America the Beautiful: Patriotic Symbols
Introduction
This blog post provides several book reviews, websites that students can access, and additional teacher resources. The material that is found within the links provided can be used with grades ranging from kindergarten to third grade. The various stories and websites cover the material and concepts related to the Virginia standards of learning (VA SOL K.8, K.9, 1.11). Through these links students will generate an understanding of what a symbol is and be able to recognize symbols that are important to the United States of America. Students will also analyze the Pledge of Allegiance and understand why we recite it every morning in school.
Literature
By: Norman Pearl and Illustrated by: Matthew Skeens
The bald eagle is one of the strongest symbols of freedom and strength of our nation. This book tells the story of how the eagle became an American symbol over 200 years ago. Children are invited to take a journey with Bill the bird keeper as he shows them how the bird lives and how it became a patriotic symbol of the United States.
By: Wendy Cheyette Lewison and Illustrated by: Laura Freeman Hines
In this book, children will learn about a symbol that stands in the New York harbor. They will learn how the Statue of Liberty has welcomed people from near and far for centuries. This is a great book to read with younger children as it uses simple language and bold illustrations. Children will learn about the history and the freedom the Statue of Liberty stands for and how they can celebrate it.
Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag
By: John Herman and Illustrated by: Robin Roraback
This story traces children’s minds back to the very beginings of the American flag. Children will learn about who created the flag and how it came into being. Children will also be able to learn and observe the many changes that the flag has gone through over the years. Lastly, children will gain an understanding of the American flag and its importance as a symbol for our country.
By: Scholastic Inc.
This book illustrates the text of the Pledge of Allegiance through bold pictures of American landscapes, monuments, and flags. Children are educated on the meaning of the pledge, its history, and additional information about the American flag. Children will be able to gain a better understanding of the words they pledge every morning. At the end of the book, children are asked to reflect back on what they have learned and think about the question, “What do you feel when you say the Pledge of Allegiance?”
By: Kristin L. Nelson
This book introduces children to one of the most remarkable patriotic landmarks in our nation: the Washington Monument. Children will learn basic facts about the monument such as: how long it took to build, who was behind the planning of the monument, and what troubles the workers faced. Through fun text and captivating pictures, children are able to become consumed in the book after page 1. They will aslo find answers to other interesting questions such as: why the monument was built to honor George Washington, what the 50 flags that circle the monument stand for, and why the monument was built with two different colors of marble.
Web Sites for KIDS
Printable Symbols of the United States
This site provides children with a variety of different pictures of patriotic symbols of the United States. Children can pick from a wide range of pictures from the bald eagle to the Washington Monument. After clicking on the picture they wish to color, an enlarged picture will appear on the screen. The children use an interactice crayon where they are able to use a variety of colors to complete their picture. This site can be a great way for the students to test their knowledge of the American flag and its colors. After finishing their picture, if the students have access to a printer they will be able to print it out once they have finished.
This webquest has been designed for first grade level students. The students are instructed that they will be making a four page picture book about American symbols. On each picture page there must be a picture and one sentence telling what the symbol is. Students are provided with various links to websites where they will discover more information about the Statue of Liberty, the American flag, Uncle Sam, and the Bald Eagle. After going to each of the websites, the students will have enough information to create their picture book. This webquest provides step by step instructions and examples of what they need to do along the way.
This site provides children with several other facts they may not have come across yet in learning about the bald eagle. The site introduces the students to the concept of endangered species. Children can also explore the topic of the bald eagle even more as they learn about where it gets its name, what the old English word means, where you can find bald eagles, and the general appearance of the bird. At the bottom of the page, children are presented with various printout pictures of bald eagles that they can color.
The Flag that inspired the National Anthem
At this site, children are exposed to brief summaries of information pertaining to the war, the flag, and the anthem. After each brief summary, the child will be prompted to answer a question about the information they just read. The child will answer a series of questions and will recieve a star for each correct answer. Their goal is to collect as many stars as they can.
Children can visit this site daily to check for live images of bald eagles. The company that runs the site has a live video camera that is placed in an area where eagles are constantly spotted. Live pictures are posted to the website, and many times people can see an eagle in the picture.
Teacher Resources
This link provides a first grade lesson plan that correlates with the VA SOL 1.11. During this lesson, students will learn vocabulary that is inidicative of American symbols. Students will learn the tradition of the Pledge of Allegiance and how to be patriotic by showing respect. Students will create the United States flag and generate a better understanding of the what stars and stripes stand for.
U.S. Symbols Unit Test (VA SOL 1.11)
This website provides a complete unit test for VA SOL 1.11. The test is 15 questions and in the style of multiple choice. Students will be tested on the various symbols pertaining to United States and the meaning behind each symbol along with the Pledge of Allegiance.
This site interprets the language in the Pledge of Allegiance. Some younger students may have trouble understanding words such as allegiance, indivisible, republic, nation, and justice. By going through the pledge word for word, the students will be able to do more than just recite the pledge; they will undrstanding the meaning of why they do.
This site provides teachers with information and pictures covering all of the patriotic symbols. Teachers can click on a certain symbol and they will be presented with pictures and facts pertaining to that symbol. After clicking on the symbol, there are also links provided at the bottom of the page for a quiz on the symbol, coloring sheets, or more related links.