Valentine Shop

Introduction: It will soon be Valentines Day and time to exchange valentine cards with your classmates. How would you like to create your own Valentines and open a valentine shop so that everyone doesn't need to purchase their cards at a store? You could save money and be creative at the same time.

Task: By displaying good character traits; respect, responsibility, integrity and commitment, all students will earn money in the classroom. You will create Valentine cards to sell to your classmates on the day the Valentine Shop is opened for business. Then you will exchange cards on Valentine's Day.

Process:

1. Teachers present background information on money; recognizing the penny, nickel, dime and quarter, plus the value of these coins.
2. Students use Coin Critters software to practice coin recognition.
3. Teachers introduce the concept of earning money (1¢ or 5¢) for acts that show respect, responsibility, integrity or commitment.
4. Students practice sorting plastic coins.
5. Read History of Money by Patricia Armentrout.
6. Send a letter to parents asking them to send in foreign coins to share and compare.
7. Do some coin rubbings and practice stamping coins with stamps.
8. During writing time, brainstorm a list of Valentine sayings that can go on the cards.
9. In art class, complete a printing project for the cover of some Valentine cards.
10. Use monthly calendar or hundreds charts to count by 5's and 10's.
11. Use Math Keys software to practice exchanging pennies for nickels and nickels for dimes.
12. Play the Roll 'N Change game.
13. Use KidPix to create a collection of valentines.
14. Using various supplies (foam hearts, designs cut out of Ellison Press, glitter, tissue paper, etc.) create valentines in the classroom.
15. Practice adding pennies and nickels.
16. Practice adding dimes and pennies.
17. Practice adding dimes and nickels.
18. Practice adding dimes, nickels and pennies.
19. Learn a coin song and rap.
20. Use Coin Critters to add dimes, nickels and pennies.
21. Open the Valentines Shop and purchase cards.
22. Write names on the cards and make Valentines bags.
23. Exchange cards use profits to purchase refreshments at the party.

Opportunities to share:

1. Students work together on the Coin Critters software.
2. Coin collections from home are brought in and shared.
3. Students purchase each other's cards.
4. Students exchange valentines.
   

Assessment:

Ongoing assessment in the form of anecdotal records are taken as students work together to learn the concepts of money. Teachers also assess behavior by looking for the important character traits. Math pre and post tests are used from the Silver Burdette Ginn math series.

Other resources:

The Go-Around Dollar by Barbara Johnston Adams
Follow the Money by Loreen Leedy

Kings Park student-created money webpages http://www.fcps.edu/KingsParkES/student%20 pages/money/index.htm

To see pictures from the unit, click on the valentine.

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Unit designed by Amy Lasich and Sunny Heinrichs
Page created by Brooks Widmaier
February 2003