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Before teaching this lesson, you may want to view the prerequisite lesson : The United States Flag

The Star-Spangled Banner

Author: American Heritage Education Foundation,
email: info@americanheritage.org

Grade Levels:
first
second
third
fourth
fifth
sixth
seventh
eighth

Subjects:
geography
history

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Themes or Keywords : unity, Star-Spangled banner, flag, U. S. Flag, song, national anthem, war of 1812, U. S., government, civics, education, curriculum, lesson plan, geography, history, political science, social studies, social science, united states, america, american, heritage, patriotism, patriot, colonial, verse, oh say can you see, pledge of allegiance, revolution, citizen, citizenship, battle, valor, perserverance, stars and stripes, Washington D. C., Baltimore, Maryland, Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key, John Stafford Smith, usa, nation, old glory, red white and blue, independence, freedom, liberty, symbol, purity, virtue

Objectives :

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about the background and meaning of our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Students will complete a vocabulary and comprehension activity on the background and first verse of this song. The students may memorize the first verse and be able to explain its meaning. Objectives: 1. The student will discuss and explain the causes of the War of 1812. 2. The student will explain the events surrounding the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner. 3. The student will examine and understand the meaning of the first verse of The Star-Spangled Banner and explain why the United States adopted it as our national anthem. Theme: Unity. The Star-Spangled Banner is a song that serves to unify the nation by providing a common anthem that is used in public and private gatherings of citizens and a story that demonstrates why/how people will fight for freedoms for themselves and their fellow citizens. Correlates/Standards: History. Analyze foreign and domestic issues during the early years of the republic. Desribe how individuals and events influence the history of communities. Citizenship. Identify important customs and symbols of American beliefs and principles. Preparation: Copy activity sheet, song sheet, and KWL chart for each student or groups of students.

Materials :

Access to internet: www.americanheritage.org

The Star-Spangled Banner activity sheet

The Star-Spangled Banner song sheet

KWL chart

Dictionary

Introductory Activity :

Focus: Ask a student to volunteer to recite or sing The Star-Spangled Banner. You may want to sing the song together in class.

Body :

Activity: 1. Have students individually or in groups start the KWL chart of what they know and want to know about The Star-Spangled Banner. This chart may also be written on the board. 2. Have students individually or in groups read and complete The Star-Spangled Banner Activity Sheet. 3. Discuss as a class the vocabulary in the context of the background information and the first verse of the song. 4. Discuss as a class the comprehension questions and the meaning of the first verse of the anthem, going line by line through the verse so students develop a clear comprehension and understanding of the song. 5. Have students listen to a recording of and/or sing the first verse of The Star-Spangled banner as they read the verse. 6. Have students complete the KWL chart, writing and then discussing what they learned about the national anthem.

Conclusion Activity :

Closure: Review the circumstances surrounding the writing of The Star-Spangled Banner. Discuss why we have a national anthem and what our anthem tells us and others about the values we share as Americans. Explain to students that while The Star-Spangled Banner is a song about our flag, as our national anthem it is also a song that reminds us about our country. Discuss occasions and events at which students might here the anthem sung, and sing the anthem as a class.

Vocabulary Words :

neutrality, seize, invade, bombard, anthem, dawn, twilight, perilous, rampart, gallant

Evaluation Activity :

Assessment: Students write a paragraph or journal entry explaining why they think the flag and our national anthem unify the citizens of the nation.

Internet Resources Referenced in this Lesson :

American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc., www.americanheritage.org

The author has provided a follow up to this lesson : The National Motto

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