Flag Day Activities for Grades K-3

Flag Day is celebrated every June across the United States of America. On this day, Americans celebrate by hanging flags from homes, schools and public buildings across the country. Every morning, students honor the American flag by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while placing their right hand over their chest and gazing at the flag. In addition to this time-honored morning ritual, provide students with a variety of Flag Day activities and lessons to honor and further their knowledge of the American flag.

Poems and Songs

The Pledge of Allegiance

Every child knows The Pledge of Allegiance, but do they know what it means? Have students learn what all the words mean and then try to rewrite their own version.

Star Spangled Banner

Have students learn all the verses in our countries National Anthem the Star Spangled Banner. For older students have them look up the words they do not know in the dictionary and write down the definition. Then have them write down each sentence on a strip of paper and with a partner, have students take turns trying to put the song in the correct order.

Flag History and Crafts

Flag History

Use the following passages to teach your students the history of the American flag.

• Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th.
• The flag has been named "Stars and Stripes" and "Old Glory."
• The United States flag has thirteen strips that alternate read and white.
• Each stripe on the flag represents one of the thirteen original U.S. colonies.
• There are fifty stars on the flag and each one represents a state.

After students learn about the history, have them test their knowledge with a fun flag quiz.

History of Betsy Ross

Have students research who Betsy Ross was and what she did. As an introduction to this project read the following books:

• Betsy Ross, by Alexandra Wallner
• Betsy Ross Designer of Our Flag, by Ann Weil
• Blast to the Past Besty Ross's Star, by Stacia Deutsch
• Betsy Ross and the Silver Thimble, by Stephanie Green

Once the students have learned the history of Ms. Ross have them create the Flag craft below.

American Flag Craft

An easy and fun activity to do once your students have learned the history of the flag, is to make a flag out of Popsicle sticks. All you need is some paint, glue, craft sticks, brushes and blue construction paper. Students paint four sticks white and five sticks red. Then alternate the sticks and glue them together. Once they are dried, cut a small square of blue construction paper and glue it to the left hand corner of the flag and place star stickers on the blue paper. Finally, glue a plain stick to pose as the pole and your craft is complete.