Lesson Plan

Serving Our Nation

Main Subject Area: Social Studies

Additional Subjects: Language Arts

Duration of Lesson:  90 minutes

Keywords:

• American History
• Coins
• Commemorative Coins
• History
• Medals
• Veterans
• War

Brief Description:

In this jigsaw activity, students will read about and research the lives of specific war veterans to compare their common characteristics and differences.

National Standard(s):

• Time, Continuity, and Change
• Culture
• Power, Authority, and Governance
• Civic Ideals and Practices

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

• Demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning
• Demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies for reading a variety of informational texts
• Demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the reading process
• Demonstrate competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process
• Gather and use information for research purposes

Objectives:

Students will explain common characteristics and differences of war veterans.

Materials (online):

The United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site (www.usmint.gov/kids)

The United States Mint Web site (www.usmint.gov)

Appropriate websites for researching coin histories or biographical information about military veterans

Materials (offline):

Computer lab access/library access

Copies of a group chart (columns should be where students write their information, the rows should be as follows: name of the war, name of the coin/medal selected, name of the veteran(s)commemorated, the branch of the military in which that individual(s) served, and the event or behavior that made that individual memorable)

Pencils

Poster board (1 sheet per group)

Markers

Coins Used in Lesson:

Any coin or medal produced by the United States Mint to honor American war veterans.

Grade Level(s):   3-5     6-8  

Procedures (online):

Students may conduct their (carefully supervised) research using the resources of the Internet.

Procedures (offline):

1. Select one or two coins/medals listed under materials and display enlarged versions for your students to see. These coins/medals should represent those who fought in two different wars.

2. Ask the students why they believe that these coins/medals were created? Who were they meant to honor? Answers should relate to the idea that these coins/medals were created to honor people who served in the military.

3. As a class, discuss and define the word veteran. Ask students to explain why the United States Mint would decide to produce such coins, rather than ones honoring a different segment of the population?

4. Split the students into five groups representing different wars that the United States participated in.

5. As a member of the group, each student will use either the United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site or another source to find a coin or medal that was created to honor the service of someone (or several people) who participated in that war.

6. Independently, the students will research why that coin was created. Who did it honor? They will also need to research some biographical information about the person/people that this mint product honors. Students will need to determine what in which branch of the military that individual served, and what event or behavior made them particularly memorable.

7. After completing this independent research, one student representing each of the five groups will assemble into a new group.

8. In these new groups, the students will create a chart listing the name of the war, the name of the coin/medal selected, the name of the veteran commemorated, the branch of the military in which that individual served, and the event or behavior that made that individual memorable.

9. In these groups, discuss what are some common characteristics of military veterans that transcend the particular war in which they fought.

10. Instruct each of these groups to develop a poster based on their discussion. This poster should describe what it means to be a military veteran and should include illustrations as well as written words.

11. A representative from each group should present the poster to the class and explain why the images and words were selected.

12. Create a bulletin board entitled “Those Who Served to Keep Us Free” and post each group’s poster.

Assessment / Evaluation:

Based on the group charts, the creation of the poster, and students participation, develop a rubric to evaluate the work of each student.

Differentiated Learning Options:

Select a different theme and invite students to explore other commemorative coins and medals that the United States Mint produces that explore this theme (such themes could be scientific inventions, women in history, artists, African American history, etc.).