Lesson Plan Title : What Kind of Gold?

Age Range: Grade 9 through grade 12 (High School)

Overview and Purpose: Everyone would love to have a Leprechaun's pot of gold, but many people settle instead for gold jewelry. In this activity, students learn about different types of gold and gold plating.

Objective: The student will be able to understand about different types of gold.

Resources:

Various jewelry advertisements and catalogs

Internet access for each student

Activities:

Have the students look through the jewelry advertisements in catalogs and ask them what they notice about the descriptions of the different pieces of gold jewelry. Are they all described the same? Explain that there are several types of gold jewelry and that is important for them to know the difference so that they pay the right price for the piece they are buying. Have them use the Internet to research the different types of gold that are available. These could include gold plated jewelry and 14 and 24 karat gold. Have them create a table or chart showing the benefits and disadvantages of each type of gold jewelry.

Wrap Up:

For homework, have the students write three or four paragraphs about which type of gold they would prefer and why.