Title: The National Anthem
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: Social Studies-Elementary
Description of Lesson: In this lesson, the students will understand the history of the
National Anthem and it’s importance to our nation by reading the words of the
Star-Spangled Banner, viewing primary sources, and listening to the melody of our
country’s anthem.
Objective(s):
1) Students will understand the history of the Star-Spangled Banner.
2) The students will view primary sources related to the Star-Spangled Banner.
3) The students will recognize the Star-Spangled Banner as their country’s
national anthem after listening to the music.
Materials/Technology Connections:
1) “O, Say Can You See?” by Sheila Keenan
2) http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/the-lyrics.aspx
3) Primary Source- Francis Scott Key’s earliest manuscript of the song.
4) Primary Source- The first known printing of Key’s song titled, “Defence of
Fort McHenry.”
5) Handout- Lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner
6) Handout- Star-Spangled Banner vocabulary activity
Duration of Time: 60 minutes
Essential Questions:
1) What is our country’s national anthem?
2) Why was the Star-Spangled Banner written?
Key Vocabulary:
national, anthem, hailed, twilights, broad, perilous, ramparts, gallantly
Grouping for Instruction: Whole Group
Lesson Lead-In: Ask the students if anyone has ever heard of a “national
anthem?” If no one has ever heard of this term before, tell the students that a
national anthem is a country’s song. Just like each state has a state song, such
as Florida’s state song is the Suwanne River, every country has a song as well.
Steps to Deliver the Lesson:
1) Ask the students if they know our country’s national anthem. If no one
answers, tell the students that our nation’s song is the Star-Spangled Banner.
2) Before the students can learn about the Star-Spangled Banner, some
background information is needed. Using the website:
http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/the-war-of-1812.aspx
Teach the students that Britain’s defeat at the 1781 Battle of Yorktown
marked the conclusion of the American Revolution and the beginning of new
challenges for a new nation. Not even three decades after this, the two countries
were again in conflict. Congress declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. This
was the War of 1812.
3) Using “O, Say Can You See?” by Sheila Keenan, read pages 50-51 to the
students. These pages inform the students about Fort McHenry in Baltimore,
Maryland being attacked by the British during the War of 1812. Sixteen
British warships shot more than 1,500 heavy bombshells at the American fort.
By dawn, the smoke and fog began to clear and the American flag was seen
flying in the breeze. The Americans had held the fort!
4) After reading pages 50-51 from “O, Say Can You See?” by Sheila Keenan, the
students should know who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott
Key.
5) Using the website: http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/thelyrics.aspx
Share with the students the following primary sources:
a) Key’s Manuscript-This is the earliest known manuscript of Key’s song. It is
probably one of several drafts that Key made before sending the copy to
the printer.
b) The first known printing of Key’s poem, titled “Defence of Fort McHenry.”
6) Pass out the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Banner. Show the students that the
Star-Spangled Banner was originally written with more lyrics than we are
used to singing. Ask the students to consider why our nation would adopt
this song as our national anthem but only use the first verse.
7) Pass out the handout titled, “Understanding the Star-Spangled Banner.” Go
over each line with the students, being sure to address all vocabulary words
that students might not know the meaning of.
Dawn- daybreak
Hailed- to cheer, salute, or greet; welcome
Twilight- the period in the morning or, more commonly, in the evening
during which this light prevails
Broad- large
Perilous- very hazardous or dangerous
Ramparts- a broad elevation or mound of earth raised as a fortification
around a place
Gallantly- brave, spirited
Glare- a very harsh, bright, dazzling light
Spangled- a small, thin, often circular piece of glittering metal or other
material, used especially for decorating garments.
Star-Spangled Banner- the American flag
Land of the free- America; home of the free people
Home of the brave- America; home to the people who fight for their
freedoms
8) Using the same website, have the students listen to the melody of the StarSpangled Banner. Encourage students to sing along with their lyric sheets.
9) Have the students pretend they are Francis Scott Key. Have them try to
visualize what Francis Scott Key might have seen “by the dawn’s early light.”
Have the students draw a picture of what they think Key might have seen.
Lesson Closure: Have the students share their pictures and explain their
illustrations to the class.
Assessment: Remind the students that they know so much about history and
what has happened to the USA since 1814. Have the students write another
verse to the Star-Spangled Banner that describes the state of our present-day
nation.
The Star-Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
’Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - “In God is our trust,”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Understanding The Star-Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
_____________________________________________________________
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming,
_____________________________________________________________
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
_____________________________________________________________
O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?
_____________________________________________________________
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
_____________________________________________________________
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
_____________________________________________________________
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
_____________________________________________________________
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Portrait of Francis Scott Key, attributed to Joseph Wood, about 1825. Walters Art Gallery.