April 2018 – Lessons That Make Cents

Lighting the Way to the Apostle Islands

Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands National Lakeshore includes 21 islands in Lake Superior and a 12-mile-long strip of mainland shoreline encompassing more than 69,000 acres. Established in 1970, the park protects certain significant islands, shoreline, and lighthouses of the United States. The park features pristine stretches of sand beaches and coves; spectacular sea caves; remnant old-growth upper forests; a diverse population of birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish; and a number of lighthouses and lighthouse complexes.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the subject of the new 2018 America the Beautiful Quarter. Explore the park’s lighthouses with your class using the United States Mint’s free lesson plans below.

Coin of the Month

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore 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 Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Quarter is the 42nd coin in the program.

Fast Facts:

• The coin design depicts the sea caves at Devils Island with the lighthouse in the background and a kayaker paddling in the foreground.
• The coin’s reverse inscriptions include “APOSTLE ISLANDS,” “WISCONSIN,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
• The coin was designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Renata Gordon.

Apostle Islands Lesson Plans

Teach your students about lighthouses of the Apostle Islands and the lighthouse keepers who helped guide ships to safety with these new lesson plans:

Light the Way! (Grades K–1)

Students will learn about the lighthouses at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Students will create a three-dimensional model of a lighthouse.

Life of a Lighthouse Keeper (Grades 2–3)

Students will research how lighthouse keepers lived and learn about their daily tasks. Students will compare the life of a lighthouse keeper with their own life and share findings through a project of their choice.

“Coin Memory Match” Game

Think you know all about the America the Beautiful Quarters? Test your memory with the Mint’s brand new Memory Match Game! This fun and educational game features the 2018 America the Beautiful Quarters.

Making the Coin

Watch U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon talk about creating the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Quarter.

Upcoming Event

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Quarter Launch and Coin Exchange

April 11 | Red Cliff, Wisconsin

Commemorating the release of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Quarter. View the events page for more information.

More Lessons

Visit our lessons-by-coin-program page for more social studies lessons.