Flags of our WORLD

Lesson Plan #3: Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies Grade: 1 Social Studies Strand: Civics
Submitted By: Kerri Pavalon
EDEL 453: Teaching Elementary School Social Science Nevada State College Spring 2014 Instructor: Karen Powell

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

B. Summary of the Lesson Plan:

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

In this lesson, first grade students will learn the meaning and importance of a symbol. Students will learn a brief history about the American flag, and how it is the symbol to represent our nation. We will also explore other flags that represent different countries around the world. Students will have the opportunity to construct their own depiction of another countrys flag on large scaled drawing paper. Each student will contribute their rendition of their flag to our big book, Flags of Our World, which will be added to our classroom library. C. Basic Information: Grade Level: 1st grade Time to Complete this Lesson: 50 minutes Groupings: Whole Class and Independent work for activity and assessment

D. Materials: SmartBoard- to display peace sign, American flag picture, and other flags from various countries around the world. Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies by Leah M. Melber and Alyce Hunter (Strategy #24, Understanding Global Symbols). 25 pieces of heavy duty drawing paper (for our class Big Book) Crayons Markers Scissors Other craft materials (cut-outs, stickers, etc.) Pictures of flags from other countries (25) for students to use as references during activity E. Objectives: o o NV State Social Studies Standards
C13.1.5 Name a traditional U.S. patriotic activity, holiday, or symbol

Student-Friendly Standards I can describe what a symbol is. I can identify the American flag and know that other countries around our world have their own flags to represent their country also.

F. Vocabulary flag A pattern of colors or a picture that stands for a country.

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 2

Nevada State College

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

symbol A picture that means something.

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

G. Procedure: 1. I will introduce the lesson by displaying a large scaled picture of a peace sign on the SmartBoard. We will have a whole class discussion about the meaning of a symbol and I will also display the student friendly definition on the SmartBoard. We will talk about how the peace sign symbolizes peace. I will ask students if they can show me any symbols they see around the classroom. I will instruct students to copy the definition of a symbol in their Social Studies notebooks. We will have a brief whole class discussion on a few facts about when the flag was made, and why the design is the way it is, and how it is our nations symbol. (Student friendly) I will instruct students to quickly sketch a small picture of the American flag in their Social Studies notebooks. I will explain that this is just a sketch (it does not have to contain the exact number of stars and stripes).

2. Next, I will display a large scale picture of our American flag on the SmartBoard.

3. Then, I will show a few other examples of flags from other countries and explain that each country has a symbol just like our country. 4. Next, I will introduce the activity by assigning each student a specific flag from another country. Each student will be given a picture of their assigned flag with the name of their country above it. (Each student will be assigned a country starting with a different letter of the alphabet; mine will be A for America.) I will explain specific instructions on making our flags and stress the importance of students best work because we will be using their creations as pages in our ABC big book, Flags of Our World. 5. I will call table leaders to the materials table to retrieve heavy duty white drawing paper for themselves and the rest of their table members. Leaders will also be instructed to get their teams art caddies. (Team art caddies contain markers, crayons, scissors, and other crafts they will need for the activity). 6. Students will start creating their flags, and I will inform them that I will be coming around to each of their desks to help them write the name of their country (if needed) in black marker above their drawings. However, I will encourage them to write as many letters of the country name that they can themselves. H. Assessment: What will you use to measure student understanding? To measure student understanding, I will observe their participation in our whole class discussions about symbols and the American flag. They already have a worksheet,
Nevada State College EDEL 453 - Spring 2014 Karen Powell- Instructor page 3

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

Symbols in this weeks homework packet that asks them to draw a symbol and write a sentence underneath to tell me what their symbol stands for. (They cant use a peace sign or an American flag). Explain how you will know students understand the concepts from the lesson. I will know students understood the concepts from the lesson by assessing the depictions of their assigned countrys flag, and the details they included in their drawings. I will also determine if students understood the concepts by grading their homework assignments, Symbols, when they turn their homework packets in at the end of the week. I. Closure: At the end of the lesson, I will review the definition of a symbol. I will also ask students who are finished with their flag drawings to share them with the rest of the class.

J. Reflection: 1. Which part of the lesson do you think will be the easiest for you to teach? I think the easiest part of this lesson will be the definition and concepts of a symbol. 2. Which part will be most challenging for you to teach? The most challenging part of the lesson will be during the activity when students attempt to replicate other nations flags. Also, students may not finish their pictures. 3. How will you follow up or extend this lesson? I will follow up with this lesson by putting our big book together as a class, and adding it to our classroom library. I could also extend this lesson on symbolism by having students create Me flags. The flags title could be their name, and they could create their own flag with pictures, colors, and any other drawings they may want to include to represent themselves. 4. What can you do for students who dont grasp the concepts? For students who do not grasp the concepts, I can provide them with extra help on their drawings and clarify their misunderstandings of concepts with one on one support. If there are students from in the classroom from other countries than America, I will allow them to pick that countrys flag to draw. 5. Which part of the lesson, if any, do you think might need to change? I might need to change the length of the lesson. I am sure most students will get a good start on their drawings, and some will finish, but some will need to finish at another time. 6. When you were writing this lesson plan, what was the most difficult part?

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 4

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

The most difficult part in writing this lesson plan was the procedures portion of the plan. It was difficult to determine if all of the procedures that I wanted to include in the lesson were going to fit into the 50 minute time slot. 7. Explain the strategy from Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies that you included in this lesson plan. The strategy that I used from Integrating Language Arts & Social Studies is entitled Understanding Global Symbols. This strategy includes an activity on flags. Each student in the class is assigned a specific flag from another country (each one starting with a different letter of the alphabet). Then they must draw their own depiction/creation of that flag using a picture as a reference tool. After the drawings are complete, the pages are bound together and a big book is made for the classroom library. I enjoyed this activity because I believe symbolism is a topic that first graders will love to learn about. Not only does this strategy allow students to understand the relevance of flags and symbolism, but it also allows them to express themselves creatively through art. Another great aspect to this lesson is that students are collaboratively creating a book for the entire class to enjoy for the rest of the year.

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 5

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

Homework: SYMBOLS!!!
Directions: Draw a symbol in the space below. Underneath your symbol, write a sentence or two explaining what your symbol means. __________________________________________________________________________

Explain what your symbol means in one or two sentences. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 6

Lesson Plan #3 - Civics

submitted by: Kerri Pavalon

Nevada State College

EDEL 453 - Spring 2014

Karen Powell- Instructor

page 7