Photo of the construction paper flag we made with this template to come... as soon as I can figure out what in the world my camera did with my photos!
Yes, I'll get some great recipes on this blog again soon... the reason it's been a bit is the same problem as above. My camera is taking the pictures and burying them somewhere deep inside its circuitry. Sigh.
I'm teaching Joyschool to a group of children ages 1-5. That's a huge spread in capability and ability to focus. The group meets for two hours once a week, and has a focus on incorporating the scriptures into lessons. Since today is Constitution Day, I decided to teach them about the reason and purpose of the Constitution, plus the symbols of our flag and what the Pledge of Allegiance means. I've learned to overplan and then be flexible- so there's a lot below. :)
Materials needed
‘The Gift to Choose’ cube in a pretty box
Scriptures (Book of Mormon, D&C)
Constitution paper puppets (page 4 of the link, or see photo below)
Constitution puppet story (same as above)
Pictures of a school, church, plus an envelope
Map of the original 13 colonies
Map of the United States (I have a placemat map)
Marker or crayon
American flag- any size
flag pieces (red and blue construction paper) and silver star stickers (see picture below)
Music for “My Flag, My Flag”
glue sticks or school glue
Section 1: God gave us the gift of Agency and the U.S. Constitution to protect it
Show the present, let someone open it to find the rolling cube inside. Tell them that God gave us an amazing gift- the freedom to choose. Let a few children take turns rolling the cube, read what it says.
Sing Do As I’m Doing (CS, - then ask, did I make you do this, or did you get to choose?
Read, then have them recite this scripture 3x: Wherefore, men are free … to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men (2 Nephi 2:27).
Tell the paper-puppet story of the Constitution (Constitution FHE manual, pg. 4). God told us that gave us the Constitution to protect our right to choose (D&C 101:77). We sometimes call this “liberty”. (Have them repeat the word.)
Time for playing inside: US map puzzle for older ones? Also let them use the cube and the finger puppets. Also play outside for 10 minutes if weather is good: look for things that are red, white, and blue.
Section 2: The Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance
Today is a special day- show the colonies map and have the kids point out corresponding ones on the placemat map. Count them with me while I circle them.
Show the flag, tell them it is a symbol of liberty and freedom. Tell about the meaning of the 13 stripes (colonies and rays of light), and the stars (heaven and trying to reach it by following God, 50 stars/50states), and the colors (white: being pure and righteous, red: bravery and courage, blue: paying attention and sticking with what is true and right) = a symbol of liberty and freedom. (symbolism explained better in Supplemental Materials, at the end.)
Sing a song: My Flag, My Flag- have them wave their flags whenever you sing the word “wave”, or make up motions or dance. Bring the music and use the piano, or the CD and a player.
Tell about the Pledge of Allegiance
Recite it, say why we put our hand where we do, then talk about some of the words:
Pledge: a promise
Allegiance : to be faithful and helpful to it
So when you pledge allegiance to the flag, it means you promise to be faithful and helpful to liberty and freedom.
The United States: our country
Republic: the kind of government the Founding Fathers gave us, where we have power to choose our leaders.
Under God: God is the most important, and helps the country when we’re righteous.
Liberty: we get to use our agency
Justice for all: the law is the same for everyone, no matter how old, young, rich, poor, or how they live.
End by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together, then my testimony of God’s wisdom and love in giving the Constitution to us.
I'm teaching Joyschool to a group of children ages 1-5. That's a huge spread in capability and ability to focus. The group meets for two hours once a week, and has a focus on incorporating the scriptures into lessons. Since today is Constitution Day, I decided to teach them about the reason and purpose of the Constitution, plus the symbols of our flag and what the Pledge of Allegiance means. I've learned to overplan and then be flexible- so there's a lot below. :)
Materials needed
‘The Gift to Choose’ cube in a pretty box
Scriptures (Book of Mormon, D&C)
Constitution paper puppets (page 4 of the link, or see photo below)
Constitution puppet story (same as above)
Pictures of a school, church, plus an envelope
Map of the original 13 colonies
Map of the United States (I have a placemat map)
Marker or crayon
American flag- any size
flag pieces (red and blue construction paper) and silver star stickers (see picture below)
Music for “My Flag, My Flag”
glue sticks or school glue
Section 1: God gave us the gift of Agency and the U.S. Constitution to protect it
Show the present, let someone open it to find the rolling cube inside. Tell them that God gave us an amazing gift- the freedom to choose. Let a few children take turns rolling the cube, read what it says.
Sing Do As I’m Doing (CS, - then ask, did I make you do this, or did you get to choose?
Read, then have them recite this scripture 3x: Wherefore, men are free … to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men (2 Nephi 2:27).
Tell the paper-puppet story of the Constitution (Constitution FHE manual, pg. 4). God told us that gave us the Constitution to protect our right to choose (D&C 101:77). We sometimes call this “liberty”. (Have them repeat the word.)
Time for playing inside: US map puzzle for older ones? Also let them use the cube and the finger puppets. Also play outside for 10 minutes if weather is good: look for things that are red, white, and blue.
Section 2: The Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance
Today is a special day- show the colonies map and have the kids point out corresponding ones on the placemat map. Count them with me while I circle them.
Show the flag, tell them it is a symbol of liberty and freedom. Tell about the meaning of the 13 stripes (colonies and rays of light), and the stars (heaven and trying to reach it by following God, 50 stars/50states), and the colors (white: being pure and righteous, red: bravery and courage, blue: paying attention and sticking with what is true and right) = a symbol of liberty and freedom. (symbolism explained better in Supplemental Materials, at the end.)
Sing a song: My Flag, My Flag- have them wave their flags whenever you sing the word “wave”, or make up motions or dance. Bring the music and use the piano, or the CD and a player.
Tell about the Pledge of Allegiance
Recite it, say why we put our hand where we do, then talk about some of the words:
Pledge: a promise
Allegiance : to be faithful and helpful to it
So when you pledge allegiance to the flag, it means you promise to be faithful and helpful to liberty and freedom.
The United States: our country
Republic: the kind of government the Founding Fathers gave us, where we have power to choose our leaders.
Under God: God is the most important, and helps the country when we’re righteous.
Liberty: we get to use our agency
Justice for all: the law is the same for everyone, no matter how old, young, rich, poor, or how they live.
End by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together, then my testimony of God’s wisdom and love in giving the Constitution to us.
Print this to fit a regular-sized piece of paper. Cut out blue construction paper to fit the proper place (mine- 4 3/8" x 3 3/8"). Cut red stripes- each one will need 4 short ones and 3 long ones- red is the first stripe at the top and the last at the bottom. (My red stripes were 1/2" wide, long ones 10 1/2", short ones 6 1/2")
Supplemental materials:
http://www.usflag.org/colors.html "The colors [of the Great Seal] of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness [bravery] & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives:
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
50 stars- states; 13 stripes- original 13 colonies (bring in US placemat, color/circle the 13 in front of the kids)
Explaining the Pledge of Allegiance: http://www.ehow.com/info_10043483_explaining-pledge-flag-kids.html
Mormon Messages: The Freedom to… http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2009-06-27-the-freedom-to?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2009&&lang=eng
Read a story "Do As I'm Doing" at
Scriptures D&C 101:77, 80 the Lord caused Constitution to be established for protection and liberty, D&C 134:1–5 (Governments are instituted of God for the benefit of mankind)
For an explanation of the need and purpose of the Constitution, see the FHE lessons for the Bicentennial, page 4
My Flag, My Flag http://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/my-flag-my-flag?lang=eng, also on Youtube (at the :54 mark) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g88bnDkoHbc
My Country http://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/my-country?lang=eng
Schoolhouse Rock “The Preamble”
http://www.usflag.org/colors.html "The colors [of the Great Seal] of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness [bravery] & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives...
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
50 stars- states; 13 stripes- original 13 colonies (bring in US placemat, color the 13 in front of the kids)
Explaining the Pledge of Allegiance: http://www.ehow.com/info_10043483_explaining-pledge-flag-kids.html
http://www.usflag.org/colors.html "The colors [of the Great Seal] of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness [bravery] & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives:
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
50 stars- states; 13 stripes- original 13 colonies (bring in US placemat, color/circle the 13 in front of the kids)
Explaining the Pledge of Allegiance: http://www.ehow.com/info_10043483_explaining-pledge-flag-kids.html
Mormon Messages: The Freedom to… http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2009-06-27-the-freedom-to?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2009&&lang=eng
Read a story "Do As I'm Doing" at
Scriptures D&C 101:77, 80 the Lord caused Constitution to be established for protection and liberty, D&C 134:1–5 (Governments are instituted of God for the benefit of mankind)
For an explanation of the need and purpose of the Constitution, see the FHE lessons for the Bicentennial, page 4
My Flag, My Flag http://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/my-flag-my-flag?lang=eng, also on Youtube (at the :54 mark) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g88bnDkoHbc
My Country http://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/my-country?lang=eng
Schoolhouse Rock “The Preamble”
http://www.usflag.org/colors.html "The colors [of the Great Seal] of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness [bravery] & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."
Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives...
"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."
50 stars- states; 13 stripes- original 13 colonies (bring in US placemat, color the 13 in front of the kids)
Explaining the Pledge of Allegiance: http://www.ehow.com/info_10043483_explaining-pledge-flag-kids.html
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