Here is a list of kindergarten activities - Primary Source Learning: K-2. I've copied some of my favorites from that list below.

• Thanksgiving Then & Now – a historic newspaper exercise for kindergarten Network album
• KidCitizen digital interactive episodes
• History’s Mysteries: Kindergarten
• Kindergarten Writing Prompts & Activities
• Analyzing Primary Sources: Early Elementary (K-2) Image Analysis Choice Board
• Abraham Lincoln & Me Activity Book
• The Star Spangled Banner K-2
• Guided Primary Source Analysis: Twentieth-century transportation
• Guided Primary Source Analysis: What do you hear?

Thank you so much for sharing this exemplar of an early childhood educator who used intentional, in-depth inquiry to unlock children's natural curiosity and foster critical thinking skills from an early age. When young children begin to see themselves as "historians," they're engaging in a form of self-identification that transcends the typical boundaries of early education. It elevates their quest for understanding and frames their explorations within a context of discovery and analysis that is often reserved for older students.

The powerful aspect of this approach lies in its ability to turn every observation into a question and every question into a learning adventure. Primary sources bring the abstract concept of "history" into the tangible realm for kindergarteners. By touching, seeing, and interpreting artifacts or images from the past, children connect with the material in a multisensory manner that enhances retention and understanding.

Recently our early childhood education preservice teachers designed lesson plans that situate their young students not just as learners, but as budding historians, capable of deep, insightful inquiries that stimulate their growth both intellectually and as empathetic human beings. As they implement their lessons in their field experiences, they find that this pedagogic approach fosters deep intellectual engagement. Primary source inquiry not only teaches young children about the past, but it also equips them with a skill set that includes critical thinking, research proficiency, and a profound understanding of the narrative nature of our collective human experience.