State Standard: Discuss and explain the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and identify other ways citizens can affirm their citizenship.

Transcription

1 Heather Wohlford and Jenna Burton Partner Lesson Plan November 14, 2008 Teach: November 21, 2008 Lesson: Pledge of Allegiance Length: minutes Grade Intended: 2 nd grade State Standard: Discuss and explain the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and identify other ways citizens can affirm their citizenship. Objective: Given materials, the students well create a project showing the meaning of all of the phrases of the Pledge of Allegiance including all members for completion. Assessment: The students will present their ideas to the class. The teacher will use a rubric to check each group. Advanced Preparation: Art Supplies Paper Page for further meaning Procedures: Introduction: Say the Pledge. We say the Pledge of Allegiance everyday, but what do those words mean? It must be important since everybody says it. Today we are going to look at the meaning behind the words and phrases. Step-By-Step: 1. Explain the project with a couple of possibilities (Write an extension to the lines, draw, act, song, etc) 2. Separate into groups and have them start working. 3. After a little bit of work time give them the handout. 4. Float, answer questions, and ask questions. Closure: Now we want each group to share what they have come up with (for the class we may not have all of the groups share because of time). Then read or play the Red Skelton interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Adaptations/Enrichments: One way that we can scaffold this lesson is to alter when each group gets the handout that provides help. The students that need a little more assistance can get there

2 papers earlier. The gifted learner may not get the handout so that they can challenge themselves to do the entire thing by themselves, if they are grouped by ability at all. Another way would be to group the students so that there are several different levels of ability in each group. That way they can help each other find meaning in the words. This could also be done by giving each group a couple phrases for them to determine meaning for. They could just create a project for that phrase then they could all present their phrase in the order that it appears in the Pledge of Allegiance. Self Reflection: Were the students able to create a project for the Pledge? Did they need the interpretation earlier in the lesson or did they need the interpretation at all? If I do this lesson again, what could I do differently to improve the lesson?

3 Red Skeleton Interpretation with minor adjustments I me, an individual, a committee of one. Pledge dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity. Allegiance my love and my devotion. To the flag our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job! United that means that we have all come together. States individual communities that have united into 50 great states. Fifty individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose; all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country. And to the republic a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the

4 people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people. For which it stands, one nation under God one nation, meaning "so blessed by God" Indivisible incapable of being divided. With liberty which is freedom -- the right of power to live one's own life without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation. And Justice the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others. For all which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine. ***~~**~~*** Copied from

5 The Pledge of Allegiance I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All. I Promise to be faithful and true (Promise my loyalty) to the emblem that stands for and represents all 50 states, each of them individual, and individually represented on the flag yet formed into a UNION of one Nation. And I also pledge my loyalty to the Government that is itself a Republic, a form of government where the PEOPLE are sovereign, this government also being represented by the Flag to which I promise loyalty. These 50 individual states are united as a single Republic under the Divine providence of God, "our most powerful resource" (according to the words of President Eisenhower) and can not be separated. (This part of the original version of the pledge was written just 50 years after the beginning of the Civil War and demonstrates the unity sought in the years after that divisive period in our history) The people of this Nation being afforded the freedom to pursue "life, liberty, and happiness", And each person entitled to be treated justly, fairly, and according to proper law and principle, And these principles afforded to EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of race, religion, color, creed, or any other criteria. Just as the flag represents 50 individual states that can not be divided or separated, this Nation represents millions of people who can not be separated or divided. Thus it is that when you Pledge Allegiance to the United States Flag, You: *Promise your loyalty to the Flag itself. *Promise your loyalty to your own and the other 49 States. *Promise your loyalty to the Government that unites us all, Recognizing that we are ONE Nation under God, That we can not or should not be divided or alone, And understanding the right to Liberty and Justice belongs to ALL of us. Interpretation from Homeofheroes.com