There are so many fun ways to introduce your students to American coins!
Below you will find a collection of educational resources to help get your students started.
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And don't forget to visit the
Circulating Coins section to find out more about all of the current circulating coins from the United States Mint!
Kids love coins!
Watch your students explore some of the fun activities below and watch them gain an appreciation for coins and coin collecting!
Description:
Whether it's conquering a fear, or learning something new, we set goals for ourselves all the time. This Teacher Feature challenges students to look to Helen Keller, the subject of Alabama's quarter reverse, as a model for setting personal goals. Students will brainstorm and write about a personal goal that they have, and a plan for reaching that goal.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Language Arts
Description:
After closely examining symbols of our nation that are used on American coinage, students will identify and write about particular traits which describe their class.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts
Description:
Have your students use the reproducible materials available with this Teacher Feature to visually describe how they plan to spend their Thanksgiving holiday.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Mathematics
Description:
What would happen if one of the coins from the 50 State Quarters® Program got into the hands of a space alien? Let your students' minds run wild as they imagine and write about the reaction that these space creatures might have!
Subject Areas:
Language Arts
Description:
In this activity, students will examine state symbols and use them to develop designs for the reverses of the remaining quarters yet to be added to the 50 State Quarters® Program.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Technology
Description:
In teams of four, have your students observe and note the physical attributes of a penny, nickel, dime and a quarter. Then have them work as a class and use their observations to find the correct answers to a related game.
Subject Areas:
Science
Description:
Here's a fun computer center activity for your classroom! Prepare clues about a particular coin. Then invite your students to visit the United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site to research the answers to the quirky hints they are given!
Subject Areas:
Technology
Description:
As an introduction to the decimal system, invite your students to play this game where they examine the relation of different coins to a dollar.
Subject Areas:
Mathematics
Description:
Teach your students to create percents from fractions by sorting coins of different denominations.
Subject Areas:
Mathematics
Description:
The interesting thing about coins is that there have been many changes in design over the years. Have your students work in pairs to trace the design history of a currently circulating coin and display their findings on a timeline.
Subject Areas:
Social Studies
Description:
Is a coin's value based on its weight? Try this science experiment with your class to find the answer to this hefty question.
Subject Areas:
Science
Description:
After examining Illinois' quarter reverse, students will explore and write about the controversy that arose the first time President Lincoln's image was placed on a coin, the Lincoln cent.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology
Description:
What does a coin's composition have to do with the sound it makes when dropped? Well if you listen closely, older pennies have a different sound than those minted today. See if your students can hear the difference when trying their hands at this experiment.
Subject Areas:
Science
Description:
In this activity, students will compare and contrast the natural resources in different regions across the country.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Social Studies
Description:
Using the design on the reverse of Indiana's quarter design as a jumping-off point, have your students apply their advanced math skills to determine the answers to several Indy 500 related questions.
Subject Areas:
Mathematics
Description:
In this activity, students will use the Michigan quarter reverse design in identifying the long "a" sound (a).
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Social Studies
Description:
Although today there are only 4 mint facilities in the United States, there once were many more across this land of ours. Invite your students to research what significant historical events led to the opening and closing of United States Mints throughout this country.
Subject Areas:
Social Studies
Description:
time zones and the rotation of the Earth.
Subject Areas:
Science
Description:
In this activity, students take a closer look at Missouri's rich history.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology
Description:
Using the Florida quarter, help students identify the "sh" sound and its placement within words with this kinesthetic activity.
Subject Areas:
Language Arts
Description:
Students will use coins to help them explore the sun as a source of renewable energy.
Description:
Students will use their abilities to recognize coins and their values in this game that focuses on locomotor skills (skip, slide, gallop, run, jump). This game also requires students to add coin values.
Description:
This math game invites students to use practice their addition and subtraction skills while building upon their knowledge of coin values. The activity can be modified for older children to allow them to practice their multiplication skills.
Description:
Students will play a coin identification game to familiarize themselves with coin values. They will add coin values to determine the game's winner.
Description:
Students will play a game involving the creation of different coin combinations using cents (pennies), nickels, dimes and quarters.
Description:
Students will select low-cost food items from a grocery store circular that reflect each of the six food groups. They will then create coin combinations to show the costs of each of their selected items.
Description:
Students will explore the 50 State Quarters to learn about each state.
Description:
Students will play a game in which they count out the coin costs for different labeled classroom items.
Description:
After reading an appropriate children's math text, students will review same type (denomination) coin sets, and will build same type coin sets equaling fifty cents.
Description:
Students will explore mixed (different denomination) coin sets and will create different total amounts using what they learn.
Description:
Students will learn and demonstrate that they can use a variety of coin combinations to make a single amount.
Description:
Students will match coins (of different denominations) to different amounts.
Description:
Students will participate in a coin-centered writing activity where they will learn the difference between summarization and critical response.
Description:
Students will use various coin denominations to explore the concept of fractions.
Description:
Students will use their abilities to recognize coins and their values in this game that focuses on locomotor skills (skip, slide, gallop, run, jump). This game also requires students to add coin values.
Description:
This math game invites students to use practice their addition and subtraction skills while building upon their knowledge of coin values. The activity can be modified for older children to allow them to practice their multiplication skills.
Description:
Students will observe and make rubbings of circulating U.S. coins.
Description:
Students will look at different samples of coin combinations in a pocket. They will then learn how to determine the probability that a particular coin will be pulled at random from the pocket.
Description:
Students will examine and discuss the designs on the circulating coins produced by the United States Mint. They will read to learn about the woman and child featured on the Golden Dollar. They will then compare and contrast this coin to the other circulating U.S. coins.
Description:
Students will observe and make rubbings of circulating U.S. coins.
Description:
Students will compare the characteristics of arcade tokens to those of a circulating U.S. quarter to determine how a video game can tell the difference between the two.
Description:
Students will participate in a coin-centered writing activity where they will learn the difference between summarization and critical response.
Coin of the Month
