Students use their math money to buy items at the Math Store
At Hometown Elementary, we believe learning should be meaningful, hands-on, and fun—and our Math Shop, run by Mrs. Malone and Mrs. Finnegan, brings all of that to life! This exciting program rewards students for completing Family Math activities at home by giving them the chance to earn and spend “Hometown Math Money” on fun items in our very own school store.
Each month, students are invited to complete a math challenge at home with the help of a parent, sibling, or guardian. These activities reinforce important skills like number sense, problem-solving, and operations in a fun and engaging way. When students return the completed work, they receive Hometown Math Money in various denominations. This process gives students practice with counting, saving, and setting goals—all while applying real-world math.
When the Math Shop opens, students get to browse and purchase items using their earned money. The shop features a variety of fun prizes like pencils, erasers, books, small toys, seasonal goodies, and more. Mrs. Malone guides students through the process, helping them count out their money, make smart purchasing decisions, and calculate change if needed. It’s a great way to tie math practice to financial literacy and responsibility.
Students are always excited to participate, and families enjoy being part of their child’s learning journey at home. One student shared, “It’s fun to do math with my family and then spend my money on something cool at the shop!”
We’re so grateful to Mrs. Malone for her creativity and leadership in running the Math Shop. It’s become a favorite tradition at Hometown and a wonderful way to make math come alive for our students!