The Constitution Treasure Box in Second Grade
The Treasure Box is a great way to get our imagination going.
My second graders were so excited to see a decorated, patriotic TREASURE BOX! They were filled with wonder and curiosity as it was unpacked. The children are responding and asking great questions as well remembering our history! Items that were introduced to us during the summer session were included as well as other items.
Supplies are as follows:
Books: Now and Ben by
Gene Barretta
A Is for America An American Alphabet by Devin Scillian
Where Was George
Washington? By Carla Heymsfeld
Who Was Thomas
Jefferson? By Dennis Fradin
Who Was Ben Franklin by
Dennis Fradin
Meet George Washington
by Joan Heilbroner
Benjamin Franklin A Man
with Many Jobs by Carol Greene
Ring for Liberty A
Story about the Liberty Bell By Virginia Parsons
The Story of The
Liberty Bell by Natalie Miller (3 copies)
George Washington’s
Teeth by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora
I Love America A
Treasury of Popular Stories, History, Poems and Songs A GOLDEN BOOK Shelagh Canning Contributing Editor
A Picture Book of
George Washington by David A. Adler
What’s the Big Idea,Ben
Franklin by Jean Fritz
Thomas Jefferson
Author, Inventor, President by Carol Greene
Young Ben Franklin by
Laurence Santrey
The Pledge of
Allegiance by Scholastic
America A Patriotic
Primer by Lynne Cheney
We the Kids The
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
American Revolution
1700-1800 by Joy Masoff
Encyclopedia of
Presidents Thomas Jefferson by Jim
Hargrove
Objects:
Scrolled paper of the PREAMBLE
Quills and ink wells
Lantern
Candle
A replica of the Liberty Bell
A replica of the Liberty Bell
Copy of the Declaration of Independence
Flag and a poster of our flag's history is in the classroom
Pictures of George
Washington, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson
Minute Men
Samples of Primary documents:
A map of Philadelphia in the 1700's
A map of Paul Revere’s
ride
A view of the State House
in Philadelphia
General George
Washington’s signature
Photo of the State House
The United States Constitution seen online
After we had a general overview of the items in our TREASURE BOX, our classroom turned into a mini museum. The children browsed around the room and examined items more closely. This box will not be put away, rather it will be and has begun to be used at center time for quiet reading, partner reading, writing with a quill as did the framers, writing stories about the objects being examined. Eventually, reports will be made from some of the books the children are reading. This is actually preparing us for biographies that we will do later on in the school year! The conversation, visuals, tactile experience the children are using are encouraging right and left brain learning!
Wow - that's quite a Treasure Box!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of using rules as a way to introduce the Constitution before. It always sounds like a great way to connect something that can be quite amorphous to everyday life.
That is HUGE!!!! Must be a Treasure Refrigerator Box. :D
ReplyDeleteI love that you're connecting it to partner reading, writing time, and hands-on activities, as well. Great job.
It sounds like you have developed a real ‘working’ Treasure Box which will be an ongoing source of discoveries for your students. You have really thought of creative ways to integrate Treasure Boxes into your daily instruction. You are providing your students with many new dimensions of learning through your centers and work with primary source documents.
ReplyDeleterules,rules, who needs rules!!! the constitution is a great tool to help students realize it is not just they who need to follow rules. its also a great way to help them understand that we as classroom can create rules that we are going to follow. many times students walk into class and are told what to do and not do. allowing our students some guidance in creating rules makes them their own. they help make the rules... they may feel worse off breaking their own rules.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting way for your second graders to learn about the Constitution! Many will probably have their primary document in their school memory box and remember when they first heard of this incredible document.
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious to find "The Preamble" song. My November lessons will be on the Constitution and I love to include songs in my lessons.
What a wonderful unit for your students! Having them sign the classroom "constitution" must have been a meaningful and exciting experience. I can just see second graders loving the idea of moving in a time machine back to the 1700's. The fact that you have set up a mini-museum in your classroom and using the objects for further study is a great idea. And, of course, I loved the list of books you included.
ReplyDelete