Overview
The children will follow a map to find a treasure box as they recognize and name the uppercase letter X and the lowercase letter x.

Literacy Activities
X marks the spot

• Place a treat or some type of treasure in a box.
• Write the uppercase letter X and the lowercase letter x on a whiteboard, name the letters, and have the children say the letter name as they write the X and x in the air with their fingers. 
• Set up a treasure hunt path that takes the children past the large letter cards S, O, and M before they reach the letter X and the treasure box hidden nearby.
• Explain to the children that they will follow a path of letters and look for the letter X.
• Show the children the treasure map and have them walk along the path.
• Point out the different letters as you come to them and help the children decide whether or not each letter is an X.
• When the children find the X that marks the spot, have them search nearby to find the treasure box.
• Have the children draw an X in the air with their fingers to open the box.
• Open the treasure box and share the treasure or treat inside.

X freeze dance

• Turn on exciting music and have the children dance.
• When the music stops, have the children freeze with their bodies in an X shape (arms raised at angles and legs spread apart).
• Repeat several times, each time having the children freeze in the X position when the music stops.

More Practice
Identify the target letter

• Mix up the small letter cards and put them in the treasure box.
• Have the children choose a card from the box one at a time.
• Help the children decide whether or not each letter is an uppercase letter X or a lowercase letter x.
  • If the letter is an X or an x, place it on the treasure map.
  • If the letter is not an X or an x, place it in the discard pile.
  • If a child misidentifies a distractor letter as an X or an x, have him or her look at the X and x on the whiteboard and compare them to the letter he or she picked.

Write the target letter

• Help the children write the letter X on a piece of paper.
• Let the children place their paper X on the large letter X that marked the spot for the treasure.