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Lesson Plan

Coin-Shaped Books

Main Subject Area: Language Arts

Duration of Lesson:  30 minutes

Keywords:

  • Comprehension

Brief Description:

    After reviewing United States coins throughout history, students create shape books for their favorite coins. Each book contains text and illustrations created by the students.

National Standard(s):

  • Demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

Objectives:

    Students will use writing and art skills to create a book in the shape of a coin.

Materials (online):

    Internet access

    The U.S. Mint's H.I.P. Pocket Change(TM) Web site - www.usmint.gov/kids

Materials (offline):

    Coins or coin images

    Circle templates

    Pens

    Pencils

    Crayons or colored pencils

    Construction paper for the book covers

    Plain paper for the book pages

    Staples, yarn, or other book-binding supplies

Coins Used in Lesson:

    Students may choose any existing U.S. coin.

Grade Level(s):   K-2  

Procedures (online):

    1. Using the H.I.P. Pocket Change(TM) Web site as a reference, have each student select a favorite or interesting coin. Help each download a front and a back image of the coin.

    2. Print the images large enough so that students can easily see the coin's details.

Procedures (offline):

    1. Decide on the page size you want the students to use for their books. Prepare templates that they can use for creating the book's cover and pages. In addition, you may want to create a "word wall" or coin-related words that matches the student's grade level.

    2. Collect an assortment of coins or download and print images from the H.I.P. Pocket Change(TM) Web site.

    3. Show the students coins or images. After discussing all the coins, ask each student to select a favorite or interesting coin.

    4. Hand out the templates, and tell students they are each going to make a coin-shaped book about the coin they selected. Have them start by creating an original cover.

    5. Ask each student to first pick how many pages long they want the book to be. Then have them write a sentence about the coin on each page.

    6. Assemble the books using yarn, staples, or some other creative binding technique.

Assessment / Evaluation:

    Use a standard writing rubric that includes any criteria set by you or the students to judge the merits of the coin-shaped books.

Differentiated Learning Options:

    As a class, you could research what or who inspired the designs of the coins students have selected. You could explore other shapes that have been used for coins in both this and other countries.


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