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Star Spangled Banner

Star Spangled Banner

Learn the history behind The Star-Spangled Banner and how it became our national anthem.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Cardboard
  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Students research the history of The Star-Spangled Banner and its author, Francis Scott Key.

  • Step 2

    Have students choose a line from the song and illustrate what they think it means.

  • Step 3

    The artwork shown for this lesson plan is an illustration of the line, “And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”

  • Step 4

    Use Crayola® Crayons and Crayola Washable Markers to draw the bombardment that Francis Scott Key witnessed in the Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812. That inspired him to write the poem "Defense of Fort McHenry" which eventually became the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner."

  • Step 5

    Cut small pieces of cardboard to raise the flag off the page. Glue the cardboard to the page and the flag with Crayola School Glue.

  • Step 6

    Embellish the flag with Crayola Glitter Glue. Allow to dry overnight.

Standards

LA: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

LA: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

LA: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SS: Compare and contrast different stories or accounts about past events, people, places, or situations, identifying how they contribute to our understanding of the past.

SS: Identify and use various sources for reconstructing the past, such as documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, and others.

VA: Students will initiate making works of art and design by experimenting, imagining and identifying content.

Adaptations

Classroom Resources include: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner by Patricia A. Pingry, The Star-Spangled Banner by Peter Spier.

Students research the history of Fort McHenry and its role in the War of 1812.

Students research and write a biography of Francis Scott Key.