EDCI 301: Lesson Plan
Name: Melanie Kylis
Lesson Title: What’s it worth to you?
Grade: 4
Subject: Social Studies
Fine Art: Visual Art
Connection (Community Resource, Artist or Cultural Art):
Lesson Summary
This lesson discusses the evolution of money. Including a discussion of bartering, what objects students would trade
more for, how “money” was created, and paper money. We will talk specifically about how the US created its
money and the significance of the design. Students will then design their own money, a coin.
Essential Question (what is the central inquiry explored in this lesson)
What is the meaning behind the drawings on State coins?
Plan for Previous Lesson(s)
Math lesson- value of money, using money to make
change, buying object and getting correct change
Learning Objectives
Plan for Next Lesson(s)
-Role of money in everyday life
-Identify features on state coins
Students will:
 Define a barter system
 Create a design for an imaginary state coin
 Describe the characteristics of coins
Subject Area Standard(s)

Describe the role of money and barter in the colonial trade
Art Standards(s)

Create images and forms from observation, memory, and imagination and
feelings
Analyze the use of the elements of art and principles of design in order to plan
and develop compositions that convey personal meaning

Materials/Resources
(Instructional, Supplies, Technology)
*Attach additional resources such as images, handouts,
music etc.
Video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXIuFpu72Nk
Vocabulary
(terminology and definitions)
Barter: to exchange goods without involving money (trade)
Trade: action of buying and selling goods
-examples of money
-paper
-markers, crayons, colored pencils
Assessment: Rubric
Evaluation Criteria
I.
Creative
design/
features
II.
Definition of
barter system/
exit card
(Does not meet
expectations)
No effort
(Approaches
Expectations)
Has state name and year
None
One sentence that
briefly describes barter
system
A few sentences that
explain barter systems
Thoroughly defines
barter system and
gives example
Symbol, but not a
thorough explanation of
its importance
Symbol with writing
explanation
Symbol that is
thought out and well
explained in writing
III.
No symbol
Has a
picture/symbol
to represent
student
Instructional
Sequence
-Set-up
-Introduction
-Core Activity
-Closure
Approximate
Time
10:00
minutes
18:00
minutes
20:00
minutes
5:00 minutes
(Meets Expectations)
Has state name, year,
and significant symbol
(Exceeds
Expectations)
State name, year,
significant symbol
that has been
carefully though out
Procedure
-get paper, coloring supplies, print examples of dollar bills and coins
-value of objects, discuss bartering, example, video, what is money, have them
interact and discuss what they would trade for something else
-show examples of coins, give materials, allow students to design and draw
-what is money? In small groups have students discuss how they decided on a
design
Instructional
Sequence
-Introduction: What’s
It worth?
-The beginning of
money
What is money
Approximate
Time
5:00 minutes
-10:00
minutes
Procedure
-Begin talking about the value of objects. If you wanted to purchase a bag of
chips at the grocery store, would you trade the cashier your shoes for the bag of
chips?
Of course you wouldn’t. Ask what they would trade for the chips instead
Before money, people bartered. This means they traded objects to get the
object they wanted/needed.
-ask students if they barter and how? Share examples
-Say you needed a cow, but you had a lot of corn. Your friend Johnny has cows
so you went to ask him if you could trade 5 barrels of corn for his cow. Johnny
already had enough corn, but he needed eggs so he would only give you his cow
in exchange of 60 eggs. You did not have eggs so you had to go find someone
else had a cow and would exchange it for your corn. It took a long time to find
someone who would barter with you and the actual bartering process took a
long time. People needed a faster way to get the goods that they needed.
-Instead of swapping one item for another, there was an idea of using one thing
to swap for everything else and this is how money began
-Play video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXIuFpu72Nk
-Money is anything commonly accepted by a group of people for the exchange
of goods and services.
-Coins dating back to 5000 BC
-Paper money since 1300 AD
-Money in the United
States
3:00 minutes
-Discuss the money in the United States; show examples of bills and coins.
-Ask students to describe the coin and possible significance of drawings
-The Maryland State coin shows the Maryland Statehouse, which is important
because it served as the nation’s first peacetime capital. Has the phrase “the
old line state”
-Core Activity: 50
States coins
20:00
minutes
-Students will create their own coin
Discuss how the coins represent something significant of the individual states
heritage, geography, and history
Students will then create their own coin design that represents something
significant about them and a phrase that defines them
-Closure
5:00 minutes
-Why do we have money and why is it important? Why things are valuable,
examples of what students think are valuable. Have students discuss in small
groups how they came up with their design and what it means to them.
Students will complete an exit card where they write about their design and
then define a barter system and give an example.
Plans to Display/Exhibit Student Work
- “4th grade makes cents”
- coins will be cut out, put on construction paper next to their exit card, and displayed on a bulletin board.
*In-Class Art Lesson: Create a display/exhibit of the completed artwork, photograph the display, and attach/insert image
*Analysis/Reflection: Complete only for In-Class Art Lesson
Analysis:
(Align questions in left
column with answers in
right column)
What did the data from the
assessment tools indicate
about student learning?
(include quantitative dataanalyze class rubric
outcomes)
I found that each student did very well based off of my rubric. I think this is because my
rubric was very basic and I had it up on my PowerPoint while they were completing the
lesson. I think this helped them get perfect scores because they were seeing exactly what
they needed to have on their drawing to get a good grade.
To what extent did the
students explore the
essential question and
meet the lesson objectives?
(include qualitative data –
your observations and
student feedback)
My original essential question was: what gives money value? This question was not
explored at all, but my new question: What is the meaning behind the drawings on State
coins? Was explored more in the lesson. I think the students met the lesson objectives,
they could define a barter system, they created their own quarter design, and they can
talk about the characteristics of a coin.
Reflection:
(Align questions in left
column with answers in
right column)
What worked in this
lesson? Why?
I think my video worked very well because it was fun and engaging. I also think my
PowerPoint was good. Lastly, I think that my creative activity was a good way for students
to explore state coins.
What did not work well?
Why?
I needed to ask the students more questions and engage them more. I did not ask openended questions that allowed them to think more about coins and money, which is
something I should have done.
What adjusts did you make
to the lesson while
I did not really make many adjustments, I rushed through the PowerPoint because I
thought I wouldn’t have enough time and I did not ask my long question about bartering
teaching? Why?
for a cow.
What changes would you
make to your lesson based
on your experience of
teaching it?
I would definitely change my lesson by adding more questions. Questions are so
important because they engage the student and they make them think. I would also have
emphasized coins as a piece of art more. Lastly, I would have talked about the Maryland
coin, who designed it, and how regular citizens submitted drawings for the design. I also
would have had them talk about bartering systems in their exit card.
How effective were your
assessment tools? What
modifications could you
make to help students
better demonstrate their
learning?
I do not think that my assessment rubric was that effective. I have made the changes on
my rubric and I added a section about defining a barter system, something that I would
have also added on my exit card. I think that my biggest modification would be to create
a better assessment rubric and to ask more questions of the students.
What insights about
yourself and your teaching
did this experience help
you develop?
I realized that I rush through my presentations and I need to slow down so that everyone
can keep up. I also need to work on asking more questions of my students; allowing them
to talk about their own experiences as well as making sure they are keeping up with what
I am discussing. Lastly, I realized I need to work on creating rubrics and making sure they
cover everything I want my students to learn.