Students explore the symbols of the United States — the flag, the bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty — and learn what each one stands for and why it matters.
Students will be able to…
A flag is just cloth and an eagle is just a bird — until a country decides they mean something. What do America’s symbols stand for?
Project this and tap each U.S. symbol. Have students record what it is and the value or idea it represents.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Show a flag and an eagle — why do they matter?
Students investigate the Symbol Explorer.
Students analyze meaning.
Students conclude about a symbol.
Students create a class symbol.
Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies and Common Core literacy in social studies.
Identify core civic virtues and democratic principles that guide government, society, and communities.
Generate questions about individuals and groups who have shaped significant historical changes.
Explain how a democracy relies on people’s responsible participation and draw connections to civic identity.
Use information gained from illustrations and words to demonstrate understanding.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students each create a card for one U.S. symbol — a picture, what it is, and what it stands for — then display them as a class “symbol museum.” A printable symbol card is in the Social Studies library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.