Collecting: Uncovering America through its Objects

Lesson Overview
To begin this lesson, students discuss the Semiquincentennial anniversary of the United States of America and the subsequent celebration commemorating 250 years since the birth of the nation. Students engage in a series of activities designed to generate interaction with Collecting250, the digital collection of American artifacts curated by the Decorative Arts Trust, honoring this monumental anniversary. These activities aim to introduce learners to the objects and establish a bridge between the role of student observer and the role of the student collector.

Following the introductory activity, students explore possible reasons why humans engage in collecting. They pair and share collections they have or are familiar with before participating in a role-playing exercise as private collectors. In the culminating activity, students lead their own museum spaces and curate a selected series of objects using Collecting250 as the source for their collections. They outline how the objects in their collection share similar traits, establish their collections’ worth, and organize the objects for a classroom presentation. In the final virtual display, students compete in various categories honoring the pieces in their collection. Students name and discuss what they judge to be the most historically significant collection, the most expensive collection, and the most cohesively designed presentation as a conclusion to this activity.

The final level of inquiry invites students to take part in a fictional theft of their favorite object presented by their classmates. In this culminating activity, students investigate the origins and historical significance of that artifact and create a poster that communicates a plea for its return. Components of design and composition anchor the lesson to reflect the characteristics of the object, and researched information about the artifact sets the tone for its historical and cultural relevance, as well as its emotional and monetary value.

Grade Level: 6–12
Estimated time: Eight 45-minute class periods/sessions