Collect a Million Pennies

Several teachers in our school have been discussing the idea of a large interdisciplinary project designed to develop and reinforce many skills, including problem solving, analytical thinking, creativity, communications, and team building. We are a Grade 6-8 middle school in which only about 40% of our students pass the state standardized test in math and about 45% in language arts. We are constantly looking for ways to excite our students about school, and believe that this project will unite us all in a common purpose and help us to achieve something really great.

There will be several facets and phases to this project. The initial phase will be in planning the logistics. Students will need to do an analysis of what it would take to successfully complete this project:
1) Where would the pennies be stored and how?
2) How can we keep the pennies secure?
3) How much space will they take?
4) How much will they weigh?
5) What resources will be needed and where will they come from?
6) How will we count all these pennies? Will a bank accept them/exchange them for dollars?
7) How will be get them to the bank?
8) How many pennies are in circulation and will it cause a problem if we keep 1,000,000 of them?
And so on.
Students will create a project plan that outlines all of the necessary steps with a timeline for completion.

Another aspect is where all the pennies will come from. Students can contact local businesses and ask them to keep penny jars in their places of work for people to donate their pennies. This will involve letter writing and communication skills. We might hold a Penny Carnival with events designed by students to collect pennies. Students and teachers could bring in pennies and each classroom might have large penny jug. Students will brainstorm other ideas. As the collecting takes place, a regular review of the project plan and appropriate adjustments will be necessary.

It will be up to each classroom teacher to develop a lesson(s) that supports the theme. For example, in social studies class, students might be asked to research the history of the penny and write a paper. In physical education, students will design athletic games around pennies. Science students might report on the chemical make up of the copper penny.

Phase 2 will involve the actual collection of the pennies, and the associate activities of storage, counting, transport, etc.

In phase 3, students will need to decide what to do with the money. Our thought is that at least half of the $10,000 should be donated to a charity. Students would be asked to do some research and to write persuasive essays about what they think we should do with the money. The best essays will be chosen and the authors will participate in a public debate. Students will then vote on their favorite ideas.

Students could create a web page to track the progress of the project. They would be encouraged to try to find other schools embarking on similar adventures to compare notes and strategies.

We would use cameras and software to document the entire experience and one or more groups of students would create documentaries to be shared on our school website and perhaps via a podcast with the entire world.