My treasure box focused on the Declaration of Independence. Since I teach Kindergarten, I tried to concentrate on the very basics. Of course I included the objects that we received at the summer workshop, and I think my students enjoyed them the most! Sites such as the National Archives were difficult to get age appropriate material from, but I did find pictures that were helpful. I used several primary sources including a copy of the Declaration of Independence, photos of the Liberty Bell and an American flag, and pictures of famous figures such as the main signers of the Declaration. The students shared what they already knew about these items and pictures.
The students learned why we celebrate the Fourth of July...it is our country's birthday, the day our country became free from England's rule. The children were excited when we looked at a portrait of George Washington because most already recognized him. I pointed out that he led our country in the war for independence, that he was our first president, and that he is often called the "Father of Our Country".
My treasure box was a great tie in with a reading unit that I teach. Two books incorporated in this unit are "George Washington Visits" by Dennis Fertig and "Then and Now" by Tracy Sato. We had many discussions about past and present. I added picture cards to my treasure box that featured objects from the past and objects from present day. The students sorted the cards into two groups, past or present, and then explained their decisions. The children did well at distinguishing between past and present. Having the objects in the treasure box helped them grasp the concept of whether they would see something long ago or today.
