I.

LESSON ESSENTIALS
Lesson Title: Should We Save the Penny?
Unit: STEM
Grade Level: 5-6th

Lesson Number: 1
Time Allotted: 60 minutes
Subject Area: Math

Standards/Anchors:
Standard Area CC.1.2: Reading Informational Text: Students read,
understand, and respond to informational text with emphasis on
comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with
focus on textual evidence.
o Standard CC.1.2.5.G: Draw on information from multiple print or
digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a
question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
Essential Questions:
1. Who is the Congressman who introduced the bill to reduce the importance of the
penny?
2. Can you buy anything with a penny?
3. Do you think this bill should be passed? Why or why not?
Instructional Objectives:
1. Given the introductory PowerPoint, students will be able to list pros and cons about
the penny.
2. Given the two worksheets, students will be able to decide whether we should keep the
penny or not.
Formative Assessment:
1. Throughout the lesson, the students will raise their hands during the PowerPoint
instruction when as ask them questions.
2. When it comes to individual work, we will allow students to work on the computer in
order to answer the worksheet on the three websites we have listed.
3. Ask the students to explain how the penny would or would not help people around the
world. If students are struggling to come up with an answer, have them refer to the
PowerPoint slides or worksheets they are completing with group members.
Summative Assessment:
1. As a class, we will complete worksheets to help us determine whether to keep the
penny or not.
2. Have students complete an exit ticket where they need to write 3 things they learned,
2 things they found interesting, and 1 question that they still have about the activity
we did in class today.
II.

LESSON BODY

1. Lesson Type: Whole group

2. Introduction: Introduce the theme Penny by showing students a PowerPoint. Explain
to them that we will be completing worksheets and looking up websites in order to
decide what the fate of the penny should be.
3. Go over the first PowerPoint slide on the Congressman.
A. Who he is and why he wants the pass the bill to reduce the importance of the
penny.
4. Students will be given a worksheet where they are going to list pros and cons of the
penny in the appropriate columns. Make sure the students dont do anything with this
worksheet until we tell them too.
5. After going over the slide on the Congressman, have the groups brainstorms ideas
about why the penny is useful and why it is not so useful.
6. Now tell the students to fill in the worksheet with the pros and cons.
7. Once they students are done listing the pros and cons, go over the rest of the
PowerPoint presentation with them.
8. We will then break the students up into pros and cons and make sure we have the
same amount of students in each group.
9. In these groups, the students will have a debate on whether or not we should keep the
penny.
10. After the debate, the students will go to the following websites to find facts about the
penny suggesting that it is or is not a worthwhile coin to have around.
A. Americans for Common Cents http://www.pennies.org/
B. The United States Mint
http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/about/annual_report/2010AnnualReport.pd
f
i. Make sure students understand they dont have to read this whole
entire website since it is so long.
C. Ban the Penny http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
11. Make sure are filling in their worksheets while reading the websites. Also advice
students that the information on the websites may take some time to read.
i. It may not just list pros and cons
ii. Cost of penny could fit into pro or con category
12. Have the students discuss with their people next to them and list two ways to buy and
sell things without the use of the penny as one of our coins.
13. Lastly, students are to write a letter to their current Congressman either for or against
the plan for getting rid of the penny. Remind the students to check for grammar and
spelling mistakes before handing in their letters.
14. Closure: Have students complete an exit ticket where they need to write 3 things they
learned, 2 things they found interesting, and 1 question that they still have about the
activity we did in class today.
III.

LESSON ESSENTIALS

Differentiated Learning Activities

1. Tier 1: The students will be able to answer the questions I asked them throughout
the PowerPoint with full understanding. When they are with their own, they are
going to have to complete the two worksheets at their own pace. Once they are
done with this activity they will be able to start on their independent part of it and
they will most likely be able to finish it before the end of the class period.
2. Tier 2: The students will be able to answer the questions I asked them throughout
the PowerPoint with little to no help from the teacher or classmates. When they
are on their own, the teacher will go around and help these students to stay on
pace and focused with their worksheets. They can then start on their independent
part of the project when they are done with their worksheets for the day.
3. Tier 3: The students will most likely not be able to answer the questions I asked
them throughout the PowerPoint and will most likely need help from the teacher
or aid in the classroom. The teacher or aid will also help with their independent
activity.
Instructional Resources, Materials, and Technology:
1. PowerPoint presentation on overhead projector (handouts of PowerPoints in case
projector is not working)
2. Computer
3. Worksheets
4. Pens/Pencils
5. Paper
IV.

POST-LESSON REFLECTION
Analysis of Student Learning:
1. We will walk around the room and make sure the students are correctly
completing and fully understanding their worksheets, which will help us
determine whether or not the objectives were met.
2. Review the exit tickets to determine if the students learned 3 things, found
2 things interesting, and still had a question about their lesson from today.
Analysis of Teaching:
1. Review the general concepts of the lesson if students seem to need further
instruction before the beginning of the next lesson.
2. Questions to Consider: Did I stress the important information
effectively? Could I make any changes to the lesson, for future referent, to
make it better? Was I able to answer all the questions that I received from
the students? Was the material too east or too hard?