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While we were in Philadelphia we were able to tour the US
Mint where the coins we use and collect are made. The boys really enjoyed watching the coin
factory through the huge windows and I think they were really impressed with the process. Later we were able to visit the Federal
Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and see the exhibit "Money in Motion". This was a fascinating exhibit with some
unbelievable items on display. They have
a "currency cart" with $1.35 million in 5 dollar bills inside next to a 25 foot
tower of shredded money. There is a
display that explains some of the security features in our money along with a "game"
that allows you to look at some bills, both real and counterfeit, to see if you
can spot the fakes. There was money displayed from each of the 13
original colonies, as well as a terrific history lesson on currency with old
coins and bills, including confederate money, greenbacks, even an example of
the largest denomination currently printed by the Bureau of Engraving...the $100,000
bill. Guess which president is on that
bill?
Seeing these two places was a great opportunity for us
because just last summer I taught the boys a money class and we discussed what
a Mint does and what a Federal Reserve Bank does, among other things. The class was a success, and I'd do it again
the same way. If you're interested in teaching your younger children about money continue reading. I'll tell you exactly what we did.
We used Money Sense for Kids by Hollis Page Harman and supplemented with Money Matters for Kids (Burkett, Larry. Money Matters for Kids.) by Larry Burkett to add a Biblical perspective. Our
sweet neighbors joined us for the class (to make a total of 4) and we all had a
great time learning about money. For this type of class, smaller is definitely better. At the
beginning of the class I gave them all t-shirts that said "Economics Major",
which a friend of mine found on clearance for $3 each. When it was time to discover all the hidden
security facets in the different bills, I gave each of them a small black light on a
keychain. They were in heaven! Later,
when we were discussing different coins and bills we all gathered our rare
coins and the ones that we'd been collecting to share with the class. We had quite an assortment. During one lesson I set up a pretend bank and
each child learned how to write checks and cash them. Then they learned how to open a bank account. Later they opened a real one. When we learned about the Fed there was no
tour available for us, even though there is a Federal Reserve Bank in
Memphis. I did, however, manage to get
my hands on 4 bags of shredded money (all I had to do was call and ask) which we then
used for an art project. Each child was
given a bag of shredded money and asked to turn it into art. I still have our framed Money-Art in
storage. The boys glued the shreds onto
cardstock and then spray-painted them red, white and blue. Fabulous!
They learned about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Then they were challenged to save their money
and buy one. They also learned what God
expects of them with regards to their money, common temptations and struggles,
and how to be a good steward.
Seeing these places in Philadelphia was definitely worthwhile
for us. If you get to go, consider tying
a money lesson in with your visit. Oh
and by the way, the president on the $100,000 bill is Woodrow WilsonJ
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We're excited to be able to partner