National Flag Day Activities
On June 14, 1777, Congress passed a motion to officially recognize and adopt the United States flag. Although not a federal holiday, Flag Day is often celebrated with a traditional parade in numerous cities across the country, accompanied by flag flying and parties. Flag Day can also be honored in class, with a host of different activities to promote patriotism and educate children of all ages on the history and significance of this national symbol.
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Arts and Crafts
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Celebrate Flag Day in your classroom with some easy arts and crafts activities. Make a miniature U.S. Flag to wave by making a replica flag using paint and a piece of square cardstock. Glue a craft stick to the back of the flag to make the holder. Alternatively, make a Flag Day keepsake by painting a pebble in red, white and blue or make decorative bunting from miniature stars, painting in the flag colors.
Food
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Cook up some traditional American snacks to celebrate Flag Day in class. Cheeseburgers and hot dogs, for example, are great for children of any age as they are easy to make and assemble. Baking and decorating cookies with red, white and blue icing is another simple cooking idea. Alternatively, try making a whole-class Flag Day cake. Bake a simple sponge, filled with jelly and cream and, using icing, create a flag on top.
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Songs
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A sing-a-long is another way of displaying patriotism and celebrating Flag Day in school. Make sure you start the day with a pledge of allegiance before moving on to some traditional Flag Day songs, like the Star-Spangled Banner and The Flag Song. Encourage students who play an instrument to get involved by playing the tune. Alternatively, brainstorm ideas and thoughts about Flag Day to create your own song to sing.
Time Line
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Educate your students about the history and significance of Flag Day by creating a life-size time line. Give students some research time to gather key dates in the flag's history and produce short biographies of significance people, such as the first recognized observance of Flag Day in 1885 and Betsy Ross who made the first American flag. Decorate the time-line in red, white and blue and display in class.
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References
Resources
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