Did you know that anyone who attended Arkansas' quarter launch could have walked away with a diamond in his or her pocket?  It's true!  The Arkansas quarter launch, on October 28th, 2003, was celebrated at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas.  This diamond mine allows visitors to search for diamonds and keep any gems that they find.  The Arkansas quarter, which features a diamond as part of its design, is the 25th coin released and marks the halfway point in the 50 State Quarters® Program.

Teachers, below you will find several activities and links that will bring the excitement of Arkansas' "State Quarter Day" into your classroom!

Arkansas Quarter

Learn more about the latest quarter and the natural resources that inspired it.

• For kids
• For adults

50 State Quarters Program

Find out more about this program that honors every state in America!

• For kids
• For adults

50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans

The 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans are ready for you to use in your classroom!  Take a look at the lessons created specifically to celebrate the Arkansas quarter:  The Nature of Coins (K–1), The Natural State (2–3), and A Biome to Call Home (4–6)!  After that, be sure to check out the rest of the state-specific plans, FREE to download in sets designed specifically for grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 through 6.

State Quarter Day Classroom Activities

Here are some fun ways to infuse your curriculum with activities that celebrate the arrival of the newest quarter in circulation!

Also, take a trip to Get a Clue About Collecting to Find the Hidden Coins that are a part of the 50 State Quarters Program.

"Seeing the States" WebQuest

What's so great about the United States?  Let your students find out for themselves as they explore the coins in the 50 State Quarters Program to complete this fun Internet research project, the "Seeing the States" WebQuest.

Connected Coins and Medals

The Little Rock Nine was a group of students who helped bring Civil Rights to the United States.  They were honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in 1998.  This coin honors the students for their "selfless heroism and the pain they suffered in the cause of civil rights by integrating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas."
Did you know that Vermont is known as the "Green Mountain State"?  That's because the mountains in Vermont are covered in evergreen trees.  The 2001 Vermont quarter design highlights the Maple tree, which provides maple syrup to people all across the country.  Just like Arkansas, Vermont honors their natural resources on their state quarter design.
Visit Flip in Japan in our Coins of the World feature and see how the Arkansas quarter design relates to Japanese culture! For more related lesson plans, explore the 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans which feature the Arkansas quarter design.

Our Foreign Friends

The coins produced for the 50 State Quarters Program share much in common with the European currency, the euro.  With your students, visit the interactive cartoon, Coins of the World, to see how these two programs are similar (here's a hint: look at the backs of euros from different countries, and then look at their fronts).

Quarter Games

	Here's a challenge for your students!  Put all the pieces of the Arkansas' quarter back together—in three minutes or less!
	Are your students budding artists?  Let them try their hands at painting the Arkansas quarter.  A purple diamond and a pink duck?  Let your students' imaginations run wild!
	Here's a word search all about quarters and other coins.  Can your students find all the words on each list?

A Coinage Cartoon

Teachers' Network

Teachers, if we've piqued your interest with the activities above, please sign up for the Teachers' Network.  As a member, you can receive information about all of the new educational resources that become available from the United States Mint!