Competency: Recognize the Statue of Liberty

Lesson Overview: The purpose of this lesson is to teach students to recognize the
Statue of Liberty and recognize its importance as a national symbol.
This lesson plan includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

The Statue of Liberty Vocabulary

The Statue of Liberty (story)
The Statue of Liberty Vocabulary Matching
Conversation about the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty Sentence Completion
The Statue of Liberty Crossword Puzzle
The Statue of Liberty Pictures
The Statue of Liberty Vocabulary Flashcards (optional)
The Statue of Liberty Facts (optional)

Approximate Time: 1 hours

Prerequisite Skills: Students must be able to read and write simple sentences and be
able to follow simple one-step directions.
Prerequisite Vocabulary:
United States
symbol
freedom
gift

symbolize
world
name
opportunity

seas
continent

Vocabulary:
statue
liberty
New York
France
landmark

torch
crown
spike(s)

Materials Needed: White board or flip chart, erasable markers, construction or drawing
paper, colored markers/pencils, crayons, glue, handouts, pictures of the Statue of
Liberty, Statue of Liberty Vocabulary Flash Cards, and prizes (optional).
Equipment Needed: Multimedia computers with Internet access. (optional)

2001-2002 ESL Special Project

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Basic Skills Department
Lesson Plan: Recognize the Statue of Liberty

Page 1

Activities:
1. Explain the purpose of the lesson. Explain to the students very briefly that there
are symbols used to depict Americans' shared values, principles, and beliefs.
(Use language appropriate for your students' skill levels.) Also explain that they
will learn (or have learned) about several different symbols and today they will
learn to identify the Statue of Liberty.
2. Ask the students what they already know about the Statue of Liberty. Write
down student responses on the board or flip chart. Review orally.
3. Show the students Pictures of the Statue of Liberty.
4. Go over new vocabulary. You may want to write the words on the board.
a. First of all make sure that each student can correctly pronounce the new
words by having them pronounce the words aloud as a group and then
individually. Repeat as necessary.
b. Give the students Handout: The Statue of Liberty Vocabulary.
Carefully explain each word and make sure that students understand the
meanings. Review as necessary.
5. Give students Handout: The Statue of Liberty. Read the story to the class as
the students follow along. Explain in appropriate detail any new information or
vocabulary words.
6. After having discussed the story, have students get in pairs or small groups and
take turns reading a paragraph in the story until the entire story is completed.
Repeat as necessary.
7. Give students Handout: Statue of Liberty Vocabulary Matching. After the
students have completed the handout, review the answers orally.
8. Have students practice the Conversation about the Statue of Liberty. You
can have them do this in pairs at their seats, in pairs at the front of the room, or
both. Repeat as necessary. The teacher can also participate by reading the
script of one of the students.
9. Ask each student to draw a picture or write a short paragraph about what the
Statue of Liberty means to him or her. Post their work around the room and ask
each student to present his/her drawing or writing to the class.
10. Using the lesson's vocabulary and after having made sure that the students
know the meanings of the words, have the students complete the Handout:
2001-2002 ESL Special Project
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Basic Skills Department
Lesson Plan: Recognize the Statue of Liberty

Page 2

The Statue of Liberty Sentence Completion. Review the answers orally.

Assessment/Evaluation of Learning:
1. Teacher observation of students participation.
2. Evaluation of completed worksheets/handouts.

Optional or follow-up Activities/Ideas:

1. Use the enclosed Statue of Liberty Facts to teach your students additional
facts about the Statue of Liberty.
a. Activity: Write some of the facts about the Statue of Liberty on the
board. For example: Length of nose -- 4'6", Distance across the eye -2'6", Width of mouth-- 3' 0", etc. Then have the students use a yardstick
or rulers to measure how far some of the shorter distances are. The
students can do this on the board or on sheets of paper that have been
taped together.
2. Use Statue of Liberty Flash Cards for further vocabulary development. You
may also have the students make up their own flash cards on 3 X 5 index
cards.
3. Give students Handout: The Statue of Liberty Crossword Puzzle. (This
crossword puzzle was made with Wordsheets 5.0 software available at
www.qualint.com. There is a free demonstration version that allows 10
printings. After that, the software must be purchased.) After the students have
completed the handout, review the answers orally.
4. Students can practice writing sentences using the vocabulary.
5. If you have Internet access you can show the students the following website that
has a live shot of the Statue of Liberty. http://www.sccorp.com/cam/
Note: Since this is a live shot of the Statue of Liberty you may not be able to
see it if the weather is foggy, stormy, etc.

2001-2002 ESL Special Project

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Basic Skills Department
Lesson Plan: Recognize the Statue of Liberty

Page 3

2001-2002 ESL Special Project

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Basic Skills Department
Lesson Plan: Recognize the Statue of Liberty

Page 4