History in Your Pocket:
The 50 State Quarters Program
Have you looked in your pocket lately? Ever notice what's on a dime, nickel, or quarter? The images that appear on our nations currency provide a lot of insight into the rich history of the United States. The US Mint has created the country's coins for centuries. The images and engravings may change from time to time, but each coin tells an important story.
Today you will be researching the 50 State Quarters Program and looking at some states' designs. Later on, you will be designing a quarter for a state which has not yet issued their quarter.
Ready:
Now that you have some background on the U.S. Mint's historic 50 State Quarters Program, it's time to look at one design. By now your teacher should have given you one state's quarter. Your task today is to create a web page explaining why this state chose their design. You will be creating a webpage with an image of the quarter, and more pertinent facts about the state. Later, you will be creating a design for a state whose quarter has not been released.
To create the webpage, you will need
- a graphics program like Fireworks or Photoshop
Set:
The following resources can be used to find out information on your state. Feel free to conduct your own search with teacher's approval.
- U.S. Mint 50 States Quarter Program - Find out about the program, design requirements and production figures.
- 50states.com - A comprehensive site with information about the 50 states.
- Internet Public Library:Stately Knowledge - More information about states.
- Enchantedlearning.com - Even more!!
- Investigate Quarter Designs - This website provides good information about the designs.
- Biography.com - Helpful information about the famous people from your state.
Go:
You can use the worksheet to write down information as you research your state. Use the Skill Set for help in creating an image map with pop-up fields. Your webpage should include the following elements:
- A title (the name of the state you researched).
- An image map of the state's quarter
- An explanation of the state's design choice. Why did the state's government choose this specific design. This should include any historical events or symbols depicted on the coin.
- The state's motto.
- At least one historical person from the state (he/she may or may not be depicted on the quarter).
- Year of quarter's issue and production figures. Please also calculate the amount in dollars!
Your webpage can also include other appropriate images, movie clips or music that help tell the story of the state.
As a final project, you will be creating a similar webpage for a state whose quarter has not been issued, and you will be designing their state's quarter. Go to the US Mint Website to view a schedule of when state's quarters will be issued. The webpage should include all of the same information as the first webpage, but you will use a blank quarter face and design the quarter based on what you have learned about the state!!! Click here for a blank quarter template to use. To help you with the design, use the Photoshop Skill Set. You will be sharing your pages with the whole class in a short presentation.
The US Mint requires two design elements on each state's quarter. The top must feature the name of the state with the year it entered the Union below the name. At the bottom, the quarter must feature the year of issue as well as the phrase E Pluribus Unum. These elements have already been included in the design - please don't remove them!
Examples:
Click here to see a sample page of a state whose quarter has been issued (Mississippi)!
Click here to see a sample of a quarter I designed for Michigan (to be released in 2004)!
Resources:
U.S. Mint Schedule of quarters release
Lesson Plan and Rubric for 50 State Quarters Program
Next Step:
Your next stop is finding out about the millions of coins the Mint produces each year.
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