National Symbols

Well, we kicked off Emma and Mason's science curriculum a little while ago, and it's finally time to do the same with history.  Science began with making our classification binders; history begins with a look at our national symbols.

  I like going over symbols of America with the kids before we get into our chronological study of American History.  I feel like it gives the kids a sense of patriotism and pride, which id soemthing that is very important in our home school.  Consequently, even though we're technically out of school for the summer, just as we did with Madison and Spencer, we kicked off our national symbols unit on Flag Day, and will continue to go over them through the Fourth of July.  It's a great way to get ready for Independence Day, and seeing as how we just got home from Washington D.C., and we will be in New York City in another two weeks, it's a pretty perfect time to cover national monuments, buildings, landmarks, and other symbols!  

Of all the activities we do during this unit, the two that the kids seem to 

like and remember the very best are these:

1. Home School Flag Making

 Since Maddi and Spencer sewed the flag of the 13 original colonies, Emma and Mason chose the flag from the War of 1812 which inspired our National Anthem.  They were particularly excited to make this flag since they just saw it  in the American History Smithsonian.  This flag has 15 stripes and 15 stars, which, I might add, the kids placed on the flag in their own arrangement rather than making it exactly like the actual flag that was flying over Fort McHenry.  They also voted to leave the flag whole, though we did have a long discussion over whether to burn the edges of the flag and put some bullet holes through it.

 2. National Treasure Bingo

As we study each national symbol, monument, or building, the kids get a little picture of the symbol to place on a Bingo card.  When the kids' Bingo cards are complete, we have a family movie night and watch both National Treasure Disney movies.  The kids play National Treasure Bingo off the movies and have a great time reminiscing as they do.  I think we'll shoot to have our movie night after we get home from New York though.  This timing will be nice because our last national symbol to cover is Mount Rushmore, and we'll be off for our Mt. Rushmore camping trip the week after we return from New York.