Coin Curricula
Half Dollar
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.
To add additional lesson ideas to this site, please sign up to participate in the
Teachers' Network.
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!
Download, print, and color this coin!
Click on each coin image to download an Acrobat® file containing the coin outline to color.
Coin Information
Obverse Design
|
John F. Kennedy
|
Obverse Designer
|
Gilroy Roberts
|
Reverse Design
|
Presidential Coat of Arms
|
Reverse Designer
|
Frank Gasparro
|
Date of First Issue
|
1964
|
Weight
|
11.340 g
|
Diameter
|
1.205 in. or 30.61 mm
|
Thickness
|
2.15 mm
|
Want to learn more?
Here's how!
Just For Fun!
Kids love coins!
Watch your students explore some of the fun activities below and watch them gain an appreciation for coins and coin collecting!
Create a greeting card by using your virtual allowance to "buy" designs.
Can you find the matching coins?
Test your memory!
Learn how the Lincoln cent and other coins are designed—and create your own!
Learn more about circulating coins in this crossword puzzle game.
Follow a coin's creation from its initial design to its place in your pocket.
You've never see coins come to life like this!
Check out how pennies and other coins are minted!
There are lots of fun things to do with coins, including:
Teachers' Corner
This section is just for you!
Click on each of the sections below to find an inventory of educational resources from the United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site related to the quarter.
These lesson plans activities will be a hit with your students and are ready to be used in your classroom today!
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:
Students will research contributions to American culture and technological progress through Benjamin Franklin's quotes and inventions. They will also analyze research in order to design a coin honoring Ben Franklin's contributions.
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 research contributions to American culture and technological progress through Benjamin Franklin's quotes and inventions. They will also analyze research in order to design a coin honoring Ben Franklin's contributions.
Description:
Students will use various coin denominations to explore the concept of fractions.
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 research contributions to American culture and technological progress through Benjamin Franklin's quotes and inventions. They will also analyze research in order to design a coin honoring Ben Franklin's contributions.
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Coin Curricula Center