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Lesson Plan

Charting History with Pennies

Main Subject Area: Social Studies

Keywords:

  • Modern History

Brief Description:

    Students collect pennies and sort them in ascending order of dates. For the year on each penny, students research key events in history and pick a single event, explaining its historical significance. Then students use these events to create a timeline of U.S. history.

National Standard(s):

  • Time, Continuity, and Change

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

Objectives:

    On their own, students will research random years in U.S. history and identify key historical events.

Materials (online):

Materials (offline):

    Pennies (20 per student) as well as paper and pens/pencils to create "date sheets."

Coins Used in Lesson:

Grade Level(s):   3-5  

Procedures (online):

Procedures (offline):

    1. Ask students to collect 20 pennies - each with a different mint date - and bring them to the classroom.

    2. Have students create a "date sheet" for each penny. (You may want to have students tape or otherwise attach each penny to its sheet of paper.) Then have students sort the date sheets in chronological order.

    3. Have students research events in U.S. history for each year on their date sheets.

    4. On each date sheet, have students note a key event, explaining its historical significance.

    5. Collect all date sheets from students. Post the sheets in chronological order around the classroom, creating a timeline of U.S. history.

    Note: If your class has access to software programs such as PowerPoint and AppleWorks, you could have students use the programs to create more polished date sheets.

Assessment / Evaluation:

    Were students able to correctly date sheets in chronological order? Did students effectively use reference materials to find and research key events? In selecting key events for their date sheets, did students accurately explain the events and give supporting facts?

    In addition, you should evaluate students' spelling, grammar, and other writing conventions.

Differentiated Learning Options:

    Use the class timeline to create a Web page or site that electronically charts the same information.


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