The Magical Magnetic Coins

by
Shirley Cesair

Introduction

In different parts of the world there are different kinds of currency and coins that have a magnetic property. It is the purpose of this lesson to introduce third graders to the magnetic property of different kinds of coins.

0bjective

1. Identify the different kinds of coins and countries.

2. Identify the characteristics of magnetic coins

3. Be able to perform a simple experiment to determine magnetic ability

4. Record data and observations in a journal

5. Make language arts and technology connections with science

State Goal 11: Have a working knowledge of the processes of scientific

inquiry and technological design to investigate questions,

conduct experiments and solve problems.

Standards: Asking and answering questions and comparing experimental results

to what is already known

Goals: To conduct experiments and observations and explain what was discovered

Session Activities:

Activity One Name and Description of Coins

Below are the names and descriptions of coins. Match the name with the correct description.

dime	a small British coin worth less than a penny and no longer in use
farthing	a coin of the U.S. and of Canada equal to ten cents: one tenth of a dollar
franc	the basic unit of money in the Netherlands
guilder	the basic unit of money in France
pence	the basic unit of money in Mexico, Spain
peso	an older British plural of penny
penny	the basic unit of money in the United Kingdom (UK) equal to 100 pennies
pound	U.S. or Canadian cent. a British coin equal to 1/100 of a pound
nickel	a coin of the U.S. or Canada worth fifty cents
half dollar	a coin in the U.S. or Canada made of copper and nickel worth five cents
silver dollar	a coin of the U.S. equal to twenty-five cents
quarter	a coin in the U.S. equal to 100 pennies

Activity Two:

Magical Magnetic Coins

Directions: Place a Y to indicate the magnetic coin. Place a N to indicate a nonmagnetic coin.

American Coins:

Silver Dollar Half Dollar Quarter Dime Nickel Penny

Canadian Coins:

Canada Five Cents Ten Cents One Cent

French

1/2 Franc 20 Centi 10 Centi

Spain

Un Peso

Italy

L50 L10 L5

Netherlands

10 Cent Duppeltje One Cent

England

One Farthing One Penny Two Pence Ten Pence One Pound

Activity Three:

Coin Profile Sheet

Magnetism of coin. Did it attract or repel?

Name of Coin Shape of coin

Activity Four:

Write a story, poem or song about what you have learned about magical magnetic coins.

Activity Five

"Feely Bag"

Directions:

Put the coins in a paper bag. Ask the people at your table to reach in and identify the coin by feeling. They should state what shape they think they have chosen and what characteristics they can identify before they pull it out from the bag. They should then pull the shape from the bag, check to see that they are correct and then pass the bag on to the next person at the table.