Dollar Bill Inquiry
This activity applies the process of inquiry to a dollar bill. The same process can be applied to arrowheads, ancient tools, or other handson objects. A discussion should be held before, during, and after this activity.
Direction for the Students
The students have been on an expedition to ancient historical site. While digging, they discovered an artifact (a dollar bill). Their assignment is to look at the artifact and describe it. Talk about the people who made it.
The only rule is that their conclusions should be formed from what they can read and interpret from the material on the bill itself. They must observe. Do not relate what you know through previous experiences.
Social Studies
Locate the origin of the dollar bill on a map.
Trace the history of the dollar bill.
Science
Describe the artifact (dollar bill).
Compare the dollar to similar bills.
Make a diagram of the bill.
Language Arts
Make a written and an oral report about the artifact (dollar bill).
Tape record the oral report.
Art
Draw the artifact (dollar bill) in the past and in the future.
Make some transparencies.
Mathematics
Write several mathematics problems dealing with the artifact (dollar bill).
Career Education
Find out the occupations related to money (dollar bill) such as banking, etc.
Have a banker or other individual involved with money visit your class.
Money
What is money? Have students research the history of money. Make a chart comparing the various types of money in the past.
Make a list of reasons why people need money.
Find out more about Credit Cards. Have students design their own. The students can make charts comparing the currencies of different countries.
Have students design some money for the future.
Have students keep track of the money that they spend for a whole month.
Food and Marketing
Visit the local supermarket to find out more about foods and food processing.
The stock market: The students will use the newspaper to learn more about fractions. Keep track of several stocks for a period of time.
Mathematics
Make up a new numeration system. Have students do a research project on the ancient numeration system.
Have students make a collection of mathematics oddities and write curious problems with them.
Language Arts
Have students make up an original game with instructions and board. Ask them to write an original story based on the pattern.
Science
Classify objects on a science table in several different ways. Write an accompanying report.
Social Studies
Make a set of transparencies to supplement the lessons Activity Hawaii fiftieth state of the union.
Mathematics
Have students write original problems about Hawaii, using Hawaiian themes. Example: How much is two tons of pineapples if each pound is worth 29¢?
The students can use world maps and globes to measure distances from their state to Hawaii.
The students can compare the size and population of their state to that of Hawaii. Make a chart comparing the results.
The students can find out the total number of people who visit Hawaii each year.
Have students write original word problems and illustrate them.
Social Studies
Have students do a report on Hawaii’s special industries, such as the sugar and pineapple industries. Bring in samples.
Science
Have students find out more about the manufacturing of products in Hawaii. What processes for food preservation were used in ancient times?
Language Arts
Write a poem with a Hawaiian theme.
Have students plan meals.
Mathematical Activities
Use a menu from a restaurant. Have the students figure the cost of a given meal.
Use the telephone and the telephone directory for activities. Have students make up problems using the dial (or push button). Add the values for these letters
G + E + O + M + E + T + R + Y =
4 + 3 + 6 + 6 + 3 + 8 + 7 + 9 = 46
Calorie charts can be helpful. Make up problems using a calorie chart. This can be used with the health unit. Have students write a letter to an airline company and get an airfare chart telling the cost of various flights. The students can compare the costs of a first class vs. coach vs. night or weekend rates.
The teacher can ask a car dealer for a copy of the new car accessory list. Order an imaginary car with certain options and have the students figure the cost.
The student can use a calculator to help supplement the program. Use the bank to help with checks, interest, services of banks, etc. Have students make a list of the various changes that would be made if America became 100% metric tomorrow. Include sports, businesses, gasoline stations, recipes, etc.
Social Studies Activities
Problems will be handled individually, then in groups and scored. The quality of the decision should be better when handled by the group. The added dimensions are involvement and commitment.
Listed are five top problems facing the nation.
Low productivity standards
Unemployment
Drug addiction
Inflation
Low educational standards
Have students decide which problems they regard as the five most urgent facing the nation. Have five students handle the problems, then five groups.
The groups should decide what they would do in the situation and make their report.
-
1. Students will select a product, make speech to try and sell the product. Students in the class will study the pros and cons, seeing if they can find false advertising in the talk, ask questions and then decide whether or not the product has consumer value.
-
2. Students can read books and articles dealing with the consumer and prepare a report.
-
Some magazines are “Changing Times”, “Consumer Report” and “Consumer Journal”, some books, “The Waste Maker” by Vance Packard, and “Your Home and You” by Carlatta C. Green.
-
3. Utilize films: “The Littlest Giant” and “A Penny Saved” and follow up with a written student critique.
Vocabulary List
-
1. Salary
-
2. Career
-
3. Operation
-
4. Consumer
-
5. Profit
-
6. Sale
-
7. loss
-
8. Taxes
-
9. Ingredients
-
10. List Price
-
11. Menu
-
12. Inflation
-
13. Unit Pricing
-
14. Quality
-
15. Comparison Shopping
-
16. Commission
Have students look up definitions of words. Use each word in a sentence. Write math problem where applicable.