In a ceremony on August 30, 2006, the United States Mint celebrated the release of the North Dakota quarter.  The ceremony marked the release of the thirty-ninth state to be commemorated as a part of the 50 State Quarters® Program.

North Dakota's Coin features grazing bison and the rugged badlands.

Teachers, below you will find several activities and links that will bring the features of the North Dakota coin and the excitement of the North Dakota "State Quarter Day" into your classroom!

North Dakota Quarter

Learn more about the new quarter featuring American bison and the beautiful badlands.

• 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 North Dakota quarter:  Give Me A "B"! (K–1), Protect for Safekeeping (2–3), and Neither Wind Nor Rain (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 North Dakota quarter features pair of grazing America bison in the foreground with a sunset view of the rugged buttes and canyons that help define the Badlans region in the background.

Take a look at some other coins that tell about bison and American history on the reverse of their coin:

	2005 American Bison Nickel—This nickel was the first of the two new nickel designs for 2005.  This nickel features the American bison, commonly called a "buffalo."  Like the other nickels in the Westward Journey Nickel SeriesT, this nickel honors the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  The design reminds us that the explorers not only described the buffalo in their journals but used the animal for food and clothing.  The design also reminds us how important and even sacred this animal was to the American Indians of the prairies.
	2005 Kansas Quarter—This state quarter uses sunflowers and a bison (also called a "buffalo") to stand for this prairie state.  Bison were known for roaming far and wide (even beyond Kansas), and eating mostly grass and sage.
	Indian Head/Buffalo Nickel (1913–1937)—This coin is called the "Indian Head" nickel or the "Buffalo" nickel.  According to legend, the model was a bison who lived in the Bronx Zoo in New York City named "Black Diamond."

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

	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.
	Here's a challenge for your students!  Put all the pieces of the North Dakota quarter back together—in three minutes or less!
	Are your students budding artists?  Let them try their hands at painting the North Dakota quarter.  A green wagon and yellow oxen?  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!