Currencies of Spanish Speaking Countries
Written by Arnold Taylor and Nick Carr
Title:
Different Dinero
Grade Level:
9-12 / Spanish II, International Economics
Subject:
International Economies
Illinois Learning Standards and/or Skill Standards
Foreign Language: 30. A. 1a. Recognize the currency of the country(ies) where the target
language is spoken and compare values with the United States currency. 30. A. 3a.
Identify different systems of trade and exchange in target language country(ies)(e.g.,
bartering and bargaining compared to the United States.
Workplace Skills and Career Development Competencies: Interpreting the economics of
work; Identify the role of business in the economic system.
Overview:
Students will become familiar with different money systems of our Spanish-speaking
business trading partners.
Objectives:
Students will be able to function effectively while making purchases using a foreign
currency in mock situations. Students will become familiar with the values of currencies
of Spanish speaking countries vis a vis the US dollar in a fun and casual way.
Academic principles:
International Business, Culture, Economics, Applied Math.
CTE Application:
Practical experience in using on-the spot math skills, currency recognition, and
estimating the values of goods.
Reading Strategy Details:
Students will fill-in their own graphic organizer after reading a passage indicating values
on an overhead. By using a “visual” sub-search technique, students will be able to skim
and scan for the “gold”. This is achieved by paying close attention to the overhead and
noting information needed for their graphic organizer. An introduction and handout will
be provided for those who need a review on this strategy.
Pre-Activities:
Warm-up activity will include a brief introduction to the culture of popular outdoor
markets in Latin American countries. Students will discuss how they would make
purchases in such an environment.
Activities & Procedures:
Students will make purchases at a mock store attended by a different group of students at
different times, and in different “countries”.
Assessment:
Formative assessment through direct observation and self-correction. A quiz will be used
for self-assessment.
Closing & summarization:
Students will tell the class what they purchased in (for example) Costa Rica for how
many colons. They will also give the value in relation to the US dollar. A review of the
graphic organizer and a short quiz will be used to close the lesson.
Materials Needed:
Copies of currencies from Honduras, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panamá, y Perú.
Empty boxes of goods normally purchased at a market, plastic fruit, authentic items from
these countries if available, OH projector, transparencies, graphic organizer handout,
tables arranged in a u-form, “cash box”, table cloths.
Resources:
Exito commercial, M. S. Doyle 2001
http://fx.sauder.ubc.ca/currency_table.html
http://www.x-rates.com/
http://www.exchangerate.com/
Currencies of Spanish Speaking Countries
Techniques for sorting information:
Star, Asterisks, Checks
Underline Key Points
Bracket Major Passages
Use any of the symbols to pin point unfamiliar vocabulary.
Look for key ideas and underline them.
[Brackets are used to emphasize large selections of the text
that you think are important to the meaning of the text.]
Making Meaning of the Text – Select several tools to help understand the text.
Comment in the margins on the vocabulary. Define it or
Star, Asterisk, Checks
question its meaning.
Use listing or bulleting to define the major ideas in a
selection of the reading.
Number or Bullet a List of Ideas
Create your own commonly used short hand words or
symbols in the margin of the text.
Abbreviate Whenever Possible
Make personal connection through shared experience.
React Personally
Make connections to the topic or focus for the reading. It
may be personal, literary, political, or philosophical.
Connection
Highlight or underline the most essential passages. Make
comments in the margins about the highlighted or
Highlight the Gold
underlined passage.
P
Paraphrase or Summarize
Prediction
Write a short summary that explains the main ideas of the
reading.
Make a prediction about what might come of the ideas
considered in the text. If it is a work of fiction, make a
prediction about how the story might proceed or end.
Mental or visual connections are created much the same way.
An example of a Graphic Organizer Handout . . .
Moneda/Currency
El Colón
El Peso Colombiano
El Limpira
El Quetzal
El Sol
El Balboa
El Dólar
Valor (UDS)
País/Country
Value Cards
EL COLÓN=
USD
EL LEMPIRA=
EL SOL=
USD
EL BALBOA=
EL QUETZAL=
USD
EL PESO=
USD
USD
USD