Last updated: October 7, 2019
Lesson Plan
What's in a Seal?
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 4.L.1, 4.L.2, 4.L.3.a, 4.W.1, 4.W.1.a, 4.W.1.b, 4.W.2, 4.W.2.b
- State Standards:
- C.2.4.1 Analyze the role of state and national symbols, patriotic songs and mottos play in fostering citizenship.
- Thinking Skills:
- Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts.
Essential Question
How do symbols impact American culture?
Objective
Using the representative seals of the United States as an example, each student or small group will identify traits they feel are important for a leader to demonstrate, identify someone in their perspective they identify as a leader or exhibits leadership qualities,, then design and draw a seal that symbolizes that significant person in their life, and explain their representative seal in no more than three sentences.
Preparation
Initiate the conversation about leaders as you discuss your upcoming visit to the Clinton Birthplace Home NHS. Define the terms:
Seal
Trait
Leader
Qualities
Provide paper, clipboard (of operating outside of the classroom), pencils and colored markers or Crayons for seasl design.
Materials
Download Seal Graphic Organizer
Download Seal of the United States Defined
Procedure
Using graphic organizer, examples of seals already in use and the students existing school seal or logo, design their own version of a seal and be prepared to explain using at least three details.
If they are noteworthy in your opinion, consider requesting they be displayed in the hallways for schoolwide evaluation and feedback.