Declan's D.C. Discovery Week!

Materials Needed:

• Access to the internet (for virtual tour revisit or simple research)
• Paper (plain, construction)
• Drawing supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils)
• Building materials (e.g., LEGOs, blocks, cardboard tubes, paper cups, tape, glue)
• Optional: Child-safe scissors, modeling clay, printable fact sheets or monument pictures

Daily Plan (Approx. 45-60 minutes per day):

Day 1: Monument Memory Match

• Objective: Recall key monuments from the virtual tour.
• Activity: Briefly revisit parts of the virtual tour focusing on the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial. Discuss one key fact about each. Then, play a matching game: prepare cards with monument names and separate cards with simple pictures or key facts (e.g., "Tallest structure in D.C.", "Statue of seated president", "Memorial with columns near water"). Have Declan match the name to the picture/fact. Draw a picture of his favorite monument from the tour.

Day 2: Presidential Pad - The White House

• Objective: Understand the role of the White House and the President.
• Activity: Revisit the White House portion of the virtual tour. Discuss: Who lives and works there? What does the President do? Look up one fun fact about a President possibly mentioned in the tour (e.g., a President's pet). Draw the White House and write one sentence about the President's job.

Day 3: Capitol Creation Challenge

• Objective: Learn the basic function of the U.S. Capitol and build a representation.
• Activity: Watch the U.S. Capitol section of the virtual tour again. Discuss that laws are made there (Congress works inside). Explain its distinct shape (the dome). Challenge Declan to build his own version of the Capitol dome using available building materials (blocks, cups, paper tubes, etc.).

Day 4: Museum Explorer

• Objective: Explore a concept from a D.C. museum featured or related to the tour.
• Activity: The virtual tour likely mentions the Smithsonian museums. Pick one (like Natural History or Air and Space, easily relatable). Briefly explore the museum's website or use the virtual tour info. Ask Declan: "If you could bring one thing home from that museum, what would it be and why?" Have him draw or write about his chosen exhibit/object.

Day 5: Design Your Own D.C. Memorial!

• Objective: Synthesize learning and creatively design a symbolic structure.
• Activity: Discuss why memorials and monuments are built (to remember important people, events, or ideas). Ask Declan: "If you could build a new memorial in Washington D.C., what would it be for? What important idea would you want people to remember?" Have him design his memorial on paper, name it, and write a sentence explaining what it represents. Share his design!