Lesson l – Our Country’s Flag
Objectives:
*To identify the American flag as a symbol of our country
*To explain the symbolism of the United States flag
*To compare the first and present United States flag
Key Vocabulary Words: flag, symbol, stars, stripes
Lesson:
Introduce the lesson with the power point “Our U.S. Flag” from my web page: http://pg005.k12.sd.us
Read the lesson in the social studies test pp. 138-139.
Read Stars and Stripes, Our National Flag
Activities:
Color the 13 colonies flag (1777) and today’s flag (since 1960) taken from www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/books/julyfourth/flag.shtml
Enduring understanding questions:
What is a symbol?
What do the stars on the U.S. flag stand for?
What do the stripes on the U.S. flag stand for?
What colors are on the U.S. flag?
Important to know questions:
What do these colors mean?
How has our flag changed over the years?
Do you think our flag will ever change again? Why or why not?
Resources:
Social studies text: People Together, Macmillan/McGraw Hill, c. 1997, ISBN 0-02-146557-6/2.
Literature: Stars and Stripes, Our National Flag, by Leonard Evertt Fisher (New York: Holiday House, 1993) ISBN 0823410536.
Website mentioned in plan.
S.D. Content Standards:
Social Studies: Students will acknowledge patriotic connections by explaining the design of the flag.
Language Arts: The student will locate and paraphrase information within text to answer questions.
Lesson 2 – Flags of Many Countries
Objectives:
*To understand that every country has its own flag
*To recognize that the flag of each country is a symbol for that country
*To explain the symbolism of a flag from another country
Key Vocabulary Words: review those in Lesson 1
Lesson:
Read pp. 140-141 in the Social Studies text.
Activities:
Students will work in partners to research a flag from another country using the World Book or an internet search.
In partners, students will make another country’s flag using paper and crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
In partners, students will write a short report about the flag they made, explaining the symbols or colors used in the country’s flag.
In partners, students will show their flag to the class, tell the country it is from, and explain the symbolism.
Enduring understanding questions:
Why do countries have flags?
What is a country’s flag a symbol for?
What can you learn from a country’s flag?
Important to know questions:
What do other country’s flags look like?
Resources:
Student text (see lesson 1)
World Book
Computer with internet
Additional S.D. Content Standards:
Language Arts: The students will find and use different types of information.
The students will use appropriate vocabulary and descriptive words
in written work.
The students will conference with others to revise and edit written
work.
The students will report on various topics using appropriate facts and
details.
The students will use correct grammar in oral communication.
The students will use visual aids in oral presentations.
Lesson 3 – Our State Flag
Objectives:
*To understand that our state and every state has a state flag
*To examine the symbols on the S.D. flag
*To understand that our state has many symbols
New Vocabulary Words: state seal, state slogan
Lesson: Use my power point called “South Dakota Symbols” from my web page: http://pg005.k12.sd.us
Activities: Color the S.D. flag taken from internet site www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/flags/southdakota/southdakotaflag.shtml
Glue this flag onto Project Book p. 24.
Complete Project Book pp. 22, 23, and 24 by drawing and labeling the other state symbols ask for (tree, flower, and bird).
Enduring understanding questions:
What colors are used on the S.D. state flag?
What are the state bird, tree, and flower of S.D.?
Important to know questions:
What symbols are on the S.D. state flag?
What are 2 symbols on the S.D. state seal?
Questions worth being familiar with:
What did you enjoy about the power point presentation?
Resources:
Website www.state.sd.us/state/sdsym.htm
People Together Project Book, Macmillan/McGraw Hill, c. 1997, ISBN 0-02-
146732-3.
Additional S.D. State Content Standards:
Language Arts: The students will describe the components of appealing audio or
visual presentations.
The students will follow three and four step oral directions.
Lesson 4 – A School Flag
Objective:
*To apply decision making skills in creating a Baltic Bulldog flag
*To use technology in making a flag
Key Vocabulary Words: review from previous lessons
Lesson: Read pp. 142-143 in the social studies text.
Discuss some decisions that will need to be made to create a school flag.
Activities:
Students will work in partners and use the Kid Pix computer program to create and print out a school flag to be displayed in the hall.
Enduring understanding question:
What will you and your partner need to decide when making your flag? (shape, color,
picture, words)
Important to know questions:
What will be your first decision?
How will your decisions affect your final product?
Resources:
Student text (see Lesson 1)
Computer lab with Kid Pix
Additional S.D. Content Standards:
Language Arts: Describe cause and effect relationships.
Unit Assessment
Assessments throughout the lessons will be based on student participation in discussions and activities. Students must produce the assigned flag projects and presentations. “My State Booklet” will be turned in for evaluation. Some questions on a broader unit test (Unit 4 – We the People) will come from these lessons.