Create a Penny Bookmark!

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in a log cabin in central Kentucky. On November 6, 1860, he became the sixteenth President of the United States of America. President Lincoln accomplished many amazing things during his lifetime. He also became the first person to be represented on a circulated United States coin. Use two of these coins to create a unique bookmark, learn more about Abraham Lincoln, and celebrate President's Day with this fun activity!

What You Need:

• 2 pennies
• Large paperclip
• Glue (any kind that will bond metal)
• 8 ounce glass
• 1/3 cup distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoon
• Spoon for mixing
• Paper towels

What You Do:

1. Begin by examining a penny with your fourth grader. Talk about Abraham Lincoln and what he accomplished. You may want to read a book together about Lincoln. The Value of Respect: the Story of Abraham Lincoln by Ann Donegan Johnson is a good choice.
2. Now explain that you are going to make a special bookmark with pennies to celebrate President's Day.
3. Have your fourth grader measure 1/3 cup distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt into a glass.
4. Let him drop in his two pennies and observe what happens.
5. The vinegar solution will begin cleaning the pennies. Leave the pennies for several hours or overnight.
6. Next have your child remove the pennies and rinse in running water. (Don’t let them go down the drain!) Wipe clean with a paper towel.
7. Have your child place a dot of glue in the center on the back of one of the pennies.
8. Then he can place the end of the paper clip with one loop against the dot of glue.
9. Allow the glue to dry.
10. Your child can now place a dot of glue on the back of the second penny and place it over the first so that the end of the paper clip is sandwiched between the coins.
11. Once the glue has dried your fourth grader will have a unique bookmark to keep his place as he reads. Just clip to the top of the page!

Continue this activity by examining other coins. A nickel has a picture of Thomas Jefferson, a dime has Franklin D. Roosevelt, and a quarter has George Washington. These portrait coins all came into circulation after the Lincoln penny which was first minted in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth.