The idea of putting a state symbol on one of the new quarters is not an idea unique to Mississippi. The Connecticut quarter features the state tree, the Charter Oak. Georgia's quarter features its state fruit, the peach.
With your students, examine the new quarters that have already been released, and see how different coins chose to represent their states. As a class, discuss why these states may have chosen to use the symbols that they placed on the coins. Why do they think one state symbol chosen over another?
To get this project started, list all of the states whose quarters have not yet been released on small slips of paper. Place all of the state names in a bag and let your students each draw a name from the bag. As a fun way to learn about the United States, have your students research the symbols of the state they selected. They can do this research in the library, or online in the school's computer lab (under teacher supervision). Once your students have gathered information about their state, have them each design a quarter reverse for the state that they chose, using symbols that they feel best represent the state.
The project described above reflects some of the national standards of learning as defined by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), and the International Society for Technology in Education. These standards are listed below:
Language Arts Standards
Gather and use information for research purposes: The students will explore different text resources to locate the symbols of their chosen states.
Technology research tools: The students will use the Internet to research information about state symbols.