Content Partner
Grades 3-5
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Over the years, the U.S. Congress has grappled with several legislative initiatives to make currency available with special features to help the visually impaired, who sometimes find it difficult to distinguish, for example between a $1 and a $5 bill. The National Academy of Sciences and the Committee on Currency Features for the Visually Impaired have both studied this problem. In this lesson you will work in groups to make a report to the National Academy of Science about your recommendations for a new currency that tries to solve this problem.
You will present a report which will include these details:
1. In order to design and produce a currency that can be easily used by people with visual impairments, the designer would need to know about the function of money, the history of money, and the design of money for the present.
2. Click on these sites to find the history, function, designs against counterfeiting, and design of current currencies:
The History of Money
The Face of U.S. Currency
Counterfeit Protection
3. You will work in teams (or individually if you choose) in an effort to design a new currency that will help visually impaired people recognize the denomination of bills they use. You will report your proposals for a new currency to the National Academy of Sciences. To make sure you have a complete understanding of the design elements, requirements of a United States bill, and the ultimate function of money, your report will include these details:
Your money design MUST have these characteristics (discuss each characteristic to clarify how each would affect the visually impaired person):
Your final report should include a summary of the history of money used today, a contrast and comparison of features of money used concurrently today, a list of the functions of money, and a design that shows an understanding of the design elements and characteristics required of our money today.
Good try! There has not been a design that has yet been adopted by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing because so far the studies have shown that the durability of the proposed modifications is limited. Although new currency today has a large dark numeral on the back of the notes to help millions of people with low vision, it does not help the blind. Research continues into developing features for our money that will help visually impaired.
Go to the PBS website to find out more about the https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/1999/04/a-history-of-money/.
Take a look at high school students' designs for new currency.
Answer the review questions.
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