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THE
AMERICAN
FLAG
Jean Sturm
rourkeeducationalmedia.com
Scan for Related Titles
and Teacher Resources
Before & After Level: O Word Count: 1,513 Words
Reading Activities 100th word: from page 6
Before Reading:
Building Academic Vocabulary and
Content Area
Background Knowledge
Vocabulary
Read the list. What do these
Before reading a book, it is important to tap into what
words mean?
your child or students already know about the topic. This
will help them develop their vocabulary, increase their
reading comprehension, and make connections across the canton
curriculum. colonies
Continental Congress
1. Look at the cover of the book. What will this book be
about? document
2. What do you already know about the topic? etiquette
3. Let’s study the Table of Contents. What will you learn about
half-staff
in the book’s chapters?
4. What would you like to learn about this topic? Do you think illuminated
you might learn about it from this book? Why or why not? independence
5. Use a reading journal to write about your knowledge of
indivisible
this topic. Record what you already know about the topic
and what you hope to learn about the topic. liberty
6. Read the book. protocol
7. In your reading journal, record what you learned about the
topic and your response to the book.
8. After reading the book complete the activities below.
After Reading:
Comprehension and Extension Activity
After reading the book, work on the following questions with your child or students in order to check
their level of reading comprehension and content mastery.
1. What should we do with a flag that is torn or faded? (Summarize)
2. Why did explorers proudly display the American flag on their expeditions? (Infer)
3. Can you recite the Pledge of Allegiance? (Text to self connection)
4. Why did colonists need a common flag? (Summarize)
5. What is the difference between the Flag Act of 1794 and the Flag Act of 1818? (Asking questions)
Extension Activity
Many people throughout history have written songs and poems that were inspired by the American
flag. Write a poem that describes what the American flag stands for. Share this poem with your
classmates.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Symbol of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A Nation Is Born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
A Growing Nation, A Changing Flag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The Flag in Song and Pledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Flag Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Flag Far and Wide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Show What You Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Websites to Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
A SYMBOL OF
FREEDOM
The flag of the United States of America goes by many
names: Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes, and the Star-Spangled
Banner . It is one of the best-known symbols of our country .
American flags fly in front of post offices, libraries, and schools .
We pin them to our hats and lapels and proudly wear them
on uniforms . We display the flag when we celebrate national
holidays and wave it at parades . The American flag even stands
on the Moon .
4
5
The American flag is a symbol of freedom and patriotism . In
1775, colonists in America began their fight for independence
from Great Britain . George Washington, commander of the
Continental Army, led soldiers from 13 separate colonies . As
the Revolutionary War raged, soldiers carried flags into battle .
Because there was no official flag for the Continental Army,
different groups carried different flags . When one group of
soldiers encountered another, it was hard to tell if they were
friends or enemies . The colonists needed a common flag .
New Hampshire
New Massachusetts
York Rhode Island
Connecticut
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
North
Carolina
South
Carolina
Georgia
Freedom Fact!
The original 13 colonies, in order of the year they were
founded, were Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South
Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
6
The colonists had many different flags. One of the most popular
flags that we still see today, is the Gadsden Flag. This bright yellow
flag with the rattlesnake and the words "Don't Tread On Me" was
originally flown on a Navy ship during the American Revolution.
7
In 1775, the Continental Congress adopted its first official
flag, the Grand Union flag . On New Year’s Day, 1776, the
flag flew for the first time at George Washington’s army
headquarters near Boston, Massachusetts . The Grand Union flag
featured 13 red and white stripes symbolizing the 13 American
colonies . The canton, the upper left corner of the flag, included
a small copy of the British Union flag .
The Grand Union flag was
used by the Continental
Army and Navy from 1776
to 1777.
George Washington
(1732–1799)
8
