American and Texas Symbols

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American and Texas Symbols
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First Grade Social Studies TEKS

• Knowledge and skills.
• (13) Citizenship. The student understands
  important customs, symbols, and celebrations that
  represent American beliefs and principles and
  contribute to our national identity. The student
  is expected to
• (A) explain selected national and state patriotic
  symbols such as the U.S. and Texas flags, the
  Liberty Bell, and the Alamo
• (B) recite and explain the meaning of the Pledge
  of Allegiance and the Pledge to the Texas Flag
  and
• (D) explain how selected customs, symbols, and
  celebrations reflect an American love of
  individualism, inventiveness, and freedom.

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Outline

1. The American Flag
2. The Liberty Bell and Bald Eagle
3. Patriotic Celebrations
4. A Tour of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
5. Two-Stepping Through Texas
6. The Pledge of Allegiance
7. Individual Symbol

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American and Texas Symbols Rubric
CATEGORY 5 4 3 2 1 Total
Interaction with Lesson Student interacts and is engaged with each lesson all of the time Student interacts and is engaged with each lesson most of the time Student interacts and is engaged with each lesson some of the time Student looks at and attempts participation with each lesson for a small amount of time Student does not look at or attempt participation with each lesson  
Identification of Symbols Student can identify studied symbols all of the time Student can identify studied symbols most of the time Student can identify studied symbols some of the time Student can identify at least one studied symbol Student can not identify any studied symbols  
Creativity or Exploration of Lesson Products Student displayed a lot of effort, thought, and creativity in creating each lesson product Student showed effort, thought, and creativity in creating each lesson product Student showed some effort, thought, and creativity in creating each lesson product Student showed minimal effort, thought, or creativity in creating each lesson product Student did not show effort, thought, or creativity in creating each lesson product  
Explanation of Products/Symbols Student is able to clearly articulate their rationale and understanding for each symbol and each product created Student is able to explain their rationale and understanding for each symbol and each product created Student is able to explain some of their rationale and understanding for each symbol and each product created Student is able to explain some of their rationale and understanding for several symbols and several products created Student is not able to explain their rationale and understanding for each symbol and each product created  
Symbol Choices Student is able to decide on a specific symbol and clearly articulate their rationale for their choice Student is able to decide on a specific symbol and express their rationale for their choice Student chooses a specific symbol and can explain some of their rationale for their choice Student can choose a symbol and can explain some of their reasoning for their choice Student did not choose a symbol and can not explain their reasoning for their choice  
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TheAmerican Flag

• Description
• Students will study, recognize, interpret, and
  construct an American flag. They will use the
  American flag as an example to create their own
  flag to represent themselves or their class.
• Materials
• White Cardstock
• Construction Paper, Crayons, Markers, Pencils,
  Glue and Scissors (and/or cloth materials is
  possible)
• Stars and Stripes, Our National Flag by Leonard
  Everett Fisher
• Fireworks, Picnics and Flags , by James Cross
  Giblin
• Computer Lab

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The American Flag

• Procedures
• Read Stars and Stripes, Our National Flag, by
  Leonard Everett Fisher. Discuss all of the
  different flags that have been used before our
  current flag was adopted.
• Read the flag information from Fireworks, Picnics
  and Flags, by James Cross Giblin. This tells the
  history of the American flag and how it has given
  us a sense of pride in our nation.
• Have students explore the New Flag information
  from the Americas Story website. Listen to the
  United States Marine Band perform the song, True
  to the Flag.
• Pass out card stock and related craft materials.
  Instruct students to create a diagram of the
  American Flag, complete with explanations for
  what the stars and stripes on the flag stand for.
  
• Instruct students to add any other important
  information learned to the diagram, such as the
  feelings it gives people, etc.
• Finally, have students design a flag to represent
  themselves or the class. Create a diagram of the
  flag, complete with explanations for what the
  flag symbolizes. Add information on what it
  represents.

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The American Flag

• Goals
• Identify and explain the purpose of the American
  Flag and what it represents to our country
• Distinguish the symbolism of a flag by creating
  an individual or class flag

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The Liberty Bell and Bald Eagle

• Description
• Students will explore and explain the
  significance of the Bald Eagle and the Liberty
  Bell. They will consider the liberties and
  freedoms people in America are granted and search
  for ways in which the Bald Eagle is used to
  symbolize the United States.
• Materials
• The Story of the Liberty Bell, by Natalie Miller
• Fireworks, Picnics and Flags, by James Cross
  Giblin
• Examples of coins, postage stamps, dollar bills,
  the Great Seal of the United States, etc. that
  have the eagle on them
• Copies of the Liberty Bell outline
• Writing Paper with room for pictures
• Pencils and crayons

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The Liberty Bell and Bald Eagle

• Procedures
• Read The Story of the Liberty Bell, by Natalie
  Miller and the Liberty Bell information in
  Fireworks, Picnics and Flags, by James Cross
  Giblin.
• Pass out an outline of the Liberty Bell. Under
  the writing on the bell, instruct the students to
  write at least two of the liberties or freedoms
  they have. The link to the Liberty Bell outline
  can also be explored by the students.
• Read the Bald Eagle information in Fireworks,
  Picnics, and Flags, by James Cross Giblin, which
  tells about how the eagle became a symbol of our
  country.
• Pass out coins, dollar bills, etc. for children
  to locate the eagle on them. Pass out writing
  paper to the students. Instruct the students to
  write about a name and/or draw a place where the
  eagle represents our country (i.e., coins,
  postage stamps, dollar bills, the Great Seal of
  the United States, etc.).

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The Liberty Bell and Bald Eagle

• Goals
• Be introduced and become familiar with the
  Liberty Bell and Bald Eagle
• Identify at least two liberties or freedoms
  people have in America
• Identify an object that uses the eagle to
  represent our country

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Patriotic Celebrations

• Description
• Students will explore and identify significant
  historical music and the tradition of parades to
  create a patriotic celebration parade.
• Materials
• Recording of Yankee Doodle Dandy
• Poster of Lyrics for Yankee Doodle Dandy
• Yankee Doodle, by Richard Schackburg
• Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat, by Gene Baer
• Sentence Strips
• Pencils, Markers, Crayons
• Construction Paper Shapes and glue (if possible)

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Patriotic Celebrations

• Procedures
• Introduce the lesson by playing a recording of
  Yankee Doodle Dandy. Ask the students if they
  recognize the music. Sing the song with the
  children. Explain that this is a very old song
  which was popular during the time of President
  George Washington.
• Read the book Yankee Doodle, by Richard
  Schackburg. This is an illustrated version of
  the song. The illustrations depict pictures of
  Revolutionary War soldiers. Discuss the
  illustrations with the children, pointing out the
  marching, uniforms, flags, and colors.
• Introduce the discussion about parades by asking
  how many children have been to a parade. Discuss
  children's experiences with parades. Ask the
  children why we have parades. Ask if children
  know what was being celebrated at the parades
  they have attended.
• Read Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat, by Gene Baer.
  Discuss what children saw in the parade in the
  book. Who and what would one see in a parade?
  Discuss the use of marching and parades at the
  time of George Washington.
• Instruct the students to draw pictures of their
  own parades on long sentence strips. Use the
  illustrations in Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat as
  an example, have the children identify the shapes
  they see in the book and encourage the children
  to use these shapes when drawing their own
  parade.

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Patriotic Celebrations

• Goals
• Be introduced to and identify historical
  patriotic music, such as Yankee Doodle Dandy
• Identify the tradition of parades as a way of
  celebrating

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A Tour of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

• Description
• Students will explore the significance of the
  Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. They will
  take virtual field trips of the Statue of Liberty
  and Ellis Island to learn how and why immigrants
  came to America. A reflection will be written to
  comprehend why immigrants come to America and
  what the Statue of Liberty represents.
• Materials
• The Story of the Statue of Liberty, by Betsy and
  Giulio Maestro
• Watch the Stars Come Out, by Riki Levinson
• Computer Lab
• Pencils and Crayons
• Writing Paper

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A Tour of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

• Procedures
• Show the students the cover of the book The Story
  of the Statue of Liberty, by Betsy and Giulio
  Maestro without showing the title of the book.
  Ask the student who is pictured on the cover and
  what they know about her.
• Read The Story of the Statue of Liberty, by Betsy
  and Giulio Maestro the story to the students.
  Ask the students why would you give a gift to a
  friend and when/why have you received a gift from
  a friend? Tell the students that Bartholdi
  wanted the statue he built to be as a remembrance
  of the old friendship between France and America
  as well as a symbol of freedom in the New World.
  Show the students these pages from the book
  again.
• Tell the students many of the people who came to
  America were poor and didnt even bring very
  much with them. America was the land of
  hopewhere their dreams could come true. Read
  this quote to the students
• Immigrant Quote
• Victor Tartarini, Italy
• When I saw the Statue of Liberty . . . (gasp) .
  . . it was
• something beautiful. I knew I was in America,
  you know. I
• knew I was going to see my father. I knew I was
  going to see
• my stepmother. I had somebody to love.
• Ask the students how do they think people felt
  about seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first
  time and then introduce and read Watch the
  StarsCome Out, by Riki Levinson.
• Have students explore the Statue of Liberty
  through a photo tour and also interact with the
  audio, video, and photo tour of Ellis Island.
• Pass out writing paper to the students. Instruct
  the students to write about why they think
  immigrants come to America and what the Statue of
  Liberty represents, complete with pictures that
  match their words.

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A Tour of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

• Goals
• Identify the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• Describe why immigrants come to America
• Explain that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of
  friendship and freedom

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Two Stepping Through Texas

• Description
• Students will participate and engage in a
  webquest aboutTexas and its official state
  symbols to record andquiz their knowledge of
  theinformation they learned. 
• Materials
• Computer Lab
• Writing paper for Process section answers
• Pencils

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Two Stepping Through Texas

• Procedures
• Have students explore and interact with the
  Two-Stepping Through Texas webquest.
• Pass out writing paper to the students to answer
  the questions posed in the Process section of the
  webquest (actually making a book is optional).
• Instruct the students to complete the Quiz in the
  Evaluation section of the webquest.

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Two Stepping Through Texas

• Goals
• Identify the official state symbols of Texas,
  such as the Texas Flag, the Pecan Tree, the
  mockingbird, the Alamo, and the bluebonnet

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The Pledge of Allegiance

• Description
• Students will study and interpret the Pledge.
  They will use the Pledge as an example to create
  their own Pledge for the kind of friend they want
  to be.
• Materials
• The Pledge of Allegiance, by Barbra Clack
• Chart paper with Pledge written on left side
• Thick writing marker
• Pencils
• Writing Paper

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The Pledge of Allegiance

• Procedures
• Read The Pledge of Allegiance, by Barbra Clack.
  Discuss the kinds of observations that can be
  made from the pictures on each page.
• Discuss and explain what each line of the Pledge
  means and translate them into simple lines using
  Barbra Clacks pictures for support.
• Present The Pledge of Allegiance site. Display
  how and why the Pledge has been changed over
  time. Compare the sites examination of the
  Pledge with the examination of the class pledge.
• Have students create a pledge for themselves or
  for the class. Pass out writing paper for
  students to develop a pledge, complete with
  explanations for what each line stands for.

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The Pledge of Allegiance

• Goals
• Identify and explain the purpose and meaning of
  the Pledge and what it represents to our country
• Distinguish the symbolism of the Pledge by
  creating an individual or class Pledge

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Individual Symbol

• Description
• Students will create their own symbol to
  represent the values, people, and objects that
  are most important to them.
• Materials
• White Cardstock
• Construction Paper, Crayons, Markers, Pencils,
  Glue and Scissors (and/or cloth materials is
  possible)

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Individual Symbol

• Procedures
• Discuss the meaning of the term symbol,
  reminding the students of all the symbols they
  have been learning about. Review with the
  students what a symbol is, what are some examples
  of symbols (esp. to represent America).
• Have students consider what kind of symbol might
  represent themselves. Model the thought process
  by sharing a symbol you would use to represent
  yourself. For example, a book represents a love
  of reading or a controller represents playing a
  lot of video games.
• Pass out card stock and related craft materials.
  Instruct students to create own symbol diagram to
  represent themselves or the class.
• Instruct students to add important information to
  the diagram, such as the reason each symbol was
  chosen and what it symbolizes.

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Individual Symbol

• Goals
• Explore, determine, and visually represent
  values, people, and objects that are important in
  own life