Annotated Resource Set (ARS)
Content Theme:
Symbols of United States Government
Developed by:
Pam Gavina
Contextual Paragraph for Resource Set: This January, I had the opportunity to collaborate with our
school’s Art/Social Studies teacher to teach our kindergarten to third grade students about the Symbols
of Government in preparation for the Presidential Inauguration. We approached the unit from an
introductory perspective, not knowing how much prior knowledge the students had on the topic. In Art
and Social Studies classes, the students were introduced to US Symbols, including: the American Flag,
the Bald Eagle, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, the Liberty Bell, the National Anthem, the Pledge
of Allegiance, and Independence Hall. The teacher used the big books that came with the social studies
textbook adoption, books from our school library, as well as miscellaneous Internet resources.
Meanwhile, when the students came to me for Library and Computer classes, my primary resource was
the website “Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids” www.bensguide.gpo.gov. I designed a study
guide for the second and third graders to use with the website. They were directed to read
informational text about each US Symbol and answer a few questions about each one. I modeled how to
perform the task with the website projected onto a Smart Board. Once the students had an
understanding of their assignment, they were paired up and sent to computers to begin the task. This
activity took about 4 class periods to complete, including both library and computer sessions.
For the kindergarten and first grade students, I also used the “Ben’s Guide” website but did not require
them to complete the study guide. Instead, I facilitated a discussion of each US Symbol after
viewing/reading that specific page from the website with the students. We used the questions from the
study guide to guide the discussion.
After attending the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources workshop, I was introduced to the
many resources available through the Library of Congress. I have created this resource set to collect
images, films, and other resources to be used in addition to/an extension of a Symbols of Government
unit.
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
1
Resource Set: from The Library of Congress
Raising the Flag
Making the Flag
Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia
Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia
You’re a Grand Old Flag
Today in History: June 14
(Flag Day)
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/trea
sures/trm023.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field
(NUMBER+@band(det+4a26653))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field
(NUMBER+@band(det+4a12594))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field
(NUMBER+@band(det+4a08439))
http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/ju
n07/flag.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
today/jun14.html
Thirty-Six Star Flag
(after the Civil War)
Bald Eagle (ca. 1920 – ca. 1950.0
Eagles (between 1900 – 1910)
Statue of Liberty (video)
Statue of Liberty (photos)
Statue of Liberty (reconstruction)
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/trea
sures/trm159.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a35882
))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+00
071247))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2
a01604))
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/
077_stat.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(
DOCID+@lit(NY1251))
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
2
Resource Set: from The Library of Congress
White House Foods
White House photos (1904)
White House photo (ca. 1846)
Indian Delegation at White House
(January 1, 1858)
Babies Rolling Eggs at the White
House (video, March 1902)
White house photo (ca. 1801)
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/Sc
iRefGuides/presidentialfood.html
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/capt
ion/captionwhitehouse.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/dag:@field(
NUMBER+@band(cph+3a53372))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/hawp:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(codhawp+10
033904))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(awal+0768))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/alad:@field
(DOCID+@lit(alad002722))
The Liberty Bell (sheet music)
The Liberty Bell (song sheet)
The Liberty Bell photo (1953)
The Liberty Bell photo (1905)
The Pledge of Allegiance
(New York students, 1943)
The Pledge of Allegiance
(Virginia students, 1941)
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas
/loc.natlib.sousa.200028440/defa
ult.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/amss:@fiel
d(DOCID+@lit(as107670))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a38551
))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field
(NUMBER+@band(det+4a12588))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8d25793
))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8c18966)
)
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
3
Resource Set: from The Library of Congress
The Pledge of Allegiance
(letter from Billy Gobitas, 1935)
The Pledge of Allegiance
(more on Gobitas court case)
The Star Spangled Banner
The Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key
America the Beautiful (quilt)
http://www.loc.gov/loc/kidslc/kl
bg.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/mcc:@field
(DOCID+@lit(mcc/016))
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/trea
sures/trm065.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas
/loc.natlib.ihas.200000017/defau
lt.html
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a50172
))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/qlt:@field(
DOCID+@lit(le179))
Washington Monument photo
Washington Monument photo
Map of Washington, D.C. (c1982)
US Capitol (1901) –
McKinley’s Second Inauguration
Easter Monday at the US Capitol
(1934)
US Capitol at night (1946)
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
collections/horydczak/gallery4.ht
ml
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
collections/horydczak/gallery3.ht
ml
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@field
(NUMBER+@band(g3851a+pm00
1073))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/presp:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(cph+3a2381
1))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a36228
))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/horyd:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(thc+5a35742
))
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
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Resource Set: from The Library of Congress
US Capitol and Pennsylvania
Avenue before 1814
Lincoln Memorial
Exterior of Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial photo (1932)
Lincoln Memorial photo (1932)
Lincoln Memorial photo (1942)
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/
181_earl.html
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/trea
sures/trm081.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/
collections/horydczak/gallery4.ht
ml
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/gottscho:@
field(NUMBER+@band(gsc+5a02
022))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/gottscho:@
field(NUMBER+@band(gsc+5a02
020))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/fsaall:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(fsa+8d20422
))
Emigrants landing at Ellis Island
(video 1903)
Arrival of emigrants, Ellis Island
(video 1906)
Ellis Island photo (1938)
Inspection room, Ellis Island
Ellis Island photos
Selected Images of Ellis Island
and Immigration (ca. 1880-1920)
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2
a10987))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:@fiel
d(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2
a13402))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/gottscho:@
field(NUMBER+@band(gsc+5a02
960))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/detr:@field
(NUMBER+@band(det+4a25609))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(
DOCID+@lit(NY1252))
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/
070_immi.html
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
5
Resource Set: other resources
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government
for Kids – Grades K to 2
Flag Picture Gallery
Bald Eagle – The U.S.A.’s National
Symbol
The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island
Foundation, Inc.
The White House
The Liberty Bell
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k2/symbols/index.html
http://www.ushistory.org/Betsy/f
lagpics.html
http://www.eagles.org/moreabo
ut.html
http://www.statueofliberty.org/d
efault_sol.htm
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
http://www.ushistory.org/liberty
bell/index.html
Enchanted Learning Software’s
Symbols of the USA
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government
for Kids – Grades 3 to 5
Washington Monument
Pledge of Allegiance (audio mp3)
The Star Spangled Banner Project
U.S. Capitol Historical Society
http://www.enchantedlearning.c
om/history/us/symbols/
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/symbols/index.html
http://www.nps.gov/wamo/
http://www.americanrhetoric.co
m/speeches/pledgeofallegiance.h
tm
http://americanhistory.si.edu/sta
rspangledbanner/
http://uschscapitolhistory.uschs.
org/
Notes/Comments: Use these websites to provide more information on the different American Symbols.
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
6
Resource Set: other resources
Ellis Island
Lincoln Memorial
America the Beautiful
Old Glory – The History and
Etiquette of the American Flag
The Star Spangled Banner Flag
House (Baltimore, MD)
The White House for Kids
http://www.ellisisland.org/genea
logy/ellis_island.asp
http://www.nps.gov/linc/
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/symbols/americathebeautiful.h
tml
http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourt
h/flag.html
http://www.flaghouse.org/index.
php/flag/index_new/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/abo
ut/white_house_101/
Independence Hall
Liberty Bell
The Statue of Liberty
http://www.nps.gov/inde/
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/t
whp/wwwlps/lessons/36liberty/3
6liberty.htm
http://www.nps.gov/archive/stli/
prod02.htm
Notes/Comments: Use these websites to provide more information on the different American Symbols.
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
7
Annotations
Grade
Level
Curriculum
Connections
Curriculum
Standards
Learning Objectives
Content Objectives
K-3
K-1
2-3
American History
Civics/
Government
Civics/
Government
Strand 1, Concept
1, PO3/PO4
Strand 3, Concept
1, PO1
Strand 3, Concept
1, PO1
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
Suggested Learning
Strategies
Thinking Objectives
Suggested
Assessment
Strategies
Links to Other
Resources
Use primary source
materials (e.g., photos,
artifacts, interviews,
documents, maps) and
secondary source materials
(e.g., encyclopedias,
biographies) to study
people and events from the
past
Compare and contrast
photos of the symbols of
government from the past
(from LOC resources) to
current photos (from other
websites).
Play a series of “I Spy”
games when viewing the
images with the students.
Use graphic organizers
to begin brainstorming
for a writing activity.
Describe what is going on
in the photo/image: who,
what, where, why, how.
Make sure that the
sentence includes at
least one of each part
of speech: noun, verb,
adjective, adverb,
preposition,
conjunction, article.
Recognize/Identify national
symbols and monuments
that represent American
democracy and values:
a. American flag
b. Bald Eagle
c. Statue of Liberty
d. White House
e. Washington Monument
Describe physical
characteristics of each of
the symbols of government.
Read the informational text
from the “Ben’s Guide to
US Government for Kids”
website to the students.
Invite students to
paraphrase or
summarize the
information from the
website.
www.bensguide.gpo.
gov
Describe the history and
meaning of national
symbols, documents,
songs, and monuments that
represent American
democracy and values:
a. American Flag
b. Pledge of Allegiance
c. National Anthem
d. America the Beautiful
e. the U.S. Capitol
f. Liberty Bell
g. Statue of Liberty
h. Ellis Island
i. Lincoln Memorial
Identify symbols of
government.
Demonstrate
understanding by
answering questions
on study guide created
by librarian.
www.bensguide.gpo.
gov
Identify features of the
symbols of government that
make them unique.
Describe physical
characteristics of each of
the symbols of government.
Compare and contrast the
symbols and their
meanings.
In pairs, students will read
the informational text on the
“Ben’s Guide to US
Government for Kids”
website,
Write descriptive
sentences or
paragraphs about
each photo/image.
Evaluate the writing
activity using six
trait rubrics.
Other website
resources included
in this packet
Other website
resources included
in this packet
Identify features of the
symbols of government that
make them unique.
8
REFORMAT! WORKS BETTER ON PORTRAIT SETTING
Name __________________________________________________________ Teacher __________________________________________
Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
Go to www.bensguide.gpo.gov
Choose K-2 for the grade level on Ben Franklin’s website.
Read the information to find the answers to these questions.
Our Nation
1. What is our country called? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. On what continent is our country located? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What other countries are located on our continent? ______________________________________________________________________________________
4. What bodies of water border our country? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How many states are in our nation? __________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Name the 2 states that do not touch the rest of the states. ________________________________________________________________________________
7. What is the capital of our nation? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. The capital is named after two people. Who are they? ___________________________________________________________________________________
Our Government
9. What are the three branches of our government called? __________________________________________________________________________________
10. Which branch makes laws for the nation? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Which branch makes sure people follow the laws? ______________________________________________________________________________________
12. Which branch is made up of courts? _________________________________________________________________________________________________
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
9
Symbols of U.S. Government
13. How many stripes are on the flag? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
14. What do the stripes represent? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
15. How many stars are on the flag? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
16. What do the stars represent? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
17. What is the national bird? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
18. Where did colonial leaders meet to plan the future of the new nation? ______________________________________________________________________
19. What is the symbol of freedom? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
20. What is the name of the national anthem? ____________________________________________________________________________________________
21. What does the Pledge of Allegiance mean? ____________________________________________________________________________________________
22. Where is the Statue of Liberty located? _______________________________________________________________________________________________
23. Who gave the Statue of Liberty to our nation? _________________________________________________________________________________________
24. What does the Statue of Liberty hold up? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
25. Where does the President of our nation live? __________________________________________________________________________________________
26. What is the address to the President’s home? __________________________________________________________________________________________
27. Which President never lived there? __________________________________________________________________________________________________
28. What is the President’s office called? _________________________________________________________________________________________________
STUDY GUIDE CREATED BY PAMELA GAVINA, TEACHER-LIBRARIAN, LELA ALSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
4006 W. OSBORN RD., PHOENIX, AZ 85019 pgavina@isaacschools.org
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
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