The words in yellow are helpful adaptations for an ELL student.

American Songs and Symbols

Name: Stephanie Panosian
READINESS
I. Goal(s)/Objective(s)/Standard(s)
A. Goal Students will be able to identify American songs and symbols.
B. Objective Given information about United States symbols and patriotic songs,
students will be able to recognize and explain the significance of at least 2 symbols.
ELL Objective- After learning about American songs and symbols, English Language
Learner students will understand what a symbol is based on picture and examples.
The student will then create a symbol to represent something in his life.
C. Social Studies Skill- State relationships between categories of information.
Given flags, songs, sculptures, animals, etc., students will recognize that symbols
are objects that represent a larger concept.

D. Standards
IAS-1.1.3 Identify American songs and symbols and discuss their origins.
Example: Songs: The Star-Spangled Banner and Yankee Doodle, Symbols:
The United States Flag, the bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
NCSS- 4. Individual Development and Identity
ISTE- 1. Creativity and Innovation
Management: time, materials, space, behavior

Time: The lesson will last approximately 25-30 minutes. See specific times
next to each section. Set timer for flag activity.
Materials: mini volleyball, stuffed dog/guinea pig, picture of my family,
cookbook, bald eagle animal or picture, my own drawing of a flag, white paper,
markers, crayons, scissors, stickers, books about American symbols, use
projector to show pictures of family to class. For the ELL, find symbols from
his native country to give an example (flag, animal, map) as well as a picture of
the Syrian Flag.
Space: Students will sit on carpet during anticipatory set and lesson
presentation. Then they will go to desks to do the activity. When finished, they
may come back to the carpet to read books about American symbols.
Behavior: I will tell students to move their clips up or down on the behavior
chart, depending on corresponding behavior. If students are not listening very
well, I will say, 1,2,3, eyes on me. I will also praise those who are being a

II. Anticipatory Set (7 mins)

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I will have symbols from my life to show students and ask them what they think it
could represent. (a volleyball- I played volleyball, stuffed animal dog/guinea pig-my pets,
picture of my family- people I love, a cook book- I bake a lot)
After discussing symbols that represent me, I will say many things can be symbols, like
pictures, objects, and even songs. Lets listen carefully to this song. You may have heard
it before.
Play Star-Spangled Banner at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW88JmCJiYs
Who has heard of this song? Who knows what it is called?
For the ELL, could have the national anthem from their country for them to listen to on
headphones while we listen to our countrys national anthem.
Ask the student if he has something that reminds him of his home, just like the objects I brought
that remind me of my home. (THIS WILL BE A CALP SITUATION WHERE THE STUDENT
MUST ANSWER ME FORMALLY)
III. Purpose:
Today we are going to learn about things that represent the United States different
countries and places. These are called symbols.
(For the ELL, say the word for Symbol in his native language)- CALP language again
as the student will need to know a formal term.
INSTRUCTION (Direct)
IV. Lesson Presentation (10 mins)
(Input/Output)
We are going to watch a video that talks about different symbols in the United States.
Some of you learned about these symbols in a reading group with me, so this will be a
review. Look for symbols and keep track of them in your mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHYduWhuoPg&feature=share
This video is appropriate for the ELL since ot only has music, no words.
What are some American symbols you saw on the video? (write on board) (Video talks
about the United States Flag, Pledge of Allegiance-say it, Uncle Sam, Bald Eagle, The
Alamo, Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and the Liberty Bell)
We say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning as a promise to be true to our country.
The bald eagle is a rare bird that is a symbol of freedom in the United States. Mount
Rushmore reminds us of important leaders from our countrys past.
Some other symbols could be pictures, museums, statues, and types of food.
Probably the most common of these symbols is the American Flag. Does anyone know
many stars our flag has? (50-for the 50 states) Does anyone know how many stripes our
flag has? (13-for the 13 original colonies)
Every country in the world has its own flag. The colors and pictures on the flags
represent different parts of the countrys history.
Have a flag from Syria and explain to the ELL and whole class what the colors might
represent. (I will have to do some background research)
I do: I have made my own flag here for you to see, and you will make your own in a little
while. My flag has my favorite colors, pink and green, along with stickers of flowers and
hearts. In the middle, I drew a cake, since I love to bake.

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V. Guided Practice (7-10 mins)

We do: We can practice by making a class flag. I would like for all of you to quietly go
and get your whiteboards and a marker. Please draw on your whiteboard the same thing
that we draw on the smart board. I am looking for students who are sitting quietly to add
to our class flag. You may add an animal that you like, something in our classroom, or
something you like to do at school. Draw flag on smart board, while letting students add
to it.
The rest of the students will be drawing on their own whiteboards what we draw on the
Smart Board.
This will work well for the ELL student since we are using pictures, not words.
VI. Closure:
Think about one of the United States symbols we have talked about today. Tell your
neighbor one of them and something you learned about that one. Be on the lookout for
symbols around our town or in your home. Tell me about some Friday if you find any!
The ELL student will be paired with someone who is proficient in English, but someone
who respects his language abilities. The ELL student will be able to think of a simple
sentence, but I will be listening for the content of what he answers, not for his English
speaking abilities. (THIS IS A BICS SOCIAL SITUATION.
VII. Independent Practice/Extending the Learning
You do: Now that we all know how to make our own flag, I have crayons, markers,
paper, and stickers at your desk for you all to make your own flag. It can be as creative
as you would like, and it should be a symbol of you. You could use your favorite color
paper, a dog sticker if you have a dog, things like that.
Set a timer for 10 minutes or students will spend 30 making them.
If students finish early, I will have some books about America on the carpet for them to
look at. Once everyone is finished, I will have students come sit down at the carpet.
VIII. Assessment
Formative: I will ask questions during the lesson presentation and observe students to
see whether they are understanding. Students flags will also show whether they
understand about a symbol of themselves. During closure I will listen to what students
tell their partners that they learned during the lesson. I would make sure to have the ELL
student draw a symbol on our class flag to pay close attention to whether or not he is
understanding. This student will also thrive at making his own flag, while using stichers,
markers, and pieces of paper.
Summative: I will include questions about American symbols at the test at the end of the
unit. On the test, the ELL student could circle the Syrian flag in the midst of different
types of flags. This way, words would not be too confusing for the student.
IX. Adaptations:

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Special Needs Students- If a student is not able to draw or make a flag, I will give them a
premade flag to wave around. I could also have lines for the American Flag drawn on a
paper already, and they would just have to color it.
Remediation I will reteach some of the symbols to these students. I will emphasize that
anything could be a symbol, such as a flag, song, or picture. I will show them pictures of
symbols of the United States, and they could color the United States flag if making their
own is too confusing.
Enrichment I will challenge these students to read one of the books on the carpet when
finished making their flag. If they really need more to do, they could write a narrative
about how one of the symbols in the books came to be for America.
ESL I will include a video and song with many representational objects for these
students. Seeing and hearing words should help them to understand more clearly, rather
than just reading a textbook. I will write words on the board while I am talking about the
different American symbols. I will also define and give examples of what a symbol is. I
will have the students native flag to show as well as pictures of American symbols so he
can connect to the lesson.

X. Technology Inclusion
I will play a song during my anticipatory set as well as a video during my lesson
presentation. I will use the Smart board to draw a class flag during guided practice as
well.
EVALUATION
Self-Answer Questions
1. How many students achieved the objective? For those that did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Blooms Taxonomy
b. Gardners Multiple Intelligences
7. Did students learn what some American symbols are?
8. Did students make a flag that is a symbol of themselves?
9. Did the ELL student understand what a symbol is? Could he make a connection of American
symbols back to Syrian symbols with the flag?

Syrian flag for the ELL student to connect with as a symbol.

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This is what I will make after all students have made their flags: