Currency around the World
Subject Area: Math
MI: Global Citizenship
Grade: 5th / 6th grade
Purpose: Students will demonstrate an understanding of their assigned
currency and research the history and design of the money to begin to
understand money conversation and global citizenship.
Objectives: Students will demonstrate their understanding of their assigned currency's worth and an
appearance by presenting their information to the class orally and visually.
Materials: Internet access
Markers/Colored pencils
T-Shirt template Construction paper
1 Per Student:
Currency Project Rubric
Foreign Currency Worksheet
Copy of country flag
Sheet of oak tag or cardstock (For t-shirt)
Length of Lesson: Three 60 minute sessions, of in-class time. This time may vary depending on the
level of class and the accessibility to technology.
Grouping: Individual Projects and Whole Class Presentations
Procedure: Explanation of the Currency Project. Start the lesson by asking students what currency is
and what it represents. Reinforce the idea that currency and money are generic names for money all
over the world. Fill in the gaps of their prior knowledge, ensuring that they know that each country
has different names to label their currency. All of the students should be able to identify dollars as the
universal currency in the United States. Once everyone in the class understands what currency is and
the differences that can be found, explain the project and the product they are creating. There are four
major pieces to the project: research and compare assigned currency to basic items, decorated
Olympics shirt, money poster, and presentation. Each student will receive a packet that contains the
country they are being assigned, a project rubric, a website resource sheet, a printed image of the
country’s flag, and a printed image of the currency found in that country.
Pieces of the project:
1. Foreign Currency Worksheet. There are questions on the worksheet about currency in the student's
country. This piece of the project is worth 20 points. To answer numbers seven, nine, and eleven the
students will need to go online to the currency converter and do some research. The site converts any
amount of money from the first country’s currency to the second country’s currency. The students
will be converting one US dollar and then 20 US dollars to the currency found in their country. The
answer to number nine will be used on the next piece of the project, the t-shirt.
2. Decorated Olympics T-Shirt Explain to the students that they are making t-shirts to sell at the
Olympics. The top of the shirt will display the country’s name. Beneath the country’s name will be
the flag of that country. As part of their packet, students were given a blank coloring sheet with their
flag on it. Students will use the web to find the correct colors and patterns needed to complete the
flag. The bottom of the shirt will be the cost of the shirt. All shirts will be worth the equivalency of
20 US dollars. Students should write the equivalent value and name of the currency used in that
country at the bottom of the shirt. The last step of this piece is the decorations. The student should
draw attention to the flag with unique decorations. The t-shirt is worth 40 points.
3. Money Poster The third large piece of the project is the money poster. The students should use the
internet to locate images of their assigned currency. Print the front and back of one of the country’s
bills in black and white. The students should make note of the colors in the currency and add these
details to their poster. The students need to create a poster with the cut-out money, the name of the
country, the name of the piece of currency, and some descriptions of the money as well as compare
the basic items found on their currency worksheet. The poster is worth 20 points.
4/5. Map it and Present The fourth and fifth pieces of the project are each worth ten points. The
students need to locate their country on the map and then present their project. The presentations will
be the day after the projects are due. Pass out country packets and answer any questions the group
may have.
Teachers will need to structure their class based on their accessibility to computers. If the class has
access to a lab, then one day could be spent collecting information and another spent assembling the
project.
Assessment of Student Learning: Pre: During the currency brainstorm, everyone will have a chance
to talk about what they think currency is. Getting an idea of what the students knew before the
project will assess the effectiveness at the end of the project.
Assessment of Student Learning:
Formative: Progress during work time will be checked but not graded.
Summative: Projects will be turned in and graded. Presentations will be shared with the class and
graded.
Lesson Resources:
Universal Currency Convertor http://www.xe.com/ucc/
Coloring Book of Flags http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/cbk.html
Attached Pages:
Foreign Currency Worksheet
List of Countries and Currencies – sign up sheet
Currency Project Rubric
Copies of Flag Coloring Sheets
T-Shirt Template
