Economics and History Lesson Plans

Abraham Lincoln and the Five Dollar Note (PDF, 28 pgs., 971 KB)
Grade Level: 5-8

Lesson Description: In this lesson, students participate in a puzzle activity to identify leadership characteristics that Abraham Lincoln possessed. They review the changes in the redesigned $5 note and consider how Lincoln’s leadership characteristics contribute to the fact that he is pictured on the $5 note. Students look at a timeline of Lincoln’s life and identify significant events in his road to the White House. They play a game to review content learned in the lesson.

Currency and the Fed (PDF, 22 pgs., 1.2 MB)
Grade Level: 8-12

Lesson Description: In this lesson, students consider who is pictured on the different denominations of U.S. currency and why. They participate in an activity to identify functions of basic, everyday items and then identify and explain the functions of another basic, everyday item—money. Students learn some basic facts about money as well as some basics about the Federal Reserve System. In addition, they describe the Federal Reserve’s role in the distribution of money by identifying features of the $5 note.