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Description

Taken from: https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/scout-pound/
Make your own money and learn about currency exchange in this creative challenge.

Resources

You will need:
Coloured pens or pencils
Scrap paper
Wooden skewers
Matches
Tea lights
Marshmallows

Instructions

Activity summary
In this activity, young people will learn about what designs feature on different money, and then design their own currency. Then they can use them to practise exchanging their money for another currency, and buy a treat!

Before you begin
Make sure you’ve risk assessed your meeting, and also have a COVID-19 safe risk assessment that’s been agreed by your line manager. You can check out more detailed guidance here.
Try out Money maps for an introduction to the features of different currencies around the world.
This activity is in two parts – if you’re running a blended programme you could ‘Make some money‘ during an online session, ready to complete ‘Scout shopping‘ face-to-face.
Safety checklist

Use the Safety checklist to help you plan and risk asses your activity. Additional coronavirus-related controls to think about may include:

Set up a handwashing station that you can use throughout the session.
Remind everyone to stay at a safe distance while they’re making their money.
Think about setting up tables and paper and pens in advance to avoid people sharing.
Remind everyone to stay apart when they’re exchanging money – you could place it on a table for people to look at, rather than letting lots of people touch it.

Money facts


Step 1: Make some money
Everyone should get into small teams of three or four people.
Remember to stay at a safe distance in the groups; setting out tables and chairs at a safe distance before the session can help make this easier.
The person leading the activity should ask everyone what different things they’re used to seeing on coins and notes. They could show everyone some examples of coins and notes.
If you’ve already had a go at Money maps (LINK), ask everyone what features they can remember from different currencies. We’ve added some information above to help get the conversation started.
The person leading the activity should explain that everyone will be making their own Scout themed currency.
Everyone should take a piece of A4 paper, fold it in half twice, and unfold it so that they have a piece of paper with four sections.
Each team should chat about different things they could include in their design to represent Scouts, starting with important people. Everyone should make a list of important people they could include in the first section of their paper.
Everyone should make a list of locations, landmarks, and things from nature that are important to them in the next section of their piece of paper.
Everyone should choose some quotes or words and write them in the next section of their piece of paper.
Everyone should fill the final section of their piece of paper with things that represent their favourite Scout memories or remind them of their Scouts friends.
Everyone should chat as a group and decide what they’ll include in their designs. They should think about the security features they’ll include so their money can’t be forged. What will stay the same across all of their notes? What will be different on each denomination?
Each team should give their currency a name, decide who will be creating the different denominations of bank notes, and get drawing!
It’s a good idea to make sure each group creates the same denominations to keep it fair.
Once everyone’s finished their designs, each group should present their freshly minted money to the rest of the group.
The person leading should make a note of some of the key features so they can check for forgeries in the next part of the activity.

Step 2: Scout shopping
The person leading the activity should explain that different countries have different money, with different names and different designs. The different moneys are called currencies.
The person leading the activity should explain that everyone will be using their new Scout currency to buy some marshmallows to toast. Explain that the marshmallows are sold in Scout Pounds so before they can buy any, they’ll need to exchange their new currency into Scout Pounds.
If anyone called their currency Scout Pounds, you may need to think on your feet and come up with another name so it doesn’t get confusing.
Set up an exchange counter and display the exchange rate, for example two of their currency equals one Scout Pound.
It’s up to you whether you change the rate during the activity or not. Remember that the higher the rate, the more money the groups will have to make!
Each team should look at the exchange rate and work out how much money they’ll need to create to buy a marshmallow for each group member.
Each team should try to work as fast as they can to draw more money and exchange it for Scout Pounds.
The person at your exchange counter should check the security features everyone added to their notes. If groups are working too fast and the designs don’t match, the money should be taken away.
Everyone should continue until everyone has marshmallows.
If a team finishes early they could help another team (from a safe distance).

Step 3: Enjoy marshmallows
Once everyone’s made enough money and bought their marshmallows, the person leading the activity should give everyone their own tea light each and a wooden skewer.
Everyone should find a space at a safe distance from each other and toast their marshmallow.
While everyone’s snacking, the person leading the activity should explain that in real life the amount of money you can buy is set by the exchange rate (not Scout leaders!). 1 pound might be able to buy 1.3 US dollars, for example – but this doesn’t mean you’re getting more money as things might cost a higher number of US dollars than pounds.
You could explain that shops usually have different ‘sell rates’ and ‘buy rates’ – they charge you some money in return for exchanging your money. If £1 was worth $1.40, you may only get $1.30 for £1, for example. If you had US dollars left over, you may have to give the shop $1.50 to get £1 back. People often shop around to get a good deal.
The person leading the activity should explain that, just like they exchanged the money with leaders, people can exchange pounds to foreign currencies in places like the Post Office.

Reflection
Money from different places often shows important people or landmarks – everyone should share some design features of their new currency again. Can some people explain some of the things they included and why they chose them? Did different people choose any similar things?

If people travel abroad, they may need to change some of their money. In this activity, everyone learned more about exchanging currencies. It can be quite a confusing process, but breaking it down can help everyone to understand. Did people know much about converting money before? Do they know more now?

Safety
All activities must be safely managed. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Do a risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Always get approval for the activity and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Food
Check for allergies before you begin and read the guidance on food safety. Make sure you have suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods.

Tags

• cubs
• money
• money and Your Life
• money matters

Badge Links

• Money Skills - Budget
• Money Skills - Currencies