Mount Rushmore

by JulieD

Today I voted in the election for our next USA president. I hope that all of you who are old enough to vote will also consider voting. This privilege is an opportunity some do not have.

Anyway, voting of course brought to mind a trip we took to Mount Rushmore a few years back. We were on our way to Yellowstone and we felt it was important to see Mount Rushmore.

Rocks are so symbolic and our presidents are such an important part of our history as a nation that to skip this National Monument wasn't even an option.

Mount Rushmore,located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, near Keystone SD, is solid visual demonstration of our history. The carved representation of four of our presidents tells a story of our past, a story that connects us to our humble beginnings and documents our struggles and our triumphs.

The four presidents:

George Washington (1732–1799),
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826),
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919),
and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)


Now, while I could tell you why I think these four were chosen, I will not...because I like to give your students a challenge to discover these things for themselves and to think about the why and to apply it to the now.

Challenge #1: Write a short paragraph about why these four presidents were chosen to be represented in rock. Try to document with facts or make it clear if it is your opinion.

or

Challenge #2: What problems are being faced in preserving this treasure and what can you do to help?

Thanks for reading and if you take up one of the challenges I would like to encourage you to come back and post it in the comments.

JulieD