Promoting Patriotism
By: MacKenzie Allen, Janet Burger,
and Lindsey Vietor
Promoting Patriotism
• Grade Level 3
• Ohio Academic Content Standard
Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities
Students use knowledge of the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship in order to examine
and evaluate civic ideals and to participate in
community life and the American democratic
system.
General Theme
• Patriotism: Love for one’s country, to
support, serve, and defend, to be
inspired by, to change for the better
and to care deeply for its citizens.
• This is a five day resource unit that
will introduce students to patriotism.
Concepts and Vocabulary
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Pledge of Allegiance
Bill of Rights
Voting
Election
Patriotic Symbols
Patriotism
American flag
Ballot
Leadership
Government
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Liberty
Indivisible
Justice
Pledge
Democracy
Republic
Constitution
Amendment
Issues
Objectives
• Students will communicate in writing ways in
which they and their families can demonstrate
patriotism
• Students will create an American flag using the
correct colors and patterns
• Students will know that our government is a
democracy in which people vote in elections to
decide important issues such who will lead us
• Students will be able to write some of the
important rights included in the Bill of Rights
• Students will be able to understand why they say
the Pledge of Allegiance every day in class
Activity #1
• Materials -Patriotism by Lucia Raatma, patriotic
items such as T-shirts, hats, flags, etc., patriotic
writing paper, globe
• Introduction-Define patriotism-being proud of and
loyal to your country.
• Development-Read Patriotism and discuss as a
group.
• Talk about the country we live in and point it out
on a globe.
• Discuss patriotic symbols in our country.
• Share patriotic items with students.
Activity #1
• Concluding-As a whole class, create a list
of patriotic activities.
• Students will choose one or more of these
topics and use patriotic paper to write
about at least two ways they and/or their
families can be patriotic.
I am patriotic when….
Activity #2
• Materials - American flag, map of the United
States, scissors, glue stick, 1 piece of red
construction paper per student, 1 blue square of
construction paper per student and 1 piece of
white paper with 6 previously drawn stripes per
student.
• Introduction- Review the concept of patriotism.
• Explain that the American flag is a patriotic
symbol in America.
• Where do we see flags in everyday life?
• Discuss why we say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Activity #2
• Development-Talk about the meaning behind the
colors and pattern on the flag (use the map of the
United States as a reference).
• Demonstrate how to make and American flag out
of construction paper.
• Concluding-Allow time for students to construct
flags.
Our Flag
Activity #3
• Materials - Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin,
pre-made ballots, a ballot box, a globe, a map of
the United States
• Introduction- Discuss leadership. Who are some
of the leaders in our school, city, state and
country?
• How do we decide who will lead us? Talk about
voting and elections.
Activity #3
• Development-Read Duck for President.
Make connections between the book and
our democratic system.
• Have students complete pre-made ballots on
a school issue and place in ballot box.
• Concluding-Collect ballots and count votes
using tally marks to demonstrate how issues
are decided through the election process.
Activity #4
• Materials:
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Copy of Bill of Rights
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Bill of Rights Test (PDF)
Bill of Rights Test Answers (PDF)
Activity #4
• Introduction-Begin the lesson by explaining
and discussing that when the idea of having a
government over the people came up and the
Constitution was being written, people got
very nervous that the government would take
too much power and people would lose
important rights.
Activity #4
• Development-Pass out the simplified version
of the Bill of Rights. Ask students if they have
ever heard of some of these before. Discuss.
Go over what each amendment means.
• Concluding-Hand out and go over the Bill of
Rights Test. They can work on their own, as
partners, or in groups. Go over the answers
in class.
Activity # 5
• Materials- Informational website about Pledge of
Allegiance, notebook paper, pencil, construction
paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, Pledge
of Allegiance poster, Pledge of Allegiance hand
out for each student
• Introduction-Hand out Pledge of Allegiance sheet
• Go over the pledge and its history
• Engage in a discussion about the pledge and why they
say it every day at school
Activity # 5
• Development-Start discussion about words that they do not
understand in the pledge
• Write these words on the board
• Ask the children to look up the meaning of each of the words
that they don’t understand
• Class discussion about the unknown words and their actual
meaning
• Rewrite the pledge as a class with the new meanings
• Concluding- Pass out construction paper
• Have the children fold it in half- on one side have the children
write the real Pledge of Allegiance and the rewritten pledge on
the other side
• Have students color the sheet with both pledges ( red, white,
and blue)
Evaluations
1. What are two ways that you or your family can be
patriotic?
2. How many stars are on the flag?
a. 36
b. 25
c. 50
3. How many stripes are on the flag?
a. 20
b. 5
c. 13
4. I use a ________ to vote.
Evaluations
5. What is patriotism?
6. Why do we recite the Pledge of Allegiance?
7. What is an amendment?
a.It is a law.
b. It is a change to a law
c. It is a person that is part of the government.
8. I pledge allegiance to the _____.
9. The Bill of Rights are ______.
Instructional References
• Teacher References
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Pledge of Allegiance Lesson Plan
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US Patriotic Activities and Crafts
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The Pledge of Allegiance`-Brief History of the Pledge
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42Explore Topic: Patriotism
Instructional References
• Student References
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I Am Patriotic (Pebble Books) (Hardcover)
by Sarah L. Schuette
• Patriotism (Learn about Values) (Hardcover)
by Cynthia Roberts
• Star-Spangled Crafts (Library Binding) –teacher resource
by Kathy Ross
• Shh! We're Writing the Constitution (Paperback)
by Jean Fritz
• The Pledge of Allegiance by Francis Bellamy
• The Flag We Love by Pam Munoz Ryan
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USA Activities for Kids
• Uncle Sam & Old Glory: Symbols of America by Delno C.
West, Jean M. West, & Christopher Manson
• This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie, Kathy Jacobsen, &
Pete Seeger
• If I Were President by Catherine Stier
Instructional Resources
Media References
Electronic Books
My America Virtual Field Trip
The American Presidency Virtual Field Trip
Posters
Instructional References
Webquests
Media References
http://www.electricteacher.com/webquest/index.htm
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/index.cfm?fileContents=teachers/webQuests/seeingT
heStates.cfm
CD-ROM
Birth of America by:Strategy First
Liberty’s Kids by: The Learning Company
Amazing America by: Encare
Instructional References
Media References
Activity Books
The Young Patriot's Book of Puzzles, Games, Riddles, Stories,
Poems, and Activities (Patriotic Favorites (Paperback))
(Paperback) by Carole Marsh
Patriotic Favorites Coloring and Activity Book (Patriotic Favorites
(Paperback)) (Paperback) by Carole Marsh
Books
America : A Patriotic Primer (Hardcover) by Lynne Cheney, Robin
Preiss Glasser
The Star Spangled Banner (Pictureback(R)) (Paperback) by Francis
Scott Key
Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who?: The Stories Behind Some
of America's Patriotic Symbols by Teresa Bateman and
John O'Brien
America: My Country 'Tis of Thee (Patriotic Songs) by
Samuel Francis Smith, Ann Owen, and Todd Ouren
Instructional References
Media References
Video
Patriotism and the American Land (The New Patriotism Series, Vol. 2)
(The New Patriotism Series) by Nelson Richard
This Is America, Charlie Brown DVD ~ This Is America Charlie
Brown
Schoolhouse Rock! - America Rock VHS ~ Jack Sheldon
We Sign - Patriotic Songs DVD
Centers
Voting Center with ballots. The children will have a small
voting booth and will be able to cast votes on a pretend
school issue.