Last updated: July 25, 2024
Lesson Plan
Symbolism in Kentucky
The Memorial Building is full of symbols!
National Park Service
- Grade Level:
- Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Kentucky
Social Studies
K.C.KGO.2- Identify local and Kentucky state symbols and events. - Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.
Essential Question
How can we use symbols?
Objective
The objective of this lesson is for students to be able to understand and identify symbolism and what it means and how it can be used in different aspects and settings. Students will be able to experience what symbolism is, how it is used, and what we can use to symbolize ourselves.
Background
Some important information that will be needed for this lesson will be information about the Kentucky flag, what it represents, and the importance of the images on it. We can connect this to the importance of Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace, what is significant about the things here, how it has impacted things in this area and what things are symbolized here.
Preparation
The teacher will need to prepare images of the Kentucky Flag for the students to view. The teacher will also need print outs of the flag template so that students can design their own version of the KY state flag.
Materials
Flag Template
Lesson Hook/Preview
Listen to “My Old Kentucky Home” and talk about the symbolism in the song, why it is our state song to connect it to our state flag and the purpose of the flag.
Procedure
Step one: Teachers will gather all materials (state song, state flag, blank template for flag,).
Step two: Teachers will discuss what symbolism is and how it can be used.
Step three: We will discuss and document as a group things/ideas that we think could symbolize KY.
Step four: Students will be asked to draw an example of what they think the state flag should look like and be able to describe why they chose to draw what they did.
Vocabulary
Symbolism- the use of images, items, or other media to represent ideas or qualities.
Assessment Materials
DiscussionThe assessment can be gauged from ideas that we discussed as a class and that the students can accurately describe why they chose a certain image.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
Meets Kentucky Kindergarten social studies standards. This lesson was created by Kentucky teachers as a part of the History and Science Explore Project.