By Anne Continetti
Download the full lesson as a PDF.
Course | US History, US Government (AP or non-AP), Civics, Grades 11–12
Context | This lesson can be used during a unit on the First Amendment, the Supreme Court, or symbols of the United States.
Objective | Students will be able to: understand the meaning of one central idea of the First Amendment (symbolic speech); cite textual … Read more »
Flag Day is Friday, June 14. How do your colors fly? Honor the stars and stripes by tweeting your favorite patriotic flag pics to #WSPWHFlag for a chance to win a signed copy of the What So Proudly We Hail anthology. The best pictures will be posted on our Facebook page and the WSPWH website, and the contest winner will be announced June 14.
Are you following us on … Read more »
Our June newsletter is out. Learn more about our new ebook for Flag Day and other WSPWH activities. Don’t receive our newsletter? Sign up today and get a free ebook!
Want to learn more about the history of Flag Day? Here are 10 facts about the flag and its birthday to share with your students.
With Flag Day coming up, what special activities do you have planned to teach your students about the history and meaning of the US flag? One idea from our holiday ebook is to discuss with students how, and why, we should honor the flag.
Did you know that the founder of Flag Day was a teacher? During the 1880s, a young school teacher in Waubeka, Wisconsin by the name of Bernard J. Cigrand began advocating for a nationwide celebration of the flag.
On June 14, we celebrate Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the American Flag in 1777. Though iconic today—it is hard to imagine World War II without also picturing the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, or to think about 9/11 without also seeing the New York firefighters hoisting the red, white, and blue above the ruins of the World Trade Center—the American flag has a long and … Read more »
Did you know that our National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was first published as a poem titled the “Defence of Fort McHenry”? Francis Scott Key (1779–1843), Washington lawyer and amateur poet, was inspired to pen the poem by the unlikely success of American troops resisting the British attack on Baltimore’s Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814, two days after the burning of the capital.
Nearly all American school-children are taught the … Read more »
Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
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“What a wonderful collection of American songs, speeches, and stories. It should be valuable for teachers, students, parents, and readers of all kinds.”
— Diane Ravitch