Celebrate Summer with Coins: 5 Ideas to Share with Families
The school year is winding down, but learning doesn’t have to! Check out five ideas for fun summer activities to share with families that use coins to promote summer learning.
- Tour the Mint: Learn the story behind U.S. coins by taking a tour of our production facilities in Philadelphia or Denver to see how coins are made. Can’t make it in person? Check out our online virtual tours for Philadelphia and Denver.
- Visit Washington, D.C.: Learn about America’s rich history by visiting the nation’s capital including Frederick Douglass’ home that is featured on a 2017 America the Beautiful Quarter and our Coin Store located at the Mint’s headquarters in D.C.
- Explore a national park or historic site: Check out the 50+ national parks and historic sites featured on our America the Beautiful quarters, including the San Antonio missions in Texas, Yosemite National Park in California, and Shawnee National Forest in Illinois.
- Play online games: The Mint offers 11 free online educational games for students in grades K-12. Our most popular games include Gold Rush, Hoop and Darts, Space Supply, Coin Flip, and Counting with Coins.
- Design and color coins: Back by popular demand, the Mint offers free, printable coloring pages for 100+ coins or students can design their own coin with our Making Change game.
Featured Game: Gold Rush
Do you have what it takes to strike it rich during the California Gold Rush? Play the Mint’s latest game, Gold Rush, where students pan for gold and dodge obstacles along the way while learning historical facts about the gold rush and the San Francisco Mint, which opened in 1854 to turn miners’ gold into coins for spending.
Coin of the Month: First-Ever W Quarters
Do you see something strange in your change? This year, the U.S. Mint is mixing things up and launching a limited amount of quarters with the “W” mint mark into circulation – a first for the Mint in 227 years.
Why is this a big deal? Since 1838, the Mint has issued coins with mint marks, which identify the facility that struck the coin. The most common ones are “P” for Philadelphia or “D” for Denver, which is where circulating coins are typically made. But this year, the Mint is producing 1% of the total circulating quarters at West Point, making the “W” mint mark quarters the first of its kind.
The goal of initiative is to create excitement about coin collecting by introducing rare coins into circulation, which allows anyone the opportunity to collect coins from their everyday pocket change.
Learn more about the Mint’s W quarters.
Upcoming Event
Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s Innovations in Flight Family Day
Chantilly, Virginia | June 15, 2019
Stop by the U.S. Mint’s table at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s 2019 Innovations in Flight Family Day to play online games, learn more about air- and space-related coins, and walk away with some free STEM education resources.
Lesson Plans
Did you know that the Mint has over 400 free lesson plans for K-12 educators, including many that focus on aviation and space exploration? Check out some of our air and space-themed lesson plans.
- Discovering Native American Contributions to the U.S. Space Program (Grades 3-8): Students will learn about the lives of Native Americans who have made significant impacts to the U.S. space program and other STEM fields.
- Distinguished Discoveries (Grades 4-6): Students will analyze the importance of selected discoveries, research the history and impact of historical discoveries, and compare and contrast two discoveries.
- Discovery, Ship to Shuttle (Grades 2-3): Students will explain the meaning of discovery.
- Pioneers in Space (Grades K-1): Students will learn the meaning of the word “pioneer” and be introduced to some aviation pioneers.
We Want to Hear from You!
Are you interested in incorporating coins into your classroom next year, but aren’t sure where to start? Let us help you! The U.S. Mint offers K-12 lesson plans, 11 online educational games, 100+ videos, online quizzes, a free 2019 Coin Coloring Book PDF, and other resources. Reach out to us at education.outreach@usmint.treas.gov to request resources that fit your education needs.