On January 6th, 2003 the newest quarter was officially unveiled at a ceremony in one of Illinois' most celebrated cities, Chicago.  This first quarter of the new year marked the 21st coin being released in the United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program!  It also marked the first time a person (President Lincoln) has ever been pictured on two circulating coins of different denominations.

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

Illinois Quarter

Learn more about the latest quarter and the amazing man who 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 Illinois quarter:  Coin Connections (K–1), Places We Live (2–3), and The Life of Lincoln (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.

Linking Lincoln to Coins

Not only is Illinois' quarter the newest quarter to be released into circulation, but it is also the H.I.P. Pocket Change Coin of the Month for January!  See why January is a very special month for the state of Illinois and for the man who appears on this coin, then try out the new Teacher Feature, "Whose Head Goes Here?"  Students will be challenged to look at history from a different point of view.

Connected Coins and Medals

What other coin features an image of President Lincoln on both its obverse and its reverse?  The Lincoln cent of course!  The obverse has featured an image of this 16th president since 1909, but if you look really closely, the statue of "Honest Abe" has been quietly sitting between the columns of the Lincoln Memorial since 1959.  Take a look for yourself!

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 Illinois' quarter back together—in three minutes or less!
	Are your students budding artists?  Let them try their hands at painting the Illinois quarter.  Paint the Chicago skyline green and the Illinois countryside red...let their 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!