Unit Plan: This is My Country

Lesson Plan for Tuesday Grade: Kindergarten Social Studies Strand: Civics

Submitted By: Elizabeth Prisbrey

EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2014 Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan for Tuesday

Strand: Civics

submitted by: Elizabeth Prisbrey

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan: This social studies lesson is designed for kindergarten students to learn about the American Flag. The students will learn the history of the American Flag and what is symbolizes. C. Basic Information: Grade Level: Kindergarten Time to Complete this Lesson: Approx. 50 min. Groupings: Whole group reading and discussion, independent for activity and assessment

D. Materials: Video of the song, Youre a Grand ole Flag, found at the following link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14857-mC09A Our American Flag by Mary Firestone American Flag Blue construction paper 7 white construction paper strips 8 red construction paper strips 50 white stars in bags for each student Glue sticks Pencils Smart board E. Objectives: o NV State Social Studies Standards o C13.K.5A Develop an awareness of traditional U.S. and Nevada patriotic activities, holidays, or symbols. C13.K.5A I know that the American flag is a U.S. symbol.

Student-Friendly Standards

F. Vocabulary Symbol an object or visual that stands for something else like ideas, feelings, or beliefs Freedom being able to think, act, and speak as you want to Liberty being able to choose what you want to do Courage doing something that may be scary

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

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Lesson Plan for Tuesday

G. Procedure:

Strand: Civics

submitted by: Elizabeth Prisbrey

1. Remind the students that yesterday they learned about U.S. symbols. Briefly discuss what a symbol is. Ask the students if they can remember and name some U.S. symbols. Have the students point out a U.S. symbol that hangs in their classroom every day (flag). Ask the students if they know why this symbol is important.

2. Have the students come to the carpet. Bring the flag to the carpet. Have the students describe the flag (colors and shapes). Have the students count the number of stars and stripes. Ask the students if they think the stars and stripes stand for, or symbolize, anything. Discuss the book (pictures, history of the flag, the stars and stripes, etc.). Brainstorm what the flag symbolizes (courage, freedom, liberty, etc.). Revisit vocabulary words that were discussed on Monday to help the students brainstorm. Write ideas on the board.

3. Read, Our American Flag by Mary Firestone.

4. Let the students know that you would like them to create an American Flag. Show the students the flag you created. Tell them you will hang it on the board so they can see it. Have the students write one thing the flag symbolizes on their flag. Show the students what you wrote (The American Flag stands for freedom). Remind the students to stretch out their words when they spell.

5. Have the students return to their tables. Pass out the construction paper and pencils. Give the students time to create their flag.

H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding? The students will create an American Flag and tell what it symbolizes. Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. Students must develop an awareness of traditional U.S. and Nevada patriotic activities, holidays, or symbols. By creating an American Flag and writing about one thing it symbolizes, the students will show that they are aware of a traditional U.S. symbol. I. Closure:
EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3

Nevada State College

Lesson Plan for Tuesday

Strand: Civics

submitted by: Elizabeth Prisbrey

I will close by playing the video of the song, Youre a Grand ole Flag. This will sum up what the flag symbolizes in a fun and engaging way.

J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think it will be easy to teach about the appearance of the flag. I think the students will enjoy pointing out the colors and shapes as these will be things that they are familiar with and work with on a regular basis. I believe they will also enjoy counting the stars and stripes and trying to decide what they symbolize. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? I think the most challenging part will probably be teaching about what the stars and stripes stand for. Students at this age may not understand what a colony or even a state is. I think I will have to keep the explanation as simple as possible, but I I believe the book will help with this. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? I will extend the lesson by asking the students to pay attention to the American Flags they see around their community. We will create a class list of places the students have noticed an American Flag flying, such as schools, hospitals, gas stations, etc. 4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? If the students struggle with recognize the American Flag as a traditional U.S. symbol, I will show them flags from other countries and tell them that the flag represents a different country. I will show pictures of those flags in the communities of other countries. I think this will help the students understand that the American Flag only represents the United States. 5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? I am concerned about time, because I am not familiar enough with how quickly kindergartners work. Therefore, I think I may need to cut something out. I am not sure which part to cut though. I could probably cut out having the students count the stars and stripes, but I think this is great practice for kindergartners. I may have to skim the book and go to only the pages I feel are most important for students to know at this age. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part? The most difficult part was deciding whether or not I should give so much attention to one U.S. symbol. The students had an overview of U.S. symbols on Monday, in which they learn what a symbol is and are presented with several U.S. symbols. After much inner debate, I decided the students needed an in depth lesson on the U.S. flag because of the lesson they will be receiving on Wednesday about the
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 4

Lesson Plan for Tuesday

Strand: Civics

submitted by: Elizabeth Prisbrey

Pledge of Allegiance. Once I decided that a full lesson on the American flag was needed, the lesson wasnt too difficult to create.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 5