Subjects
Subject(s)
Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts
--Visual Arts
Mathematics
--Applied Math
--Probability
Social Studies
--Civics
--Current Events
--Economics
--Government
--History
----U.S. History
--Holidays
Grades
Grades 2-up
News Content
The back side of the U.S. penny is about to get a design makeover.
Anticipation Guide
Before reading, ask students to talk about the people who appear on our countrys currency. Make a list of common coins and bills and identify the figure who appears on each denomination.
News Words
Next, introduce these words that appear in the News Word Box on the students printable page: profile, anniversary, issued, educated, design, and legislature. Discuss the meanings of any of those words that might be unfamiliar. Then ask students to use one of those words to complete each of these sentences:
Read the News
Click for a printable version of this weeks news story U.S. Penny to Get Four New Designs.
More Facts to Share
You might share these additional facts with students after they have read this weeks news story.
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Comprehension Check
Recalling Detail
Think About the News
The practicality of the penny is a subject of debate. Those who think the penny should be retired say it costs about 1.5 cents to produce each penny, so the coins cost more than they are worth. Pennies slow down transactions at cash registers too, they add.
On the other side of the coin," there are those who believe getting rid of the penny would be wrong. If the penny is retired, transactions would be rounded to the nearest nickel; that means many things bought at stores will be more expensive. The penny coin is too historically significant to stop producing it, they add.
Give each student two pennies. As you debate whether or not the penny should be retired, students will hand back one of their pennies each time they share a thought pro or con. Once a student has given his or her two cents worth," s/he must let others contribute their two cents worth to the conversation before being allowed to offer additional arguments.
For additional ideas and resources for about the penny debate, see the Follow-Up Activities section below.
Follow-Up Activities
Language arts note-taking. If you teach students in grades 4 and up, you might share a segment of 60 Minutes, Should We Make Cents?, narrated by Morley Safer. Click the view larger" icon in the lower right corner so the video can be viewed full screen, and invite students to take notes about arguments on both sides of the penny debate as the 11-minute video plays.
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Language arts idioms. A number of English language expressions refer to the penny. Share each of these expressions and ask student to define what the expressions mean to them. The explanations below in parentheses come from UsingEnglish.com.
Assessment
Use the Comprehension Check (above) as an assessment. Or have students work on their own (in their journals) or in their small groups to respond to the Think About the News questions on the news story page or in the Comprehension Check section.
Lesson Plan Source
Education WorldNational Standards
FINE ARTS: Visual Arts
GRADES K - 4
NA-VA.K-4.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.K-4.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
GRADES 5 - 8
NA-VA.5-8.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.5-8.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
GRADES 9 - 12
NA-VA.9-12.3 Choosing and Evaluating A Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
NA-VA.9-12.4 Understanding the Visual Arts In Relation to History and Cultures
LANGUAGE ARTS: English
GRADES K - 12
NL-ENG.K-12.1 Reading for Perspective
NL-ENG.K-12.2 Reading for Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.3 Evaluation Strategies
NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
NL-ENG.K-12.8 Developing Research Skills
NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
NL-ENG.K-12.11 Participating in Society
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills
MATHEMATICS: Number and Operations
GRADES Pre-K - 2
NM-NUM.PK-2.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-NUM.3-5.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-NUM.6-8.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-NUM.9-12.2 Understand Meanings of Operations and How They Relate to One Another
MATHEMATICS: Data Analysis and Probability
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-DATA.3-5.3 Develop and Evaluate Inferences and Predictions That Are Based on Data
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-DATA.6-8.3 Develop and Evaluate Inferences and Predictions That Are Based on Data
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-DATA.9-12.3 Develop and Evaluate Inferences and Predictions That Are Based on Data
SOCIAL SCIENCES: Civics
GRADES K - 4
NSS-C.K-4.1 What Is Government?
NSS-C.K-4.2 Values and Principles of Democracy
GRADES 5 - 8
NSS-C.5-8.1 Civic Life, Politics, and Government
NSS-C.5-8.3 Principles of Democracy
GRADES 9 - 12
NSS-C.9-12.1 Civic Life, Politics, and Government
NSS-C.9-12.3 Principles of Democracy
SOCIAL SCIENCES: Economics
GRADES K - 4
NSS-EC.K-4.7 Markets and Market Prices
NSS-EC.K-4.8 Supply and Demand
NSS-EC.K-4.11 Money
NSS-EC.K-4.16 Government in the Economy
NSS-EC.K-4.17 Cost of Government
GRADES 5 - 8
NSS-EC.5-8.7 Markets and Market Prices
NSS-EC.5-8.8 Supply and Demand
NSS-EC.5-8.11 Money
NSS-EC.5-8.16 Government in the Economy
NSS-EC.5-8.17 Cost of Government
GRADES 9 - 12
NSS-EC.9-12.7 Markets and Market Prices
NSS-EC.9-12.8 Supply and Demand
NSS-EC.9-12.11 Money
NSS-EC.9-12.16 Government in the Economy
NSS-EC.9-12.17 Cost of Government
SOCIAL SCIENCES: U.S. History
GRADES K - 4
NSS-USH.K-4.3 The History of the United States: Democratic Principles and Values and the People from Many Cultures Who Contributed to Its Cultural, Economic, and Political Heritage
GRADES 5 - 12
NSS-USH.5-12.5 Eras 5 - 10: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) to Contemporary United States Contemporary United States (1968 to the Present)
See recent news stories in Education Worlds News Story of the Week Archive.
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Article by Ellen Delisio and Gary Hopkins
Education World®
Copyright © 2008 Education World
10/01/2008