American SymbolsA Two Week Unit for Kindergarten

Created by Kathy Ingram

AndMelanie Ratliff

Table of ContentsRationale

Standards-Based Education Unit Planning TemplateStandards

Concept MapOutline

Goal and ObjectivesEssential Question

Activity OneActivity Two

Activity ThreeActivity FourActivity FiveActivity Six

Activity SevenActivity Eight

Activity ReviewEvaluations

Conclusion and OutcomeTeacher and Student Materials

Resources

Rationale

• The rationale for creating this unit is to provide an opportunity for Kindergarten students to identify important American symbols and explain their meaning.

Standard-Based Education Unit Planning Template

Standards-based Education Unit Planning Template 

Grade target: Kindergarten    Subject:  Social Studies     

Unit: Importance of American Symbols1st: What should students know and be able to do?

They should know and be able to discuss American symbols.

StandardStandard 1: Historical Understandings

 What are the essential understandings? Understand the American Symbols.

Students will need to know... American Symbols  Students will need to be able to do... Discuss and write about American symbols

Planning Template Continued

• 2nd: How will I and they know when they are successful? Through observation, writing journals, and projects. Also through one-to-one discussions with the students and class discussions.

• What evidence will show that the students understand? (Performance Tasks, Quizzes, Tests, Other Evidence) Writing journal entries, games, and discussions.

•  3rd: What learning experiences will facilitate their success? On-line video, books, arts and crafts, and activities on-line.

• What teaching and learning experiences will equip students to demonstrate the targeted understandings? The students will watch a videos about important American symbols. Also, reading books and completing on-line activities, and writing about what they have learned. They will also learn patriotic songs.

Georgia Standards

• SSKH2 The student will identify important American symbols and explain their meaning.

• a. The national and state flags (United States and Georgia flags).

• b. The bald eagle

• c. The Statue of Liberty

• d. Lincoln Memorial

Georgia Standards Continued

• e. Washington Monument

• f. White House

• g. Pledge of Allegiance

• h. Star Spangled Banner

Georgia Standards Continued

• ELAKW1 The student begins to understand the principals of writing. The student

• a. Writes or dictates to describe familiar persons, places, objects, or experiences.

• b. Uses drawings, letters, and phonetically spelled words to create meaning.

• c. Accurately prints name, all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet, and teacher-selected words.

• c. Uses left-to-right pattern of writing.• e. Begins to use capitalization at the beginning of

sentences and punctuation (periods and question marks) at the end of sentences.

Georgia Standards Continued

• ELAKW2 The student begins to write in a variety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive, and response to literature.

• The student produces a response to literature that: • a. Retells a story orally, through pictures, or in writing.

Georgia Standards Continued

• ELAKLSV! The student uses oral and visual skills to communicate. The student

• a. Listens and speaks appropriately with peers and adults.• b. Follows two-part oral directions.• c. Repeats auditory sequences (letters, words, numbers, and

rhythmic patterns).• d. Recites short poems, rhymes, songs, and stories with repeated

patterns).• e. Describes people, places, things, locations and actions.• f. Increases vocabulary to reflect a growing range of interests and

knowledge.• g. Communicates effectively when relating experiences and

retelling stories heard.• h. Uses complete sentences when speaking.• i. Begins to use subject-verb agreement and tense.

American Symbols

Watch a video (Old

Glory), color flag, and

learn a song

Learn facts and make a puppet

Color picture,learn facts,

and label picture

Read book, and

view pictures

Make 3 cornered hat

Virtual tour

Say pledge,Make bookmark

Eat snack, and

Watch video (Singing the Star-Spangled Banner

with Corresponding

Animation

Concept Map

EQ: Why are these American symbolsImportant?

Georgia Standard:SSKH2 The student will identify important American symbols and explain their meaning.

Watch video

OutlineAmerican SymbolsI. National Flaga. Watch videob. Color flagc. Learn song

II. Bald Eaglea. Learn factsb. Eagle paper bag puppet

III. Statue of Libertya. Online coloring pageb. Facts about Statue of Libertyc. Label picture during Writer’s Workshop

IV. Lincoln Memoriala. Read bookb. View photos

V. Washington Monumenta. Make a three cornered hat

VI. White Housea. Virtual tour

VII. Pledge of Allegiancea. Recite Pledge of Allegianceb. Make pledge bookmark

VII. Star Spangled Bannera. Make flag snackb. Watch video

IV. Symbol Reviewa. Watch video

Goal and Objectives

• Goal: To introduce the

American symbols (the National Flag, Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, “Pledge of Allegiance”, and “Star Spangled Banner”) and explain their meaning.

• Objective: To learn the

importance of American symbols (the National Flag, Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, “Pledge of Allegiance”, and “Star Spangled Banner”) and explain their meaning.

Essential Question

• Why are these American symbols (the National Flag, Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, “Pledge of Allegiance”, and “Star Spangled Banner”) important?

Activity One

1. Click on the American Flag and watch the video (Old Glory) to discover flag facts.

2. Click here to print out an American flag and color it correctly.

3. Learn the Song “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and march around the room while waving your flag in the air.

Activity Two

• Click on the Eagle to learn interesting facts about American Bald Eagles.

• Click here to print off a template to a create a paper bag puppet.

Activity Three

• 1. Go to the computer and click here to go to an online coloring page to complete and then print off your final colored picture.

• 2. Click on the picture to find out facts about the Statue of Liberty.

• 3. After you complete your online coloring page label the parts of the Statue of Liberty during Writer’s Workshop.

Activity Four

• 1. Read the book “President’s Day” by David F. Marx.

• 2. Click on the picture of the Lincoln Memorial to view photos of the monument.

Activity Five

• Click here to find the directions to make a three cornered hat.

Activity Six

• Click here to take a virtual tour of the White House.

Activity Seven

• Recite the Pledge of Allegiance

• Click here to make a Pledge of Allegiance bookmark.

Activity Eight

• Click here to make a delicious flag snack.

• Enjoy your snack while watching this video about the Star Spangled Banner . (Singing the Star-Spangled Banner with

Corresponding Animation) Be sure to listen to the words in the song.

American Symbol Review

Click on the picture to watch a video.

Evaluations

Rubric 3 2 1

Color Flag Followed all directions. Colored neatly and correctly.

Followed 2 or more directions. Did best coloring.

Followed 1 direction. Some coloring.

Puppet Followed all directions. Cut and glued parts correctly.

Followed 2 or more directions. Cut on or near lines and used glue correctly.

Followed 1 direction.Some cutting and gluing.

Labeling Labeled all parts legibly and correctly.

Labeled at least 4 parts legibly and correctly.

Labeled 2 parts legibly and correctly.

Bookmark Followed all directions. Cut and glued parts correctly.

Followed 2 or more directions. Cut on or near lines and used glue correctly.

Followed 1 direction. Some cutting and gluing.

•Teacher observation of student participation in singing, watching videos, and listening to story.•Higher level students may write up to 3 sentences. Lower level students may draw a picture.

Conclusion and Outcome

• This unit is designed to help Kindergarten students understand important American symbols. The students will identify these symbols through online activities, videos, discussions, songs, crafts, and various activities in this unit.

Teacher and Student Materials

• FlagFlag template printed (copy paper) and crayons

• Eagle puppet:Eagle template printed (copy paper), brown paper bags, scissors, and glue sticks

• Statue of Liberty:Statue of Liberty template printed (copy paper), and pencils

• Three cornered hat:Black construction paper, staples, stapler, and feathers

• Bookmark:Bookmark template, crayons, scissors, and glue sticks

• Flag Snack:Graham crackers, blue, red, and white frosting, white chocolate chips, plastic knives, and

paper plates

• LCD Projector or Smart Board• Student computers• “President’s Day” by David F. Marx

Resources • Flag coloring pagehttp://www.coloringcastle.com/pdfs/flags/flag-usa.pdf• Flag videohttp://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=1B6D29D3-4127-4DB7-A03C-130A3841EDFA• Eagle factshttp://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/symbols/eagle.html• Eagle crafthttp://www.first-school.ws/t/bageagle_1c.htm• American symbols photo storyhttp://teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=81e620d94a8a76447a8a• Statue of Liberty factshttp://www.rcs.k12.va.us/csjh/statue_of_liberty.htm• Lincoln Memorial Photoshttp://bayimages.net/washington-dc/lincoln-memorial/• Three cornered Hathttp://www.ldfr.com/presday/3corneredhat/

Resources• White House Virtual tourhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/360index.html• Bookmarkhttp://www.first-school.ws/t/craft/esbookmark_pledgec.htm• Star Spangled Banner videohttp://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=1E5F4EBB-18CC-4971-9461-8FFF8B9EC766• “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and Flag Snackhttp://www.thevirtualvine.com/united.html• Book“President’s Day” by David F. Marx• Pictureswww.google.com/images• Sample projecthttp://ada.lesley.edu/faculty/fthanson/5022_student/SandraBrown/index_files/frame.htm• Statue of Liberty coloring pagehttp://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/flag-day-united-states-symbols/statue-of-

liberty.html