In a ceremony on January 29, 2007, the United States Mint celebrated the release of the Montana quarter. The ceremony marked the release of the quarter for the forty-first state to be commemorated as a part of the 50 State Quarters® Program.
Montana's coin features a bison skull above the diverse Montana landscape with the inscription "Big Sky Country." The coin also bears the inscriptions "Montana" and "1889."
Teachers, below you will find several activities and links that will bring the features of this coin and the excitement of the Montana "State Quarter Day" into your classroom!
Montana Quarter
Learn more about the latest quarter.
50 State Quarters Program
Find out more about this program that honors every state in America!
50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans
The 2007 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 Montana quarter: Big Sky (K–1), Can You Adapt? (2–3), and Food Web (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.
Are you a secondary school teacher interested in introducing the 50 State Quarters Program into your curriculum? Well, now you can! Our 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans for grades 7 through 12 are also written by educators. To download these FREE plans, visit the 50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans today!
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 Coin Collector's Workshop! Here, you can enroll in Inspector Collector's Coin Course, or solve coin mysteries in Get a Clue About Collecting. You can even learn How To Share Your Hobby!
"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 Montana quarter pays special attention to a bison skull; take a look at a coin that features a steer's head.
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This coin honors the 400th anniversary of the overland trek known as the Cabeza de Vaca Expedition from Florida to Texas in 1535. The front shows a steer's head. Why not the explorer's portrait? There was no portrait of him to copy, and his name, Cabeza de Vaca, means "cow's head" in Spanish. |
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This quarter, 30th in the series, also features an animal head. Cattle have long been important to Wisconsin. They provide not only beef but dairy products like milk and cheese and add to the beauty of the landscape as they graze. |
Our Foreign Friends
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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). |
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Quarter Games
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Your students can test their knowledge of United States geography and the 50 State Quarters Program, all while helping Bill the Mint Buffalo earn enough money to plan a cross-country trip. |
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Here's a challenge for your students! Put all the pieces of the Montana quarter back together—in three minutes or less! |
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Are your students budding artists? Let them try their hands at painting the Montana quarter. Let their color imaginations run wild! |
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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!
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