Create Your Star Spangled Banner
Practice: Get ready for some activities.
Activities are designed to be parent- or teacher-supervised.
Step 1
Break students into small groups of 3-4. Provide students with pieces of red, white, and blue construction paper. Either prepare in advance pre-cut pieces of paper or guide students within their groups to cut out and/or arrange: red stripes, white stars, a solid white (full paper-size) rectangle, and a quarter-size blue rectangle.
Step 2
Students will then create a group-write collage with patriotic theme – taking the view-point of Francis Scott Key from their standpoint today – copied onto the various pieces of their flag (red stripes, white stars, etc.).
Step 3
As a small group, students will first brainstorm a list of words they associate with patriotism or feelings of pride for their country and its ideals (Ex: love, freedom, thankful, respect, protection, religious-freedom, etc., with as many words as time will allow). Students then will each take a couple stars and stripes and write their group’s chosen words in marker. Students will arrange their stars and stripes on their white construction paper and glue in correct place.
Step 4
Students will finally present their group’s flag to class, reading the words they chose and providing a brief explanation to their peers.
Optional: Play “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the background for students to listen to while working in their small groups.