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Saving the National Treasures
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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Ask students what they think an artifact is. (It is an object
made by a human.) Ask students to describe the personal
artifacts they save. Why are the artifacts important? What do
students do, if anything, to preserve their artifacts?
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Ask students to name the country's important founding documents.
Ask students what it is about these documents that make them
important. When were they written? By whom? What does each
document declare? (See
Activity Answer
for more information.)
After Watching
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Lead a discussion about the encasement design chosen to house
the Charters of Freedom. What does it protect the documents
from? (Examples include oxygen exposure and light damage.) Have
students name some design features. (It has a highly polished
frame to ensure airtight seal, and a clear colorless glass to
aid viewing.) Discuss how the meaning of the Declaration of
Independence has changed since 1776. What part of the document
was most important to the founding fathers? What part of the
document is important today?
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Experts spent five years and $5 million to design and build the
new encasements. Why are these documents important to U.S.
citizens? Why is it important that they should be preserved? Why
is it important that they be available to the public?
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