Lessons That Make Cents: June 2018
Explore Voyageurs National Park
Where can you find 84,000 acres of water? At Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park! The park, established in 1971, consists of miles of undeveloped shoreline, with hundreds of islands and numerous lakes. The combination of rocky shorelines, southern boreal and northern hardwood forests, and open water create a distinct home for bald eagles, loons, black bears, moose, and wolves. It’s also home to a famous natural phenomenon: the Aurora Borealis.
Teach your students about wildlife preservation and the Northern Lights with two new, free lesson plans from the United States Mint listed below.
Coin of the Month
Voyageurs National Park Quarter
In 2010, the U.S. Mint began issuing 56 quarter-dollar coins featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites as part of its America the Beautiful Quarters® Program. The Voyageurs National Park Quarter is the 43rd coin in the program.
Fast Facts:
- The coin’s reverse design depicts a common loon with a rock cliff in the background.
- The coin’s reverse inscriptions include “VOYAGEURS,” “MINNESOTA,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
- The coin was designed by Patricia Lucas-Morris and sculpted by Joseph Menna.
Voyageurs Lesson Plans
Teach your students about the animals and natural phenomenon at Voyageurs National Park with the following lesson plans:
Let’s Save the Loons! (Grades K–1)
Students will learn about the bird featured on the Voyageurs National Park Quarter: the loon. Students will illustrate ways park visitors can help protect the loon.
Amazing Auroras (Grades 7–8)
Starting with the Voyageurs National Park Quarter, students will explain how the Northern Lights are formed.
Coin Memory Match
Think you know all about the America the Beautiful Quarters? Test your memory with the Mint’s Memory Match Game! This fun and educational game features the 2018 America the Beautiful Quarters.
Creating the Coin
Watch this video to learn how U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna created the Voyageurs National Park Quarter.
Upcoming Events
Voyageurs National Park Quarter Launch
June 13 | Kabetogama, Minnesota
Commemorating the release of the Voyageurs National Park Quarter. View the events page for more information.
National Education Association Expo
June 30–July 1 | Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attending the 2018 NEA Expo? Stop by booth #228 and visit the Mint!
More Lessons
Visit our lessons-by-coin-program page for more lessons.
