Students will take a cross country trip to discover the symbols, landmarks, and documents that represent our country and our local community.
 

Subject: Social Studies
Topic: Symbols of Our Nation
Grade Level: Third
Student Lesson name and URL: Ready To Travel?

3.4 Students understand the role of rules and laws in our daily  lives and the basic structure of the U.S. government. 
           3. Know the histories of important local and national landmarks, symbols, and essential documents that create a sense of community among citizens and exemplify cherished ideals (e.g., the U.S. flag, the bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Capitol). 
 

Students will research and collect information on our national symbols, landmarks, and documents using Internet and other available classroom resources. 

1. Students will complete a written data collecting sheet that will ask them to find a facts, information, pictures, etc. 

      Students will travel across the United States gathering information and facts about the documents, symbols, and 
famous American landmarks that are part of our great nation. 

 Their Mission 
       Students will begin their trip using the internet, their 
 Social Studies text, and classroom resources to find 
 pictures and facts about American landmarks, symbols, 
 and documents listed on the materials page. At the 
 completion of the lesson students will be able to recognize and 
 discuss with fellow travelers many of the symbols, landmarks, 
 and documents that make all of us proud to be called 
 Americans.  Finally,  you will be asked to create a new  flag or 
 emblem for our nation based on your travels. 
 

Student Activity Page

          Quiz
                     Students will look at pictures of a variety of national symbols 
            and landmarks. They will attempt to match the picture with the
            correct title.
  Enabling Activity(ies)

              Before students begin their research they will go to the materials
       page and make a hard (paper) copy of the travel guide. They will use
       this guide to record all the information they will need to collect. Once 
       they have their travel guide they can begin their travels using 
       Yahooligans, their textbook, and other classroom books. 
 

              Internet Search Engine: Yahooligans 
              Text Book: McGraw Hill, Third Grade Text, Communities, 
                                 Adventures in Time and Place
              Other Resources:How the White House Really Works
                                                     by George Sullivan
                                            From Sea to Shining Sea
                                                     complied by Amy Cohn
                                            Uncle Sam & Old Glory: Symbols of America
                                                      by Delno West & Jean West
                                             Liberty
                                                       by Lynn Curlee
                                             Our Constitution
                                                         by Linda Carlson Johnson
                                             This Land Is Your Land
                                                         by Woodie Guthrie
                                              Hand in Hand: An American History
                                                         collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
                                                Purple Mountains Majesties
                                                           by Barbara Younger
                                                The Flag We Love
                                                           by Pam Munoz Ryan Culminating Activity

             Using the information, pictures and knowledge students have 
       collected they will design a new American Flag or emblem. 
       The flag or emblem will need to incorporate a combination of at 
        least three symbols, landmarks, and/or phrases.
 Assessment

Your Grade

        You will have two tasks to complete: 
               Task one:  your research,
              Task two: designing a new emblem.
         You will be graded separately for each task using the
         rubrics below. 
 

Task One Scoring Rubric
   Collecting and Recording Information

Exemplary
     All proficient criteria met plus:

• 30 sites visited
• 30 questions answered correctly
• detailed drawings
• all spelling, capitalization, and punctuation is correct

• 20 sites visited
• 20 questions answered correctly
• work is neat and complete
• facts are accurate
• drawings are accurate
• mostly correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation

• 15 sites visited
• 15 questions answered correctly
• work is somewhat neat and complete
• facts are mostly accurate
• drawings are mostlyaccurate
• some correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation

• less then 15 sites visited
• work is messy and incomplete
• facts are inaccurate
• drawings are inaccurate
• numerous spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors

Task Two Scoring Rubric
   Creating Your Own Flag or Emblem

Exemplary
     All proficient criteria met plus:

• incorporated five or more symbols, phrases, etc.
• detailed illustrations
• effective use of colors
• all spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are correct
• more then one correct paragraph

• incorported three symbols, phrases, etc
• legible illustrations
• drawing is neat 
• color is used throughout
• mostly correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
• written description using correct paragraphing

• incorporated two symbols, phrases, etc. 
• work is somewhat neat and complete
• drawings are mostly accurate
• black and white drawing
• some correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
• written description is brief, not in paragraph format

• incorporated one symbol
• work is messy and incomplete
• drawings are inaccurate
• numerous spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors
• no written description

Introductory Activity
List and link the web resources for this activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

Enabling Activity
Yahooligans

Culminating Activity
List and link the web resources for your culminating activity here. Also link supplementary materials such as PDF files and /or document files.

Powerpoint Presentation

School Name: Little Chico Creek Elementary
School Location: 2090 Amanda Way, Chico, California 95928
Your Name and e-mail address: Karen Weaver
Last Revised: 05/31/2001