Title: The Pledge of Allegiance
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: Social Studies-Elementary
Description of Lesson: In this lesson, the students will understand the meaning of
the words and phrases included in the Pledge of Allegiance. Students should
understand that reciting the Pledge is an act of citizenship in which citizens pledge
their commitment to important American values. A reading and vocabulary activity
focus on the meaning of the Pledge.
Objective(s):
The students will discuss and explain the history and meaning of the Pledge of
Allegiance. The students will identify the Pledge as a symbol of unity.
Materials/Technology Connections:
1) The Pledge of Allegiance History Sheet
2) “The Meaning of the Pledge” Handout
3) “Pledge of Allegiance” cut and paste activity
4) Book- The Flag We Love by Pam Munoz Ryan
5) Book- I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin, Jr.
Duration of Time: 60 minutes
Essential Questions:
1) What does the Pledge of Allegiance mean?
2) Why do we recite the Pledge of Allegiance everyday?
Key Vocabulary:
Pledge, allegiance, republic, nation, indivisible, liberty, justice
Grouping for Instruction: Whole Group
Lesson Lead-In: Introduce the title, author and illustrator of The Flag We Love. Ask
students to look closely at the cover. Where is the American flag being flown in this
picture? Where else do we often see the American flag being flown? Read the story
aloud to students, stressing where the flag is being displayed in each picture
(funerals, explorations, parades, sporting events, etc.) (Historical information is
shared at the bottom of each page of the book and gives greater depth to the
pictures and words, but you may only want to share as much as your students are
interested and capable.)
Steps to Deliver the Lesson:
1. Ask students to share some facts that they learned about the American
flag from reading The Flag We Love. Then return to the third and fourth
pages and reread about the teacher raising the flag and the students
reciting the pledge.
2. Ask a student to recite the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. Ask the
students what does it mean to them?
3. Discuss how one should stand when reciting the Pledge. Have all
students stand facing the flag, with their right hands over their hearts.
Have students discuss and demonstrate the things one should not do
while reciting the Pledge.
4. Read the “History of the Pledge” with students and ask them to circle
important words.
5. After reading the text of the Pledge, go over the vocabulary words on the
bottom of the page. Use the book, I Pledge Allegiance, in correlation
with defining the vocabulary words.
6. Provide the handout “The Meaning of the Pledge.” Read and discuss the
meaning of the phrases of the Pledge. Have students compare their
definitions with the definitions on the Meaning handout.
7. Pass out the “Pledge of Allegiance” cut and paste handout. Have
students cover up each definition with the correct word from the pledge.
Cut out the word from the right hand side of the activity. Fold on the
dotted line so that you have a window that opens. Cut out the entire
square with the Pledge and the definitions on it and glue it to blue and
red paper.
Lesson Closure: Give each student the flag handout. Using the stripes of the
flag, have the students answer the prompt “what freedom means to me.” They
can lightly color the flag upon completion of their writing.
Assessment: Students will rewrite the Pledge of Allegiance, substituting the six
vocabulary words on the activity sheet with words they are more familiar with.
Students will create a pledge written in words they can more easily understand.