“A journey through the world of money” travelling museum kit

A programme that travels to schools

“A journey through the world of money” museum kit is an educational programme by the Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection.

A case full of interactive and informative educational material, centred around the history of currency and sound money management, travels to schools in Greece and Greek schools abroad, for free.

Teachers can apply for a visit by the museum kit throughout the school year. Then, they are responsible for running the programme in their classrooms.

The content of the museum kit has been adapted to the school curriculum. The kit also includes instructions on how to set up the programme and present its content. This makes it very easy for teachers to run the programme in the classroom.

Skills and knowledge through fascinating games

The multi-dimensional material of the programme facilitates the educational process, helping students gain knowledge and skills, such as:

• Geography and history – They locate cities and areas on a large jigsaw puzzle-like floor map, discover the history of 35 ancient coins through cards, and play digital games about the history of money and the different transaction methods.
• Imagination – They hold in their hands replicas of coins from ancient times up to the present, and observe their iconography.
• Creativity – They sketch and draw the coin of their region or their own coin, just as they imagine it.
• Collaboration – They complete the forms that include learning exercises, working together as a team.
• Language – They learn different expressions we use to talk about money and coins.

Why take “A journey through the world of money”?

The increasing need to promote financial literacy in school was the inspiration for designing the educational programme in the form of a museum kit. This is a journey that calls for continuous learning, discipline and dedication, and can offer indispensable skills and assets.

The programme is centred around the concepts of “money” and “transactions”, through a long and fascinating journey that starts in the past and reaches up to the present.

A journey with a double meaning

The meaning of the word “journey” extends along 2 axes:

1. A tour of the fascinating history of money.
2. An exploration of the basic concepts and terms related to money and its management.

Through this double journey, students have the chance to become familiar with the complex financial landscape of the modern world.

Money as a means of transaction

The Greek word for “money” (chrima) derives from the ancient verb chri, meaning needed, required. Money was invented and used for the purpose of facilitating transactions and enabling people to fulfil their financial obligations. It is the outcome of a centuries-long quest and it continuously evolves to meet the requirements of each era.

With this educational programme, students follow the thread of its history, from the time of its invention up to the present.

1st section: Learning the history of money and transactions

The 1st section of the programme incorporates the 2 previous museum kit educational programmes: “Nomos-Nomizo-Nomisma” and “Currency and Transactions. From Yesterday to Nowadays”.

The main learning objective of this section is to familiarise students with the history of money in the Greek world, from the time of its invention up to the euro and the modern digital means of transaction.

This way, students:

• Learn about the means of transaction prior to the invention of currency.
• Gain knowledge on the introduction and history of coins as a means of transaction.
• Discover the rules of coin iconography, and explore the coins of the Greek world through the different historical eras.
• Get information on the euro and the European Economic Area.
• Become familiar with terms related to the modern means of transaction, e.g. physical money, plastic money and digital banking.

2nd section: Learning how to use my money

The 2nd section of the programme focuses on promoting financial literacy and increasing youth awareness towards issues related to sound money management. In this section, students:

• Understand the difference between needs and wants, with the aim of developing a sound consumer mindset and avoiding consumerism.
• Discover the modern financial options, so they can protect themselves and make wise financial choices.
• Learn how to adopt positive financial attitudes, such as evaluating and prioritising expenses and making savings.
• Become familiar with recording their income and expenses, and planning a budget to manage their daily finances more efficiently.

Instructions for teachers

These describe the contents and explain how to run the programme and recommended activities.

Interactive material

• 1 jigsaw puzzle map – 24 pieces, 120x160 cm.
• 70 coin cards – 35 coins, each presented in 2 cards. Each card has 1 side of the coin on front and a description and information on the back.
• 12 coin replicas – Students have the chance to hold in their hands exact replicas of coins from the Alpha Bank Collection, from the very first coin in history (7th century BCE) up to a 1 euro coin we use today.
• 12 Find the word cards – A card game where some words are missing from specific expressions or sayings related to money and transactions.
• 4-page activity brochures – Exercises for the students to better assimilate the information they receive throughout the programme.
• 7 digital games in a USB memory stick – 2 matching games titled “When the coin was in circulation” and “Name the figures”, 2 memory games titled “Find the 2 sides of the coin” and “Find the same coin”, 2 quizzes titled “Coins” and “Find the missing word”, 1 game titled “Transactions”.

Information material in paper and electronic form

• The book A journey through the world of money – It serves as the basis for the programme and is donated to the school.
• A folding poster/time line – It depicts the means of transaction over time and is donated to the school.
• Leaflet – Descriptions of and information on the 12 ancient coin replicas.
• 1 USB memory stick – It contains a presentation of the programme and videos on ancient coins.

Programme feedback form

A questionnaire for you to let us know what you thought of our travelling museum kit. The questionnaire is filled in by the teachers who present the programme.

Fill in the application to take part in the programme and receive the museum kit at your school.

We will then contact you to make delivery arrangements. The travelling museum kit will come to you free of charge, as we cover all delivery costs.

It will be delivered directly to your school. The kit weighs approximately 6 kg and its dimensions are 51X38X16 cm.

If more than 1 classes in your school are interested in participating in the activities and there is a considerable number of students to include, you may receive 2 travelling museum kits, depending on availability.