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In a ceremony on October 14, 2005, the United States Mint celebrated the release of the West Virginia quarter. The ceremony held in Charleston at the capitol building, marked the release of the thirty-fifth state to be celebrated as a part of the 50 State Quarters® Program.
Teachers, below you will find several activities and links that will bring the excitement of the West Virginia "State Quarter Day" into your classroom!
West Virginia Quarter
Learn more about the new quarter featuring the New River Gorge Bridge.
50 State Quarters Program
Find out more about this program that honors every state in America!
50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans
The 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans are ready for you to use in your classroom! Take a look at the lessons created specifically to celebrate the West Virginia quarter: Over, Under, In and Out (K–1), Letters from the Road (2–3), and Bridging the Gap (4–6)! After that, be sure to check out the rest of the state-specific plans, FREE to download in sets designed specifically for grades K and 1, 2 and 3, and 4 through 6.
Are you a secondary school teacher interested in introducing the 50 State Quarters Program into your curriculum? Well, now you can! Our 50 State Quarters Program lesson plans for grades 7 through 12 are also written by educators. To download these FREE plans, visit the 50 State Quarters Program Lesson Plans today!
State Quarter Day Classroom Activities
Here are some fun ways to infuse your curriculum with activities that celebrate the arrival of the newest quarter in circulation!
Also, take a trip to Coin Collector's Workshop! Here, you can enroll in Inspector Collector's Coin Course, or solve coin mysteries in Get a Clue About Collecting. You can even learn How To Share Your Hobby!
"Seeing the States" WebQuest
What's so great about the United States? Let your students find out for themselves as they explore the coins in the 50 State Quarters Program to complete this fun Internet research project, the "Seeing the States" WebQuest.
Connected Coins and Medals
The West Virginia quarter features the scenic beauty of West Virginia with the image of the New River and the New River Gorge Bridge. The West Virginia quarter isn't the first coin to highlight a man made structure and body of water on the reverse of a coin. Take a look at some other coins:
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Missouri Quarter—The Missouri quarter depicts Lewis and Clark's historic return to St. Louis down the Missouri River, with the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Gateway Arch) in the background. The quarter is inscribed "Corps of Discovery 1804–2004." The gigantic "Gateway to the West" arch stands 630 feet above the Mississippi River in St. Louis, the city that started out as a simple trading post for trappers. |
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Rhode Island Quarter—The Rhode Island quarter honors the "Ocean State" and its most popular sport with a sailboat gliding through Narragansett Bay, past the Pell Bridge, which links the towns of Newport and Jamestown. |
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Maine Quarter—The Maine quarter reverse features an image of the lighthouse at Pemaquid Point, the light that still guides ships around the shoals in its bays. Pemaquid Point Light is located in New Harbor, and marks the entrance to Muscongus Bay and Johns Bay. |
Our Foreign Friends
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The coins produced for the 50 State Quarters Program share much in common with the European currency, the euro. With your students, visit the interactive cartoon, Coins of the World, to see how these two programs are similar (here's a hint: look at the backs of euros from different countries, and then look at their fronts). |
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Quarter Games
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Your students can test their knowledge of United States geography and the 50 State Quarters Program, all while helping Bill the Mint Buffalo earn enough money to plan a cross-country trip. |
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Here's a challenge for your students! Put all the pieces of the West Virginia quarter back together—in three minutes or less! |
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Are your students budding artists? Let them try their hands at painting the West Virginia quarter. A yellow bridge and a purple river? Let your students' imaginations run wild! |
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Here's a word search all about quarters and other coins. Can your students find all the words on each list? |
A Coinage Cartoon
Teachers' Network
Teachers, if we've piqued your interest with the activities above, please sign up for the Teachers' Network. As a member, you can receive information about all of the new educational resources that become available from the United States Mint!