Money Makes the World Go
Around
A lesson on the influence of
colonial currency on unifying the government
By Tiffany Clark
Summer 2009
To download this lesson as a pdf, click here.
Abstract:
By undergoing an experiential learning activity, children will understand why a significant issue in the creation of our nation was a unified monetary system.
Essential Questions/Enduring Understandings:
What are some of the factors that influenced the Constitution?
How individual were each of the Colonies?
How contentious was it among the Colonies?
How much effort does it take to come to common goal when you are invested in your own stance?
How did individual monetary systems held by each colony created difficulty in unifying a fledgling nation?
Assessment:
Students will complete several assignments that will indicate their level of focus, attention, and understanding of the concepts.
Primary Sources:
Students will be using reproductions of Colonial Currency to understand some of the concerns and arguments held by the colonies.
Materials list:
Colonial and Revolutionary currency Set “A” (Antiqued Reproductions)
Colonial and Revolutionary currency Set “B” (Antiqued Reproductions)
OR
Use these web sites to print off copies of Colonial and Revolutionary currency:
http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCurrency/
http://www.fi.edu/learn/sci-tech/colonial-money/colonial-money.php?cts=benfranklin
OR
Image results for Colonial currency
Individual bags of candy or trinkets
Artifact Analysis document appropriate for your grade level
Day 1
-Pass out samples of colonial and revolutionary currency.
-Allow time for the children to look at them and make some observations.
-Have each child select one sample to analyze.
-Use document analysis to make systematic study of their denomination
-Pair with a partner to fill out Venn Diagram
-Collect currency and analysis
Optional:
Assign for homework: independent research on monetary conversion.
Day 2
-Pass currency back to children, making sure that each child had the same denomination they had before
-Pass out bags of candy/trinkets
-Assignment: Use your currency to buy/trade/barter with your classmates to make the best deal to get the largest amount of candy (or things) you like.
- 3-2-1 Worksheet A
- 3-2-1 Worksheet B
Day 3
Class discussion of activity
Brainstorm connections between class activity and colonial times
Class made T chart on giant craft paper
Title: Similarities and differences between our class selling with different currencies and the colonies selling with different currencies
One side would be the title of “similarities” the other side of the T chart would be “differences”.
Have kids do the conclusion strips.