Bell Ringer: Today we are paper boxing. Label the boxes “penny”, “nickel”, “dime”, and quarter”. Choose a coin and write as many details as you can about that coin’s obverse and reverse. You have 3 minutes.

We need a president!  We need up to three candidates for President.  Each candidate needs to stand near a poster on the hallway wall.  It is up to you students to run the election, but if the voting takes more than three minutes, I will choose a President for you.

Hooray! Hail to the Chief! As you first important decision, please come get a worksheet from the teacher. While our President reads that, I would like to announce that everyone else has just been elected to Congress. Congratulations! Please listen closely to the President’s speech to Congress. Our president will be asking some questions to make sure you were listening.

 Congress will now choose which coin will become the Kids’ Coin.  You may discuss replacing the quarter, dime, nickel, or penny for two minutes, but then we will call for a vote.  We also need someone in Congress to read the bill to the class before a final vote.

Whereas pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters are in everyday use by millions of Americans; Whereas the President has called for coins that show the great things kids do in our country; Resolved, that Congress— 1)Chooses the _(say what coin you picked here)_ to be updated by kids; and 2) Calls on the U.S. Mint to gather input from kids for the new design; and 3) Names the new coin the “Kids’ Coin. NOW VOTE!

Does the bill meet the President’s requirements, or will it get vetoed? A President can veto any bill he or she doesn’t like, but if the Congress passes it again with a 2/3 majority, they can override the veto (meaning the bill happens and all the President can do is cry about it).

Pick up a worksheet at the front. You may use my crayons if you wish. ONLY WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE BACK OF THIS WORKSHEET!

Please put all crayons away at this time. You have the last eight minutes (or fewer) of class to complete the back of your coin design. This is a SOLO assignment, so there should not be any more talking during this class.

When you leave the room, please place your completed worksheet in the bin on the front table. Make sure your name was on the worksheet side and not the coin side. The top five designers from each class will get extra credit added to their worksheet grade (but only if each designer does not write his or her name on the coin side).