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Nickels, nickels and more nickels have found their way into classroom lessons at Armstrong Elementary in the Hazelwood School District.

All four third-grade classes at Armstrong have been collecting the coins since October for two reasons – as a math activity and as a social studies community service project. Each class has a goal of collecting 1,000 nickels as part of the math series, Investigations. They will use the money raised to buy toys to donate to Toys for Tots as community service.

To date, two of the classrooms have reached their goal and the students are still bringing in nickels to help the other classrooms meet theirs, too.

Students explained that they’ve done chores at home to earn nickels or just found them around the house. One said that he’d been getting nickels from people in his family, and another said that his mom gives him nickels from her bank. One boy raised his hand and gave this explanation, “I exchange dollars for nickels at the store.”

The students know exactly how much money 1,000 nickels make. “Fifty dollars.”
But they aren’t sure how many toys $50 can buy, although to them, it doesn’t matter. They understand that their efforts are going to help someone else have a nice Christmas.

When asked how they felt about the project, they all said it made them feel good. The students will continue to collect nickels until winter break. Teacher Michelle Stevens said that the toys would be taken to a Toys for Tots drop-off location.

The third grade teachers at Armstrong Elementary are Stevens, Tammy Roberts, Deb Janosik and Stacey Smyth.
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