The U.S. Mint has resources to teach children about coins, including games, at-home activities, kids' videos, printable coloring pages, and more! There are also lesson plans that can be searched by grade, historical era, subject, etc.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
in-class, homework, individual, self-paced
Technical Requirements:
browser, ability to hear and view video, open/download PDF files
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Through reading and interactives the user gains insight into the history or coins used in the U.S. basic economics, medallic art, coin collecting, and coin productions.
Target Student Population:
Grade School, Middle School, High School, Pre-K
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
basic computer skills
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The site provides a section for educators and a section for kids. On the educators' section there are games, videos, activities, coloring pages that can be used with students. There is a monthly newsletter, Lessons that Make Cents, that users can sign up to receive. There is a searchable database of complete lesson plans for grades K-12 that use coins as a jumping off point to teach science, social studies, math, and more. Educators can search by grade, subject, coin type, and/or/coin program (U.S. Mint coin programs such as the 50 state quarters program). There is also a Financial Literacy Lesson section that include more free lesson plans for grades K-5, counting with coins game, two videos on how coins are made and where they come from, and related links to U.S. Department of Treasury's Treasury Direct Kids site, U.S. Currency Education Program site, and the Federal Reserve's Education site.
The Kids section includes some interactive games on coins, a library featuring each coin and information about it, steps and information on coin collecting, and several short, engaging videos on a variety of topic related to coins such as their history and how they are designed and made.
Concerns:
None.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The strength of this site is that both students and educators can explore and use the information. The intent of all the information, lesson plans, interactive games, and videos is increase students' understanding of coins, coin usage, and financial literacy in the United States. With the vast array of lesson plans available, these learning materials can be readily integrated into specific subject matter lessons or cross-curriculum learning experiences.
There are lesson ideas available for grades K-12 for most content areas.
Concerns:
None.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The site is well designed with clear and specific labeling for finding For Kids section and the For Educators section. The Kids section has a very visible search slot on the top right for quick and efficient use. The searchable database of lessons is impressive. When a lesson search is conducted results show a list of lesson title links. Under each title link users also get a quick reference to the specific lesson objective, grades for using and adapting the lesson, subjects covered in the lesson, and specific coin types used in the lesson plan.
Contains link for accessibility information. Easy to navigate and locate items of interest.
Concerns:
None.
Creative Commons:
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