Explore the New $1 Native American Coin
In honor of November being National Native American Heritage Month, the U.S. Mint recently released the latest coin in the Native American $1 Coin Program: Olympic gold medalist and American athlete Jim Thorpe.
Teach your students about Jim Thorpe’s groundbreaking athletic career as the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States with two new, free lesson plans from the U.S. Mint.
Native American History Lesson Plans
Teach your students about the significant contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans with the following lesson plans:
Going for the Gold (Grades 9-12)
Starting with the 2018 Native American $1 Coin, students will learn about the lives of Jim Thorpe and Jesse Owens. Students will pick an athlete they think should be a coin and create a coin design representing their athlete.
Coining a Champion (Grades 7-8)
Starting with the 2018 Native American $1 Coin, students will learn about the lives of athletes Jim Thorpe and Jesse Owens. Students will pick an athlete they think should be on a coin and present a persuasive argument about why their athlete should be honored.
Coin of the Month
2018 Native American $1 Coin
Since 2009, the Mint has displayed an annually-changing reverse design for the $1 coin that recognizes contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States. The latest Jim Thorpe $1 coin is the 10th coin to be released in the collection.
Fast Facts:
- The reverse design (tails side) depicts Jim Thorpe, with the foreground elements highlighting his football and Olympic achievements.
- The coin’s reverse inscriptions are “JIM THORPE”, “WA-THO-HUK” (his native name), “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “$1”.
- The coin’s obverse (heads side) retains the central figure “Sacagawea” carrying her infant son, Jean Baptiste.
- The coin was designed by Glenna Goodacre and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso.
Play Hoop and Darts
Long before the days of computers, phones, and tablets, different cultures made their own fun and created games by hand. Many of these games, including the “hoop and darts” game, are still fun today! Native Americans across North America had different ways to play the hoop and darts game, but they all involved sending a hand-made dart, javelin or arrow through a hoop. Want to try your hand at Hoop and Darts? Check out the Hoops and Darts game.
Native American Coloring Pages
Print and color your own coins with the brand new Coloring Pages which include the Native American $1 Coins, including the newest 2018 Jim Thorpe Coin.
Make sure to check out all the other hands-on activities on the Games page.
Additional Native American Education Resources
Looking for additional resources to celebrate National Native American Heritage month? Browse the Mint’s new Lessons by Historical Era – Native American section to find lessons highlighting the contributions of Native American tribes and individuals, ranging from Sacagawea to Mohawk ironworkers.