1. American Symbols A Two Week Unit for Kindergarten
Created by
Kathy Ingram
And
Melanie Ratliff

2. Table of Contents Rationale
Standards-Based Education Unit Planning Template
Standards
Concept Map
Outline
Goal and Objectives
Essential Question
Activity One
Activity Two
Activity Three
Activity Four
Activity Five
Activity Six
Activity Seven
Activity Eight
Activity Review
Evaluations
Conclusion and Outcome
Teacher and Student Materials
Resources

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

4. Standard-Based Education Unit Planning Template
Standards-based Education Unit Planning Template 
Grade target: Kindergarten    Subject:  Social Studies      Unit: Importance of American Symbols
1st: What should students know and be able to do?
They should know and be able to discuss American symbols. Standard
Standard 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Georgia Standards Continued
e. Washington Monument
f. White House
g. Pledge of Allegiance
h. Star Spangled Banner

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Watch a video (Old Glory), color
Concept Map
American Symbols
EQ: Why are these
American symbols
Important?
Georgia Standard:
SSKH2 The student will
identify important
American symbols
and explain their
meaning.
Watch video
Make 3 cornered hat
Watch a video (Old Glory), color
flag, and
learn a song
Color picture,
learn facts,
and
label picture
Read book, and
view pictures
Say pledge,
Make bookmark
Eat snack, and
Watch video (Singing the Star-Spangled Banner with Corresponding Animation
Learn facts and
make a puppet
Virtual tour

12. Outline American Symbols V. Washington Monument I. National Flag
a. Watch video
b. Color flag
c. Learn song
II. Bald Eagle
a. Learn facts
b. Eagle paper bag puppet
III. Statue of Liberty
a. Online coloring page
b. Facts about Statue of Liberty
c. Label picture during Writer’s Workshop
IV. Lincoln Memorial
a. Read book
b. View photos
V. Washington Monument
a. Make a three cornered hat
VI. White House
a. Virtual tour
VII. Pledge of Allegiance
a. Recite Pledge of Allegiance
b. Make pledge bookmark
VII. Star Spangled Banner
a. Make flag snack
b. Watch video
IV. Symbol Review
a. Watch video

13. 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.

14. 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?

15. Activity One
Click on the American Flag and watch the video (Old Glory) to discover flag facts.
Click here to print out an American flag and color it correctly.
Learn the Song “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and march around the room while waving your flag in the air.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. Activity Five
Click here to find the directions to make a three cornered hat.

20. Activity Six
Click here to take a virtual tour of the White House.

21. Activity Seven Recite the Pledge of Allegiance
Click here to make a Pledge of Allegiance bookmark.

22. 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.

23. American Symbol Review
Click on the picture to watch a video.

24. Evaluations Rubric 3 2 1 Color Flag Puppet Labeling Bookmark
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 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.

25. 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.

26. Teacher and Student Materials
Flag
Flag 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

27. Resources Flag coloring page
Flag video
Eagle facts
Eagle craft
American symbols photo story
Statue of Liberty facts
Lincoln Memorial Photos
Three cornered Hat

28. Resources White House Virtual tour
Bookmark
Star Spangled Banner video
“You’re a Grand Old Flag” and Flag Snack
Book
“President’s Day” by David F. Marx
Pictures
Sample project
Statue of Liberty coloring page