Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 127980
The Penny Lab
Students will design a collect data evidence, determine results, write a justification and make a presentation using U.S. pennies.
Paired student teams will determine the mass of 50 U.S. pennies. Students will also collect other data from each penny such as minted year and
observable appearance. Students will be expected to organize/represent their data into tables, histograms and other informational structures
appropriate for reporting all data for each penny. Students will be expected to consider the data, determine trends and research information and
make a claim to historically explain trends in data from minted U.S. pennies.
Hopefully, student data reports will support the knowledge that the metallic composition of the penny has changed over the years. Different
compositions can have significantly different masses. A sufficiently random selection of hundreds of pennies across the class should allow the
students to discover trends in the data to suggest the years in which the composition changed.
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Graphing
Calculators, Computers for Students, Internet
Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, Basic Calculators,
Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Keywords: mass, penny, measurement, data
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Physical Sciences
ATTACHMENTS
PennyLessonAccommodations.docx
PennyLessonFormativeAssessments.docx
PennyLessonHistogramRubric.docx
PennyLessonLabReportRubric.docx
PennyLessonSummativeAssessment.docx
PennyLessonTeacherNotes.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will:
Record and tabulate measurements.
Organize observations.
Create tables and interpret data and informational text.
Write and present a lab report.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
page 1 of 5 Students will be asked to create a histogram to reflect data collected during the lab. A histogram is a common data representation and graphical representation of a
frequency table. It will be helpful for students to review the specific use of a histogram (as opposed to a bar or line graph).
Students will be asked to use both triple-beam and digital scales to record precise measurements. A triple-beam balance is a type of balance commonly used in the
laboratory to determine the mass (by weight comparison) of samples. To use the balance, you use sliding weights called riders on three beams, each with
progressively small incremental amounts. A digital scale is a technology used to record mass. It will be helpful for students to review the distinct differences
between these two measurement devices.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
Students will use quantitative and investigative questions to guide them in this lab.
Quantitative:
What is the most common penny mass in your penny set? How does this compare to the class data set?
How would you describe the masses of the pennies in your set? Be as specific as you can.
Can you suggest an explanation for the mass distribution that you see? What evidence can you provide to support your explanation?
Are there more pennies from more recent years or from prior years? Can you suggest an explanation for this? How would you test this idea?
Which year is represented by the most pennies? By the second most? By the third most? What would you graph instead of mass to make these answers immediately
evident?
Investigative:
What is your overall claim about the data you collected from your pennies?
Is the amount of evidence sufficient to make a claim about pennies around the country? Why or why not?
Was the method you used to collect data appropriate?
Was the method you used to analyze data appropriate?
Was your interpretation of data sufficient and accurate?
Is your claim useful in some way?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
Vocabulary
histogram
mass
frequency distribution
Materials
Each student team of two will need:
1 roll of 50 U.S. pennies (distribution of pre- and post-1982 pennies)
1 triple-beam balance
1 digital scale
Unlined and lined paper
Graph paper
Pencils
Calculator
This lesson is designed to encourage student paired teams to initially engage in self-paced discovery in areas of measurement, data collection and development of
claims based on data. The teachers should introduce this lesson to the whole class after ensuring that students understand concepts listed in the prior knowledge
section and have a general working knowledge of vocabulary. The teacher should then use direct instruction to provide basic facts and review of terminology that
might be necessary as a foundation for further learning. The time estimated for this lab ranges from approximately 2 to 4 class periods, depending upon student
queries, timeliness of data collection, and adherence to presentation and lab report guidelines. The teachers should monitor time and be attentive to which parts of
the lab spark the most student interest and are invited to focus additional questions and activities on those areas. Even if student interest is high, teachers should
pause and elicit probing questions to take the time for students to expand and transfer their knowledge by engaging in activities related to lifetime experiences.
Students need to be active while learning.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
Students will work in teams of two. Teams will be asked to measure the mass of each penny, graph and interpret their data, and record as many other descriptive
properties of each penny as can be obtained. Each team will be asked to construct their own data tables and organize collected information within any format of their
choosing. Eventually, students will be asked to draw two histograms: one for the masses and another for the year the coins were minted. The mass histogram will
very likely reveal that pennies come in two different masses: "light" and "heavy." However, there is nothing to suggest why the masses change. The answer to that
question requires more investigation.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
If students record the mass and mint year of each sample, they'll have enough information to begin to answer the question about why the mass changes. This lab
cannot yield any evidence to support any particular answer to why the mass is different. The lab can suggest additional tools and measurements that the students
should make in order to determine why the mass changes. This is the nature of science; one experiment leads to another.
As teams complete computations within their group, the teacher will collect quantitative information from all teams to reflect trends within the entire class data set of
pennies. This frequency data will be collected and displayed in front of the class. This lab is much richer if each student team's penny collection sample was sufficiently
random to expose two different masses. Students will be asked to compare their team data to the class data set. Students will need to conduct informational research
to find out that that the mass of the U.S. penny changed significantly in 1982. Teams will be asked to research historical information to explain trends within their data
and make a claim about the information their team collected. Suggested websites for research resources are listed in "Penny Lesson Teacher Notes" document
(attached).
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
After gathering their quantitative and descriptive data, student teams will research information to explain trends within the data, draw conclusions to make a claim,
page 2 of 5 and complete a Team Lab Report. Student teams will present their claim by reporting to the class using a variety of multimedia presentation formats. Lab reports will
be scored using the "Penny Lesson Lab Report Rubric" (attached).
Summative Assessment
Students will draw at least two histograms to represent collected data. Student drawings will be considered for correctness and overall accurate representation of
their data. Histograms will be scored using the "Penny Lesson Histogram Rubric" (attached).
Students will be assessed by replying to the "Penny Lesson Summative Assessment" (attached) questions and showing all calculations.
Students will complete and present a Team Lab Report to share results. Lab reports will be scored using the "Penny Lesson Lab Report Rubric" (attached).
Formative Assessment
Beginning of lesson: Students will complete the Pre-Lab Questions chart (from Formative Assessment document). Students will submit their written answers for
teacher review the day before the lesson.
During the lesson: The teacher will circulate around the classroom providing collaborative group feedback about students' performance or understanding by
referencing vocabulary and concepts throughout the lesson. Suggested vocabulary and terminology to embed in discourse throughout the lab includes (but is not
limited to): mass, data, measurement, precision, mean, median, mode, frequency distribution histogram, composition, etc. (See Teacher Notes for other suggestions
for referencing terms during the lesson)
After the lesson: Students will respond to Post-Lab Questions chart (from Formative Assessment document) to revisit concepts after completion of the lesson.
Feedback to Students
The teacher will circulate around the classroom providing feedback to each collaborative pair of students about performance or understanding by referencing
vocabulary and applicable terminology and concepts throughout the lesson (see Teacher Notes and Accommodations documents). The teacher will assist groups with
their mass measurements, calculations and overall methods of discovery as necessary. As a result of ongoing teacher feedback in the form of probing questions,
students will have the opportunity to immediately revise their work to improve their performance. Rather than simply providing direct/correct answers, the teacher will
give assistance through offering probing questions back to each group. Probing questions could include queries such as:
What are the mean, median and mode years represented by pennies in your data set?
What data do you need to collect to create a histogram of the mass and a histogram of the years to represent your pennies?
Are there more pennies from more recent years or from prior years? Can you suggest an explanation for this? How would you test this idea?
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Assessment:
Feedback to Students:
The teacher will circulate classroom providing collaborative group feedback about students' performance or understanding during the lesson by using
"Whiteboarding" throughout the lesson. This is simply writing answers on a small whiteboard. The teacher will ask groups to display their mass of select candy
on Earth and weight on another selected planet (checking to see if the answer is within an acceptable range).
The teacher will then assist outlier groups with their mass measurements and conversion calculations as necessary.
As a result of ongoing teacher feedback, students will have the opportunity to immediately revise their work to improve their performance.
Summative Assessment: The following 5 question exit slip(quiz) will be given at the end of class:
1. Weight is the measure of ____________________ exerted on an object. (gravity)
2. (True or False) You weigh the same amount on the moon as you weigh on Earth. (false)
3. (Yes or No) Does air have mass? (Yes)
4. A skittle has a mass of .003kg. The gravitational acceleration on Mars is 25 N/kg. What is the weight of that skittle on Mars? (0.075 N)
5. Which of the following is matter?
a. Sound
b. Light
c. Heat
d. None of the above
Suggestions for students below level:
Students will work collaboratively to accomplish lesson objectives.
Students will use different color, standard and legal-sized paper (lined and unlined) to organize data.
The teacher will provide quick re-teach of vocabulary, unit conversions and use of scales to targeted group lacking the skill.
The teacher can choose to provide graphic organizers and charts labeled with appropriate categories for data collection.
The teacher will use proximity and individual assistance throughout lesson to aid students in need.
Suggestions for students at level
Collaborative groups will work in small groups and independently to accomplish lesson objectives.
Suggestions for students above level:
Students who have mastered the standard and objectives may use computer program applications to analyze data to extend their learning.
The intent of the lab is to allow for as much student inquiry as possible. However, the teacher will be monitoring student performance and provide guidance as
needed. Additionally, observations made and data collected within individual groups will provide the students with significant feedback as to their performance and
understanding of the concepts being addressed. In this way, both peer and teacher feedback will be instrumental as the students revise and expand upon their
initial ideas. Upon completion of the investigation, each group will be required to provide a brief oral presentation delineating the strategies they employed, their
results, and their conclusions.
page 3 of 5 Extensions:
Single Replacement (Oxidation-Reduction) chemical reactions can be investigated to further determine the different metal content of pre-and post-1982 pennies as
well as their reactivities with acids. An example of this extension is The Floating Penny laboratory from Flinn Scientific.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Graphing Calculators, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, Interactive Whiteboard, Basic Calculators, Microsoft
Office
Special Materials Needed:
The teacher will need to purchase pre-1982 pennies from eBay or Amazon (or alternate vendor).
Further Recommendations:
Here are some notes and suggestions for your consideration.
While paired student teams will determine the mass of pennies, students should also be directed to collect other data from each penny such as minted year and
observable descriptive information regarding appearance (e.g., scratches, discoloration, dirt, grease, etc.)
Students should be expected to organize/represent their data into tables, histograms and other informational structures appropriate for reporting all data for each
penny. It is highly recommended that teachers let student teams discuss these options for data collection among themselves first, without comment from teachers.
After being given graph paper and notebook paper, this "non-directed" time will allow time for each team to make decisions for their own unique "way of work." In
short, the less initial direct instruction and guidance you provide, the better.
Students should be expected to consider the data, determine trends and research information with the purpose of making a claim that explains historical trends in data
from minted U.S. pennies. Hopefully, student data reports will support the knowledge that the metallic composition of the penny has changed over the years. Different
compositions can have significantly different masses. A sufficiently random selection at least six teams (300 pennies) across the class should allow the students to
discover trends in the data to suggest the years in which the composition changed.
Rather than simply providing direct/correct answers, it is highly recommended that the teacher give assistance through offering probing questions back to each group.
Probing questions could include queries such as:
1. What is the best way to organize your information?
2. When you measured each penny, did you get different masses from the triple-beam balance and the digital scale? What would explain different measures for the
same penny?
3. What are the mean, median and mode years represented by pennies in your data set?
4. What data do you need to collect to create a histogram of the mass and a histogram of the years to represent your pennies?
5. Are there more pennies from more recent years or from prior years? Can you suggest an explanation for this? How would you test this idea?
Suggested vocabulary and terminology to embed in discourse throughout the lab includes (but is not limited to): mass, data, measurement, precision, mean, median,
mode, frequency distribution histogram, composition, etc. As specific terms are referenced during the lesson, teachers are invited to develop a word wall or list for
display. As well, students can include these terms in their science journals for reference in future lab work. Teachers could also develop a worksheet of terms to
include as part resources of this lab.
After data collection and team research, you should expect student claims such as:
1. Different compositions can have significantly different masses.
2. Pennies changed mass in 1982 because the government was minting them differently.
Teams should report research findings that indicate that from 1793-1837, the penny was pure copper. After, it was made of bronze. It was made out of copper in
1857. Content of the coin was changed to zinc coated steel due to the shortage of copper during WWII in 1943. Pennies were 95% copper and 5% zinc before 1982,
but after that year it switched. After 1982, penny composition was (and remains to this day) 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. Consider the information listed below:
1793 to 1837: Pennies made of pure copper
1837 to 1857: Pennies were made of bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc).
1857: 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel, giving the coin a whitish appearance
1864 to 1962: Penny was again made of bronze (Note: In 1943, the coin's composition was changed to zinc-coated steel. This change was only for the year 1943
and was due to the critical use of copper for the war effort. However, a limited number of copper pennies were minted that year)
1962: The tin content, which was quite small, was removed. That made the metal composition of the penny 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc.
1962 to 1982: Penny remained 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc until 1982
After 1982: Pennies have been 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (copper-plated zinc)
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Karen Minert
Name of Author/Source: Karen Minert
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Leon
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
Description
Define a problem based on a specific body of knowledge, for example: biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space
science, and do the following:
page 4 of 5 1. Pose questions about the natural world, (Articulate the purpose of the investigation and identify the relevant scientific
concepts).
2. Conduct systematic observations, (Write procedures that are clear and replicable. Identify observables and examine
relationships between test (independent) variable and outcome (dependent) variable. Employ appropriate methods for accurate and
consistent observations; conduct and record measurements at appropriate levels of precision. Follow safety guidelines).
3. Examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known,
4. Review what is known in light of empirical evidence, (Examine whether available empirical evidence can be
interpreted in terms of existing knowledge and models, and if not, modify or develop new models).
5. Plan investigations, (Design and evaluate a scientific investigation).
6. Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data (this includes the use of measurement in metric and
other systems, and also the generation and interpretation of graphical representations of data,
including data tables and graphs), (Collect data or evidence in an organized way. Properly use instruments,
equipment, and materials (e.g., scales, probeware, meter sticks, microscopes, computers) including set-up,
calibration, technique, maintenance, and storage).
7. Pose answers, explanations, or descriptions of events,
8. Generate explanations that explicate or describe natural phenomena (inferences),
9. Use appropriate evidence and reasoning to justify these explanations to others,
10. Communicate results of scientific investigations, and
11. Evaluate the merits of the explanations produced by others.
Remarks/Examples:
Florida Standards Connections for 6-12 Literacy in Science
For Students in Grades 9-10
LAFS.910.RST.1.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
SC.912.N.1.1:
LAFS.910.RST.1.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
LAFS.910.RST.3.7 Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form
(e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into
words.
LAFS.910.WHST.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
LAFS.910.WHST.3.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
For Students in Grades 11-12
LAFS.1112.RST.1.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to
important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
LAFS.1112.RST.1.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.
LAFS.1112.RST.3.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and
media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
LAFS.1112.WHST.1.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
LAFS.1112.WHST.3.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Florida Standards Connections for Mathematical Practices
MAFS.K12.MP.1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
MAFS.K12.MP.2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
MAFS.K12.MP.3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. [Viable arguments include
evidence.]
MAFS.K12.MP.4: Model with mathematics.
MAFS.K12.MP.5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
MAFS.K12.MP.6: Attend to precision.
MAFS.K12.MP.7: Look for and make use of structure.
MAFS.K12.MP.8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
page 5 of 5