Foreign Money: Euro by Katelyn Kelly

I.

Lesson Plan Overview and Description

a. Expected Duration: 30 minutes
b. Social Sciences: Economics
c. Concepts: Money
d. Vocabulary:
i. Euro the most commonly used European currency
ii. Inflation a general increase in prices and fall in the
purchasing value of money
e. Skills: Learning useful information about money and converting
different types of money
f. Broad Goals of Lesson:
i. To understand what the euro is and how its used

II.

Content Outline
The Euro
a. What is it?
i. Money used in European Union countries in present day
b. How was it introduced?
i. 1991 They decided they needed one type of currency for
everyone
ii. 1999 Many places began using the euro
iii. 2002 12 countries began using the euro
iv. 2007 A few other countries slowly began using the euro
as well
c. Who uses the euro?
i. Most countries in the European Union, but not all
ii. Denmark and the United Kingdom kept their own national
currency instead of adopting the euro
d. How/why does the euro work?
i. Just like our U.S. dollar
ii. To easily make price comparisons
iii. Low and stable inflation

e. Compare the euro and U.S. dollar

i. Use the following website to show the exchange rate
1. http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?
from=USD&to=EUR&amount=1.00
III.

Standards
a. PDE SAS Standards
6.3.3.A 6: Economics. 3: Functions of Government. 3rd Grade. A:
Identify goods and services provided by the government.
b. PDE Common Core not applicable for this lesson
c. NCSS Themes and Subthemes
VII. Production, Distribution, and Consumption
g. Explain and demonstrate the role of money in everyday
life

IV.

Lesson Objectives
Individually, students will either write down or orally explain to
me what a euro is.
In small groups of three to four students, they will have a general
idea of the correct conversion rate between the euro and U.S.
dollar.

V.

Teaching Procedures
a. Anticipatory Set/Introduction
i. Introduce the lesson by telling the students: Today we are
going to be learning about the Euro. The Euro is the money
that is used in most European countries. Just like we have
dollars here in the United States, they have euros in
Europe.
ii. Watch a short two-minute video clip of how euro coins are
made. This is to get students interested in learning about
money.
b. Lesson Input
i. Open PowerPoint and discuss the slides in the following
order:
1. What is the euro?
2. How was it introduced?
3. Who uses the euro?
4. How/why does the euro work?

ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

All information that is needed will be on the PowerPoint and

is also listed in the content outline.
Save the last slide (compare the euro and dollar) for a little
later.
Set aside time to ask questions about all information
discussed.
Turn to the last slide: compare the euro and dollar.
Show the students how the conversion between the two
works by doing an example on the board.
Ask if a few students would like to come up to the board
and try.
Give each group of students at a table various euro coins
and bills. Have them look at the money and discuss briefly
as a class how they are similar and different to U.S. money.

c. Guided Practice
i. Students will work together in their table groups on a
money conversions worksheet. The conversion chart will
stay on the board the entire time.
ii. The students will also fill in a Venn diagram with euro on
one side and U.S. money on the other.
d. Independent Practice
i. Not applicable for this lesson
e. Differentiation
i. I will differentiate this lesson based on the specific learning
and behavioral needs of my students.
f. Closure
i. The teacher draws a large venn diagram on the
whiteboard. Each student is required to come up and add a
fact to one of the sections of the venn diagram. Students
will be given time to share if they would like.
ii. Conversion worksheets will be handed in.
VI.

Teacher and Student Resources and Evaluation of Resources

a. Student Reading Resources
i. http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/netstartsearch/euro/k
ids/euro_en.htm
b. Teacher Resources for Lesson Design
i. http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/index_en.htm
ii. http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?
from=USD&to=EUR&amount=1.00
3

iii. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwZBNwBUvB8
c. Evaluation of Teacher Resources Used for Lesson Planning
Design
Resource Title or Influenc
Website Address e
i. http://ec.europa. SI
eu/economy_fin
ance/euro/index
_en.htm

3+ Characteristics

Accessibility

Overall Rating

Written by
European
commission
Explains euro
from many
different aspects
Contact
information given
Same and
accurate
conversion as all
other sites

Very
accessible

Good
information
that is simple
enough to
incorporate
into a kids
lesson

Very
accessible

Accurate
conversion
calculator

Visual
Shows actual
design on euro
coins
Variety of
different coins

Very
accessible

A little boring,
but visually
draws you in

ii. http://www.xrates.com/calcul
ator/?
from=USD&to=
EUR&amount=1
.00

SI

iii. https://www.you
tube.com/watch
?
v=mwZBNwBUv
B8

MI

VII.

Formative and Summative Assessment of Students

a. Formative:
i. I will check to make sure each student adds an accurate
fact to the whole class Venn diagram.
b. Summative:
i. Conversion worksheets will be handed in for a grade at the
end of the lesson.
VIII. Technology/Materials/Equipment
PowerPoint presentation
Calculator (for conversions)
Conversions worksheet
Venn diagram worksheets
SmartBoard

IX.

Pencils
Video clip

Reflection on Planning
Since this lesson is pretty basic and focuses specifically on the euro,
I decided to make it a mostly teacher-directed lesson with some
independent practice to include some mathematics skills and
concepts. In later lessons, students will be working more in depth
with money, so I did want to give them some time to feel, explore,
and consider the various types of money. This background on the
euro will provide them with useful information in later lessons, not
just regarding money, but also the business lessons that we will go
into. The textbook did not give me much information that I found
useful for the students, so I supplemented much of the information
from other reliable online sources.