American Symbols and Patriotism



Lesson Synopsis:Students learn about Mt. Rushmore and review United States symbols. Students review federalism as it relates to adding territory and new states to the United States. Students locate states and capitals, and important cities in the United States.TEKS:5.7Geography. The student understands the concept of regions in the United States. The student is expected to:5.7CLocate on a map important political features, such as ten of the largest urban areas in the United States, the fifty states and their capitals, and regions such as the Northeast, the Midwest, and the Southwest.5.17Citizenship. The student understands important symbols, customs, celebrations, and landmarks that represent American beliefs and principles and contribute to our national identity. The student is expected to:5.17AExplain various patriotic symbols, including Uncle Sam, and political symbols such as the donkey and elephant.5.17CRecite and explain the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag.5.17EExplain the significance of important landmarks, including the White House, the Statue of Liberty, and Mount Rushmore.Social Studies Skills TEKS:5.24Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:5.24BAnalyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.5.25Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:5.24AUse social studies terminology correctly.5.25DCreate written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies.Getting Ready for InstructionPerformance Indicator(s):Create a booklet of American symbols. Include at least five symbols plus the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Show each symbol, explain its significance, and tell how it reflects our American beliefs. (5.17A., 5.17B; 5.24B; 5.25D)1CKey Understandings and Guiding Questions:Los símbolos con frecuencia muestran evidencia de patriotismo.?Por qué los símbolos de nuestro país son importantes para las personas?Vocabulary of Instruction: territorioadquisiciónfederalismosímbolopatriotismolealtadMaterials:Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.Attachments:Handout: Pledge of AllegianceTeacher Resource: History and Purpose of the Mt. Rushmore Landmark Handout: Mt. Rushmore Graphic Organizer (1 per student)Handout: The United States Grows (1 per group)Handout: State Investigations (2-3 copies; 1 page per student) Handout: Comparisons of City Populations (1 per student group)Handout: National Symbols (1 per group)Handout: Symbol Chart (1 per student)Handout: Symbols Cube (optional, 1 per student)Handout: Ben Franklin Disagrees (1 per student)Teacher Resource: Symbols Booklet Sample Template (optional)Resources and References:National AtlasMap of the United States with state borders or a map of the United States with states and capitals Map of Territorial Acquisitions Mt. Rushmore Preparation:Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including the history of Mt. Rushmore and how to cut out and fold a cube.Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.Preview materials and websites according to district guidelines.If possible, copy the symbols cube onto cardstock or thicker paper for sturdiness.Locate a territorial acquisition map that can be used to demonstrate as you read the story.Prepare materials and handouts as necessary.Conduct an Internet search for available coloring pages of Mount Rushmore.Background Information:This lesson serves as a bridge to Unit 8, which is on Westward Expansion. As the nation moves into a new stage of its development, from the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase to through the increase in its stature among nations, the United States is beginning its growth as a nation. In this lesson we begin to look forward and begin to set the foundation for students’ understanding of the nation and its history.Getting Ready for Instruction Supplemental Planning DocumentInstructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.Instructional ProceduresInstructional ProceduresNotes for TeacherENGAGENOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutesSuggested Day 1 ? 10 minutesDisplay or distribute the Handout: Pledge of AllegianceStudents recite the Pledge of Allegiance and recall the meaning of the words.Students think about the history of the United States they have studied so far (through the War of 1812). Transition to the next study topic using words such as:We have learned much about how our country began and about what binds us together as a nation.The country has begun to expand westward, as we have learned studying the expansion past the Appalachian Mountains and through the purchase and exploration of the Louisiana Purchase.We also learned about ways America celebrates what is important to us.This westward expansion is important to our nation, and we celebrate it.Encourage students to speculate on who they know that is important enough to the United States for a whole mountainside to be carved into a statue in their honor. (Listen to names and ideas.) Introduce students to the Mt. Rushmore Landmark by showing pictures and sharing information (see the Teacher Resource: History and Purpose of the Mt. Rushmore Landmark). Provide students with a blackline coloring page of Mount Rushmore that can be used as a graphic organizer. While the teacher reads the information on Mount Rushmore, students note important facts and ideas on the image including information on the leadership provided by these individuals.Materials:Information and pictures of Mount Rushmore Blackline image of Mount RushmoreAttachments:Handout: Pledge of AllegianceTeacher Resource: History and Purpose of the Mt. Rushmore Landmark TEKS: 5.17A; 5.17C; 5.17E; 5.24B Instructional Note:Conduct an Internet search for available coloring pages of Mount Rushmore. Students may use the outlined version of the landmark as a graphic organizer.EXPLORESuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 15 minutesDisplay and distribute a map of the United States with state boundaries (or the map with states and capitals). (The map of territorial acquisitions from the National Atlas could also be used.)Distribute the Handout: The United States Grows.Read aloud the story in the Handout: The United States Grows, using a map to point out the newly acquired territories.Students follow along, also using a map to locate the newly acquired territories and the states they became.Students divide into 10 groups (2-3 students per group), each taking 5 states. Each group works to locate the state capital of the list of 5, find a state motto and another symbols or landmarks from each. Each list has one example already completed as a guide for completing the others.Each student group makes a very short presentation of their research pointing out one state and state capital at a time while fellow students find the states and capitals on their maps.Display all 10 reports.Materials:Map of the United States with state borders or a map of the United States with states and capitals Map of Territorial Acquisitions Information on states and their capitals and slogansatlasesAttachments:Handout: The United States Grows (1 per group)Handout: State Investigations (2-3 copies; 1 page per student) TEKS: 5.7C; 5.17A; 5.24B; 5.25DInstructional NoteThe purpose of this strategy is to learn that there are 50 states and each state has a capital, symbols and traditions AND that the students can look up and locate states and their capitals. The purpose is not to memorize 50 states and capitals. There are many territorial acquisition maps available in textbooks, geography books and on the Internet. Several were used in Lesson 1 of this unit.EXPLAINSuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 10 minutesDistribute to students two maps – one with the states labeled and one with the state boundaries but not labels.Student pairs take turns trying to locate and name as many states as they can. Student A uses the map with state boundaries but no labels, and Student B checks his/her naming using the map with the states labeled.Students switch and Student B now names the states while Student A checks.Materials:Map of the United States showing the state boundaries unlabeled (1 per student)Map of the United States showing the state boundaries labeled (1 per student)TEKS: 5.7C; 5.17A; 5.24B; 5.25DEXPLORESuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 5 minutesDivide students into groups of four and give each group one copy of the United States census from 1790 and 2010. Tell the students that these are 10 of the most important and successful cities in the United States.Prompt the students with questions to help them compare the two charts. Use questions such as: Are there any cities on both charts? (New York and Philadelphia) Where are the largest cities located in 1790? Where in 2010? Can you locate them on a map? Encourage students to use appropriate social studies terminology when they are answering the questions above.Model for students placing the cities on a map, marking 1790 cities first with one color marker and then 2010 cities with another color marker. Students add the cities to their maps (and to the legends for their maps)Encourage students to make inferences about the cities using what they have learned.Which states have the most large cities today? (California and Texas) Why did these states not have large cities in the 1790 census?Are there any cities which are no longer on the map? Encourage students to make their own observations.Students predict about the largest cities and city populations for the census of 2020.Materials:Maps showing states that students have been using (and one copy for the teacher)Markers in 2 colorsAttachments:Handout: Comparisons of City Populations (1 per student group)TEKS: 5.7C; 5.24A; 4.25BEXPLAINSuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 5 minutesStudents repeat the naming activity from the Explain section above.Distribute to students two maps – one with the states labeled and one with the state boundaries but not labels.Student pairs take turns trying to locate and name as many states as they can. Student A uses the map with state boundaries but no labels, and Student B checks his/her naming using the map with the states labeled.Students switch and Student B now names the states while Student A checks.Materials:Map of the United States showing the state boundaries unlabeled (1 per student)Map of the United States showing the state boundaries labeled (1 per student)TEKS: 5.7C; 5.17A; 5.24B; 5.25DEXPLAIN – More National SymbolsSuggested Day 2 (continued) ? 10 minutesStudents recall National Landmarks and symbols they have learned about. (Quick review from the past few days of lessons.) Clarify any misinformation and prompt students to help them remember.There are other things we look to today to symbolize our beliefs and patriotism, things that the new nation looked to express their patriotism and to bind them together as a nation and help define our national identity. These include the bald eagle, the Capitol building, the White House, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and even the donkey and elephant that represent our political parties.Divide students into groups of 6. Distribute the Handout: National Symbols to each group.Distribute the Handout: Symbol ChartEach student in the group studies a different symbol and summarizes information on their Handout: Symbol Chart.Students then present their learning to the other group members, who record information on their Handout: Symbol Chart.Facilitate a discussion where students contribute information about national symbols, what they represent, and why symbols are important to people of the United States.Symbols often display evidence of patriotism.Why are symbols of our country important to people? (i.e., they help us remember and celebrate what is important to us and bind us together as a nation) Materials:Information on national symbols including bald eagle, the Capitol building, the White House, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and even the donkey and elephantAttachments:Handout: National Symbols (1 per group)Handout: Symbol Chart (1 per student)Instructional Note:If students are placed in groups of 3, each student would learn about and present information on 2 of the symbols.EXPLAINSuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 5 minutesStudent pairs share:3 symbols of the United States and what they symbolize2 reasons symbols are important to a country1 important thing to celebrate about our countryMaterials:Map pencils to draw symbols on cubescissors and glue to create cubeAttachments:Handout: Symbols Cube (optional, 1 per student)TEKS: 5.17A; 5.17C; 5.17E; 5.24B; 5.25DInstructional Note:Alternate Explain activity: Symbols CubeDistribute the Handout: Symbols Cube (If possible, copy the symbols cube onto cardstock or thicker paper for sturdiness)Each student creates a symbols cube which will allow for 6 important United States symbols of their choice. Student will draw and label 6 symbols of the United States of America. (Students use their completed symbols sheets as reference.Students cut out their cube, fold it and glue the tabs on the inside to complete the cube.Cubes can be used for matching games, center activities, or can be hung for display and review.EXTENDSuggested Day 1 (continued) ? 5 minutesStudents read the statement from the Handout: Ben Franklin Disagrees about the bald eagle and the turkey. (Or, teacher may read it aloud.) Students decide if they agree or disagree. Students draw a picture of another symbol for the United States of America that we do not have already. Explain why it would be a very good symbol for the United States of America.Attachments:Handout: Ben Franklin Disagrees (1 copy to read aloud or 1 copy per student)TEKS: 5.17A; 5.24A; 5.24B; 5.25A EVALUATESuggested Day 5 ? 25 minutes Create a booklet of American symbols. Include at least five symbols plus the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Show each symbol, explain its significance, and tell how it reflects our American beliefs. (5.17A., 5.17B; 5.24B; 5.25D)1CMaterials:Paper for making a booklet (4 pages folded in half)Attachments:Teacher Resource: Symbols Booklet Sample Template (optional)TEKS: 5.17A, 5.24B; 5.25DInstructional Note:Symbols used in this unit include: White House, Capitol, Star-Spangled Banner (song and flag), Uncle Sam, USS Constitution, bald eagle, Statue of Liberty, Mt. Rushmore. Students may be aware of other symbols as a result of prior learning. These other symbols can be acceptable as well, and could include Washington Monument, the national flower the rose, the national tree the oak, the bison, and others.The booklet should include 8 pages made from 4 pieces of paper folded in half. They should include: a cover, a page for the national anthem, a page for the Pledge of Allegiance, and a page for each of 5 symbols chosen by the student. ................
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