Lesson title: A Look at the Flag through Time!

Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the American flag as a symbol
with what it represents and how it has changed over time by completing the Flag Timeline
activity worksheet.
-Student Job: I can give examples of American symbols and explain how they unite
people across time.
Standard: 1.1.3 Students know and understand the symbols, icons, and traditions of the United
States that provide continuity and a sense of community across time.
Materials:
Books
Flag examples
Worksheet
Colored pencils
Anticipatory Set (10 mins):
Teacher:
1. Show examples of symbols students know:
Starbucks, Minecraft, and Disney.
2. What is an American symbol?
-Why do we need a flag? Every country has
a different flag (symbol to represent a
country or place to unite the people)
- Point out different flags from different
countries, even different states have
different flags and show CA flag as an
example.

Student:
1. Students will take notice of the symbols they
know on the PowerPoint.
2. Students will listen and take notice of how
the American flag is a symbol for the United
States.
- They will observe how every country has
its own flag and look at examples of flags of
other countries and the CA flag.

Direct Instruction (10 mins):

Teacher:
3. Share student job.
4. Read marked pages in books
- Remind students to look for symbols of the
Flag, colors, stars, and stripes (check for
understanding).
5. Pass out handout.

Guided Practice (10 mins):

Student:
3. Students will listen to what their job is for
this lesson.
4. Students will listen to books being read and
listen for symbols and what they mean.

5. Table leaders will help pass out hand out.

Teacher:
6. Review and emphasize what the flag stands
for and what the parts of the flag symbolize
(checking for understanding). Label these parts
on the worksheet as a whole group.
- 13 stripes: original 13 colonies
- Stars: 1 for each state
- Red: courage
- White: purity
- Blue: justice
7. Talk about how the flag has changed over
time with adding more states just like a baby
changes over time and grows into a first grader
(show examples)!
-Point out different years and the different
number of stars on each flag. Find and label
what year the 3 flags on the handout are
from.

Student:
6. Students will follow along with what is
being modeled with labeling a flag on their
timeline.

7. Students will take notice of the flag

examples and see how there are different
numbers of stars on each flag to show when
states were added. Students will help look for
what year each of the 3 flags on their timeline
are from and label it.

Independent Practice (10 mins):

Teacher:
8. Have students write 1-2 facts they learned
about the American symbol and why is it
important.
9. Share facts with a partner.
10. Give directions as students are finishing
that they may color in their flags on the
timeline if they finish early.

Student:
8. Students will write 1-2 facts they learned
about an American symbol and why it is
important.
9. Share facts with a partner.
10. Students who finish will color in their flags
on the timeline worksheet.

Closure (5 mins):
Teacher:
11. Have 2 or 3 students share the 1-2 facts
they wrote with the class.
12. Go back to the students job and ask did we
get our job done?

Student:
11. A few students will share the 1-2 facts they
wrote with the class.
12. Students will decide if they did their job
(thumbs or thumbs down).

Assessment:
The assessment will be the student worksheet with the labeled flag, correct dates of 3 flags
on the timeline, and 2 facts about the American flag that were interesting.

Accommodations:
- ELs: Visuals are embedded in the lesson. We will make use of the 5 domains for English
Learners as process steps throughout the lesson (read, listen, think, say, write).
- Exceptional Learning Need (student with Autism): Student will be monitored for behavior
and staying on task, he will earn 5 minutes to play with Legos or draw depending on how
well he does. His IEP behavior plan states that he will use coping strategies with the aid to
address issues as they arise. He may be at learning center during this lesson in the
afternoon.