the task, and no approach will be evident.
Apprentice
The Apprentice will be able to correctly complete some parts of the solution. However, some
parts will be unclear with no representation attempted. Little math language will be used.
Practitioner
The Practitioner will achieve multiple correct solutions. All work will be labeled and organized.
Representations will be appropriate and organized, and math language will be used to
communicate the solution.
Expert
The Expert will achieve correct solutions. All representations will be labeled, accurate and
appropriate. Math language will be used to communicate the solution, and work will be labeled
and organized. The Expert will also make mathematically relevant observations about the
solution (for example, no solutions allow you to have at least one of each candy because the
cost would be too great).
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Novice
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Apprentice
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Practitioner
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Expert
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