I am always looking for fun ways to incorporate math into activities we do at home. Whether it is measuring ingredients while cooking, counting all their Disney toys (all over their bedroom floor), sorting shapes or looking for math in nature, my boys are always open to learning new math concepts. That is why I was so excited when we were offered the opportunity to review the new 3D Coin Art. We could not wait to work together as a family to build a 3D puzzle out of coins to make the United States Flag.
When the 3D Coin Art Flag arrived in a large box, my boys could barely contain themselves. They immediately ran to their rooms and began collecting ALL the change they had. The flag itself comes in 4 pieces that attach together to make the standing work of art. The set also comes with 2 coin counter trays to organize the coins needed for the project, 1 stand, 2 brackets, stickers and an instruction sheet. I liked that there were 2 coin counter trays because I was able to give one to each of my boys making for less fighting and arguments.
I decided to turn the process into various fun math lessons. Each step in putting the 3D Coin Art together offered wonderful opportunities for learning. Since my boys are 4 and 7, I focused on math concepts at their level; however, more advanced concepts can be used when creating the art work.
Math Lessons While Creating Our 3D Coin Art
Coin Identification
The first step in making the flag was collecting coins. To make the flag, we needed 50 dimes, 410 pennies and 318 nickels. This was the perfect opportunity to teach my kids to identify coins. We talked about the names of the coins and what their monetary values are. We also talked about what made them different and what pictures were on each one. Since we went through our own piggy banks to find the coins, we were also able to identify quarters and other coins we found.
My boys learned to identify different coins while making the 3D Coin Art Flag.
Sorting
Next, my boys sorted all the coins into piles. They separated out all the pennies, nickels and dimes from the pile of coins they collected. This was a great hands-on activity to reinforce coin recognition as well as enhance visual scanning and discrimination skills. For my younger son, this helped him really look at the different shapes and colors of coins which helped him sort more successfully and efficiently.
Sorting coins helps build skills such as visual scanning, fine motor and attention to detail.
Counting
After all the coins were sorted, my boys had to put them in the coin counter trays. They had to carefully count each set of coins to make sure they matched what was labeled on the tray. Not only did this help with understanding 1:1 correspondence but it also improved their understanding of grouping as well as counting by 5s and 10s.
My son was so focused as he counted his coins carefully.
Solving Equations
Since we did not have enough coins at first, we had to figure out how many more we needed. This was great for my older son as he had to use his addition and subtraction skills to determine how many more coins he needed. We then figured out the monetary value of how much more we needed. For instance, we needed 184 more nickels so we figured out how much that was equal to.
My boys had to figure out how many more coins they needed to complete the puzzle.
It was so much fun working together with my boys to create the 3D Coin Art United States Flag. They showed patience, determination and, best of all, a love of learning. They not only gained important math skills but also enhanced their fine motor skills and learned the importance of teamwork. This 3D Coin Art puzzle would be the perfect addition to homeschool math lessons and in-class projects. It is also a wonderful way to spend a night with family.
The 3D Coin Art United States Flag costs only $19.99 plus shipping and handling. For more information visit 3dcoinart.com.
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