Author: US Mint
Company: United States Mint

5: Being Resourceful
Based on the Wisconsin quarter reverse

OBJECTIVES
Students will identify natural, capital and human resources. They will be able to explain the economic concepts of production and production resources.

MATERIALS
• 1 copy of an age-appropriate text that relates to earning money, such as:
– How the Second Grade Got $8,205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty by Nathan
Zimelman
– The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble With Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain
– The New Fire Truck by Mercer Mayer
– Money Troubles by Bill Cosby
– Owen Foote, Money Man by Stephanie Greene
– The Cool Crazy Crickets to the Rescue! by David Elliott
– A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams
• 1 overhead projector (optional)
• 1 overhead transparency (or enlarged copy) of the “Production Chart”
• Markers
• Writing paper
• Pencils
• 1 overhead transparency (or photocopy) of the Wisconsin quarter reverse
• 1 class map of the United States
• 1 copy of an age-appropriate text that relates to dairy production, such as:
– Milk: From Cow to Carton by Aliki
– Extra Cheese, Please!: Mozzarella’s Journey from Cow to Pizza by Chris Peterson
– From Cow to Ice Cream by Bertram T. Knight
– The Milk Makers by Gail Gibbons
• Copies of the “Productive Resources” chart

PREPARATIONS
• Make an overhead transparency (or an enlarged copy) of the “Production Chart.”
• Make an overhead transparency (or photocopy) of the Wisconsin quarter reverse.
• Locate an appropriate text that relates to dairy production (see examples under “Materials”).
• Make copies of the “Productive Resources” chart (1 per student).

GROUPINGS
• Whole group
• Pairs
• Small groups
• Individual work

CLASS TIME
Three 30- to 45-minute sessions

CONNECTIONS
• Social Studies
• Language Arts

TERMS AND CONCEPTS
• Quarter • Reverse (back)
• Consumer • Production
• Economic resources • Natural resources
• Capital resources • Human resources
• Producers • Goods
• Services

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
Students should have a basic knowledge of goods and services.

STEPS
Session 1
1.	Introduce students to the selected text about earning money. As a group, preview the text and illustrations to generate observations about what is occurring at different points in the book.
2.	Read the selected text to the class and attend to any unfamiliar vocabulary.
3.	Ask your students how they would raise money for a special purchase they needed to make if they did not have any money and were not given money from the school or from their parents.
4.	Have the students conduct a Think-Pair-Share to brainstorm some ways in which the class could raise money to make their purchase. As the students share their ideas, list these on the chalk board.
5.	Point out that each of the ideas listed requires the students to produce goods or to provide a service to someone else (a consumer). Explain that when an item is made, grown, or refined in order to sell it to someone else, you are producing that item.
6.	Explain that for this activity they will pretend to produce a good that they would sell to raise the necessary money. Ask the students to eliminate any services that they might have listed.
7.	Take a vote to determine the good that they will be producing.
8.	Display a copy of the “Production Chart” for all of your students to see, and post it in a visible location throughout the lesson.
9.	Once a product has been decided upon, ask the students what steps are required to make this product. You will want to guide the students to list these steps in a sequential order. On the “Production Chart,” write the steps in the proper order in the column labeled “Production Steps.”

Session 2
1.	Revisit the activity from the previous day, asking students to explain what it means to produce goods.
2.	Refer to the “Production Chart” from the previous session and instruct the students to look at the steps that they listed. Look closely at the first step and ask how it will get accomplished. What will they need in order to complete this step of production?  Have students list the materials and place them in the appropriate category (natural, human, or capital resources). Students will likely list natural and capital resources, but might need a reminder to consider human resources. Point out that you’re listing their comments in three different columns.
3.	Ask the students what the items listed under “Natural Resources” have in common. Ask what they think a natural resource might be. Verify that a natural resource is one supplied by nature.
4.	Ask the students what the items listed under “Capital Resources” have in common. Ask what they think a capital resource might be. Verify that a capital resource is one used to make other goods (machines and equipment would fall into this category).
5.	Ask the students what the items listed under “Human Resources” have in common. Ask what they think a human resource might be. Verify that a human resource is a person who contributes to the production of a final product.
6.	Divide the class into groups based on the number of steps remaining in the production process for the class project (one group per step).
7.	Instruct each group to select a recorder to write down the information that they discuss, and a reporter to share this information with the class.
8.	Assign each group a step in the production process, and allow them 5 to 10 minutes to determine what natural, capital and human resources are required to complete this step.
9.	In the order of the steps, invite the reporter from the related group to share their information with the class. Ask the group recorder to add these steps to the class chart. If any resources are categorized incorrectly, ask if the resource might fit better in another category.

Session 3
1.	Describe the 50 State Quarters® Program for background information, if necessary, using the example of your own state, if available. Then display the transparency or photocopy of the Wisconsin quarter reverse. Locate Wisconsin on a classroom map.  Note its position in relation to your school’s location.
2.	With the students, examine the design on this coin’s reverse. Ask students to identify objects they recognize: a cow, cheese, and an ear of corn.
3.	Ask students why they think that Wisconsin chose to put these images on their quarter. Guide students to consider the project that they’ve been working on over the past two days. Answers should relate to the idea that Wisconsin is well known for its farming industry.
4.	Look closely at the items on the quarter and ask the students which items are resources and which are products. Are the resources natural, capital, or human?
5.	Introduce students to the selected text about dairy production. As a group, preview the text and illustrations to generate observations about what is occurring at different points in the book.
6.	Read the selected text to the class and attend to any unfamiliar vocabulary. 
7.	Distribute a copy of the “Productive Resources Chart” to each student and explain that, as they listen to this book a second time, they will pay attention to how the product in the book is being created. As they hear resources mentioned, they should list them in the appropriate category on their chart.
8.	Read this book to the group again. Guide students through the process of identifying resources within the book. Direct students to add each resource to the appropriate column on their charts.
9.	Allow the students to compare their charts with a partner. While working with a partner, the students should discuss whether the resources have each been placed in the correct category.

ENRICHMENT/EXTENSIONS
•	Make copies of each of the state quarter designs, and have students identify natural, capital, and human resources on these coins.
•	Experiment with methods of production. Divide the class into two groups: individual production (each student makes the product alone) and assembly line production.  Students will test both methods and then assess the benefits of each. Students will also determine which method is faster.

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING OPTION
Provide additional time to students to complete their charts before comparing their work with a partner.

CONNECTION TO WWW.USMINT.GOV/KIDS
To expose your students to more resource related activities, test “The Natural State” lesson plan related to the Arkansas quarter design. Download it from among the grade 2 and 3 plans in the 2003 50 State Quarters Program collection in the Teachers section of the United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site. (www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?fileContents=/kids/teachers/lessonPlans/lesson_select.cfm&grade=2)

Student Worksheet
Production Chart
PRODUCT NAME [blank]
[Column Headings of blank chart] Steps, Natural Resources, Capital Resources, Human Resources
[Rows are numbered 1 through 4.]

Student Worksheet
Productive Resources Chart
[Column headings of blank chart]  Natural Resources, Capital Resources, Human Resources

Student Worksheet
Wisconsin Quarter Reverse
Enlarged outline.