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Lesson Plan

Are You Money Smart?

Main Subject Area: Language Arts

Additional Subjects: Mathematics

Duration of Lesson:  45 minutes

Keywords:

  • Coins
  • Money
  • Poetry
  • Value

Brief Description:

    Students will discuss the irony of this coin-centric poem. They will also practice letter writing, and will be able to identify and count coin/money values.

National Standard(s):

  • Demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process
  • Demonstrate competence in the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing
  • Use grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

  • Communication
  • Number and Operations
  • Representation

Objectives:

    Students will analyze poetry for rhyming patterns.

    Students will gain appreciation for humor in poetry.

    Students will practice letter writing.

    Students will be able to identify and count coin/money values.

Materials (online):

    "Smart" by Shel Silverstein - http://www.sln.org/pieces/knox/smart.pdf

Materials (offline):

    A copy of "Smart" from Shel Silverstein's book Where The Side Walk Ends.

    A $1 bill, 2 quarters, 3 dimes, 4 nickels, 5 pennies (for use when acting out the poem)

    Writing paper

    Pencils

Coins Used in Lesson:

    Current circulating coins: penny, nickel, dime and quarter

Grade Level(s):   3-5  

Procedures (online):

    Retrieve a copy of Shel Silverstein's poem "Smart" from the website listed under online materials.

Procedures (offline):

    1. Read "Smart" from Shel Silverstein's book Where the Sidewalk Ends. Does the character in the poem understand money values?

    2. Read the poem again but have a volunteer record the money exchanges that happened in the poem on the board. Have volunteers come to the board to figure out how much the character lost with each transaction.

    3. Discuss the irony portrayed in the poem.

    4. Identify the rhyming pattern used in the poem.

    5. Have students write a letter to the boy explaining why he didn’t get a good deal. They should include mathematical sentences illustrating each of his transactions and why they weren’t a smart money choice.

Assessment / Evaluation:

    The teacher can evaluate the students based on the persuasive letter written to the boy in the poem. A rubric can include conventions, how clear were their arguments, and how they illustrated their arguments to help persuade the boy.

Differentiated Learning Options:

    Students could perform a pantomime of the poem. Students could act out the money exchanges of the poem using coins.


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