WE LOVE OUR FLAG

WE LOVE OUR FLAG

We will celebrate Flag Day on June 14, but here’s a song you can sing all year to prompt your class before saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

We Love Our Flag
(Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
We love our flag.
We love our flag.
We love America
And we love our flag.

Red, white, and blue,
Red, white, and blue,
The colors of our country’s flag
Are red, white, and blue.

50 stars of white
On a field of blue
Stand for 50 states
Where we live, it’s true.

Thirteen stripes
In red and white
Stand for the colonies
For freedom they did fight.

We love our flag…

* Use the words in the song to explain the meaning of the stars and strips.

Here’s the link to download the book:
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/06_Jun/1booksJun/WeLoveOurFlag.pdf


AmeriCANS
Check out this video to learn another song about our flag. The last verse is my favorite:
We are all Americans
And so we always say I CAN!
We try and do our best
Because we are Americans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuhI_GXyF90

Flag Etiquette
Teach children flag etiquette and the importance of not dragging the flag on the ground.

Design a Flag
Give children a sheet of white paper and the scrap box and let them design their own flags.

Parade
O.K. If you've read to the end of this blog, I've saved the best idea until last. Whenever your class completes an art project let them "parade" their creations around the room. Put on some catchy music and they can walk around in a circle holding up their work. It's so funny because they really think they are "special."

Foam Hands(Cheri Rummens, Mansfield Preschool)
Cut hands out of foam and write “left” and “right” on them before taping them above the calendar and flag. Remind the children to look and see which hand they should place on their heart before they do the pledge.

GO TEAM USA!

Oh, happy day! Don’t you just LOVE the Olympics! It’s a time when everyone in our country can cheer on the same side.

How about some pompoms to cheer on the red, white and blue?

WHAT? paper lunch sacks, scissors, crayons or markers, rubber bands

HOW? Draw lines from the top of the lunch sack to the bottom flap about ½” apart. Let children decorate their bags, and then cut down on the lines. Place the flap face down on the table and roll. Wrap a rubber band around the bottom section to make a handle. (You can also use tape to secure the handle.) “Crinkle” the strips and shake like pompoms.




I found some other great ideas for celebrating the Olympics with kids on these websites:

http://www.first-school.ws/activities/firststeps/olympics.htm

www.activityvillage.co.uk/holding-your-own-olympic-games

http://www.preschool-plan-it.com/preschool-olympics-theme.html




You’ll find ideas for setting up a training camp in your classroom and integrating cooking, art, writing, math, and social studies.

GO TEAM USA!

A DAY TO REMEMBER

For most of you Memorial Day means that summer is here and it’s time to get out those white shoes, the sprinkler, and the grill. However, I think it’s important to take a minute today and think about the real meaning of this holiday.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because people decorated the gravesites of those who died during the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to include all the women and men who died during military service.

The poppy has become a symbol of Memorial Day due to Moina Michael’s Poem “In Flanders Fields” (1915). 

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

Attending parades, visiting military gravesites, or decorating with flags are traditional ways to remember those who died serving our country.

Check out this website to learn more about Memorial Day:
http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/


*The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history/videos

FAMILY FUN THIS SUMMER

Here's a link you can share with your families for some summer FUN!

https://bit.ly/drjeanFunSummer

WE LOVE OUR FLAG

 

We will celebrate Flag Day on June 14, but here’s a song you can sing all year to prompt your class before saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

We Love Our Flag
(Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
We love our flag.
We love our flag.
We love America
And we love our flag.

Red, white, and blue,
Red, white, and blue,
The colors of our country’s flag
Are red, white, and blue.

50 stars of white
On a field of blue
Stand for 50 states
Where we live, it’s true.

Thirteen stripes
In red and white
Stand for the colonies
For freedom they did fight.

We love our flag…

* Use the words in the song to explain the meaning of the stars and strips.

Here’s the link to download the book:

 

Just click here.

AmeriCANS
Check out this video to learn another song about our flag. The last verse is my favorite:
We are all Americans
And so we always say I CAN!
We try and do our best
Because we are Americans.

Click to view video.



Flag Etiquette
Teach children flag etiquette and the importance of not dragging the flag on the ground.

Design a Flag
Give children a sheet of white paper and the scrap box and let them design their own flags.


Parade
O.K. If you've read to the end of this blog, I've saved the best idea until last. Whenever your class completes an art project let them "parade" their creations around the room. Put on some catchy music and they can walk around in a circle holding up their work. It's so funny because they really think they are "special."


Foam Hands(Cheri Rummens, Mansfield Preschool)
Cut hands out of foam and write “left” and “right” on them before taping them above the calendar and flag. Remind the children to look and see which hand they should place on their heart before they do the pledge.

THE NAME OF MY STATE

LET'S GET MAPPING AND INTEGRATE THE US MAP WITH THESE ACTIVITIES!

                       

What state do we live in?

*Let children take turns identifying your state on the map.

State Song (Jodie Slusher -Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
Virginia is our state.
Virginia is our state.
Richmond is our capitol.
Virginia is our state.

*Insert your state's name and capitol in the song.

More Mapping Ideas

*Ask children to point to the states as you discuss them.

What state were you born in? Ask your parents what state they were born in.

Follow your favorite team (football, baseball, basketball, etc.) Who are they playing this week? Walk your fingers from your state to where the game will be played.

What states are your neighbors?

What country is north of the USA? What country is South?

What does the blue color on the map represent?

Where are the Hawaiian Islands? Where is Alaska? Are they attached like the other states?

Point to the north, south, east, and west on the map.


Directions
Label the walls in your classroom with "north," "south," "east," and "west." Sing this song to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" as you point to the words. Face "north" as you begin.
                             
The sun is rising in the east, uh-huh, uh-huh. (Point with right hand.)
The sun is setting in the west, uh-huh, uh-huh. (Point with left hand.)
My nose is north. (Point in front of you.)
My tail is south. (Point behind you.)
And so I turn myself around (Turn around.)
And the sun keeps rising in the east.
Uh-huh, uh-huh.


Hint! Take children outside in the morning. Point where is the sun coming up with your right hand. That direction is east. Point to the opposite direction with your left hand. That direction is west. Your face is north and your back is south.

A DAY TO REMEMBER

For most of you Memorial Day means that summer is here and it’s time to get out those white shoes, the sprinkler, and the grill. However, I think it’s important to take a minute today and think about the real meaning of this holiday.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because people decorated the gravesites of those who died during the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to include all the women and men who died during military service.

The poppy has become a symbol of Memorial Day due to Moina Michael’s Poem “In Flanders Fields” (1915). 

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

Attending parades, visiting military gravesites, or decorating with flags are traditional ways to remember those who died serving our country.

Check out this website to learn more about Memorial Day:

http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/

Whoever you are…wherever you are…take a few minutes today to PLAY! Do something that makes you happy! Do something that makes you glad to be alive! And, please, take a few minutes today to remember all the brave men and women who died serving the United States Military so that we can be free and happy today!!!

USA MAP

If I were in charge of the world I'd definitely put a map of the United States in every classroom. Why? Well, first of all, I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! Here are some other activities you could integrate in a meaningful way.

The Name of Our Country  (Starlett Phillingane - Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
Our country is the U – S – A,
U – S – A, U – S – A.
Our country is the U – S – A
United States of America!


The Fifty Nifty States  (Tune: “Turkey in the Straw”)
There are 50 states in my country,
If you sing along you will learn them with me.
We are all very proud of the red, white and blue.
We’ll start with “A” and work our way through.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas
California Colorado Connecticut Delaware
Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Don’t you know!

Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine
Maryland Mass. Michigan Minnesota
Miss. Missouri Montana Nebraska
Nevada N.H. New Jersey New Mexico

New York N.Carolina N. Dakota Ohio
Oklahoma Oregon Penn. We’re on a roll!
Rhode Is. S.Carolina S. Dakota Tennessee
Texas Utah We’re near the end, you see.

Vermont Virginia Washington State
West Va. Wisconsin Wyoming This is great!
We can sing them, we can say them, and now that we’re all through.
Kiss your brain and say, “Yahoo!”

Hope you'll like this new video my webmaster Alex May made for this song.

 

Fifty States with Dr. Jean


Alex also created a free printable US outline map for you. It is 30 inches wide after you print it and tape the pages together.

Download map by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

VETERAN'S DAY

Veteran’s Day will be celebrated on November 11th, a week from today. But we shouldn't we thank our veterans every day? One teacher told me that she taught her children how to recognize veterans by their hat or clothing. Whenever they see a veteran they go up to them and say, "Thank you for your service!" You can't teach your students anything more important than that!!!

And that teacher taught me something, too, because that's what I try to do when I see a veteran.  They seem a little surprised when I say, "Thank you for your service," and then they break out in a smile.  


Veteran’s Day
(Tune: “Danny Boy” - HAPPY EVERYTHING CD)
Today’s the day we celebrate our veterans,
The men and women who fought for our great land.
We’ll raise our flags and hold a moment of silence
And we will carry poppies in our hands.
Because we want to thank you for your service;
You traveled far to keep us safe at home.
You fought with pride and honor for our country.
Our veterans, oh how we love you so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV_UrfgjvRI

Vocabulary

What is a veteran? For homework, have children interview their parents to find out about veterans in their family.

Here is a bulletin board from Carolyn Kisloski's school. The children fill out stars for each veteran in their family and then make a "Wall of Thanks" to honor them.

Poppies

Take three 7” circles cut out of red tissue paper and fold them like a fan. Twist a green pipe cleaner around the middle. Open layers to resemble a poppy. Do a search on the internet to discover why the poppy is symbol for Veteran’s Day.

                          

Guest Speaker

Call a local military recruiting office and invite a guest speaker to share with the children what it’s like to have a job in the armed forces.


Letters to the Armed Forces
Here's a website where you can get information about writing letters to current military members and veterans. What a great way to show appreciation for our servicemen and women! 

https://www.operationgratitude.com/writeletters/