Lesson Plan: Symbols Of American Patriotism

Subject Area(s): Library Media Center

Grade Level(s): 4, 6

Format of Library of Congress media: Images

Best Instructional Practices

Standards

History

K.1 Students will identify people and events honored by American holidays.
K.9 Students will recognize the American flag, Pledge of Allegiance, and that the President is the leader of the U.S,
1.11 Students will recognize the symbols and traditional practices that honor and foster patriotism in the United States by
1. identifying the flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, and Statue of Liberty.
2. demonstrating respect for the American flag by learning the Pledge of allegiance
2.12/3.12 Students will recognize that Americans are a diverse people of diverse origins ... united by the basic principles of a republican form of government and respect for individual rights and freedoms.
CE.4 Student will demonstrate knowledge of personal character traits that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in civic life by: practicing patriotism.

Length

Library Visits: 3 to 4 library visits of 30 minutes each and classroom follow-up time of variable length.

Lesson Summary

Teachers will want to know the symbols being taught and the extent to which each symbol is discussed in its historic context.

National Anthem - discussion will center on the circumstances which led Francis Scott Key to write the words of the poem which became our national anthem.
Flag - the events which lead to the adoption of this specific design and the people and places involved with its eventual design.
Bald Eagle - Particular people and events which lead to the selection of this bird as a national symbol.
Pledge of Allegiance - Students will learn the history of the events which lead to the writing of the Pledge of Allegiance by Francis Bellamy in the National School Day Celebration of 1892.

All of the materials used in this lesson plan are available for downloading as PDF Files and PowerPoint files, as appropriate. PDF Files can be viewed with the free Adobe Reader.