The Flags of Our Nation

TEACHER’S GUIDE SOCIAL STUDIES LESSONS FOR GRADES 4 & 5
Aligns with national education standards 

CELEBRATE AMERICA WITH STAMPS!

Each year, America’s rich history, art, culture, and traditions are honored by the United States Postal Service with the release of new beautiful stamps. 
Stamp subjects are as diverse as America itself—ranging from literary figures, scientists, and movie icons to landscapes, symbols, and moments in history—each offering an educational value and connection. 

In June, the first set in a multiyear stamp series, The Flags of Our Nation, will be released. We hope you share our enthusiasm for this series and use it as an engaging teaching tool in your classroom.

Visit www.usps.com to learn more about the series and to find other stamps celebrating the U.S. history and culture you are exploring with your students!

Image of Flags of Our Nation stamp, Stars and Stripes, from Series 1.

WALL POSTER MAP
Display the wall poster prior to beginning your lessons, and discuss the state flags highlighted. Tell students that the design, images, and colors used on state flags often hold significant meaning. For example: 

• Arkansas’ flag has 25 stars because it was the 25th state admitted to the U.S. 

• Delaware’s state flag colors represent those of George Washington’s army uniform.

• California’s state flag was designed when settlers there declared their independence from Mexico. The single star on the flag was a reference to Texas, the lone star state, which had already won its independence from Mexico.

Research Project: Ask students to choose a state and research its symbols, including its state flag, and explain the significance each symbol holds for the state.

BIBLIOGRAPHY & RESOURCES 
America’s Story from America’s Library—The Library of Congress www.americaslibrary.gov
 
Children’s Atlas of the United States. World Almanac, 2003. 

State and Local Government on the Net—A directory of official state, county, and city government websites www.statelocalgov.net 

The World Almanac for Kids 2007. World Almanac Education Group, Inc., 2006. 

REPRODUCIBLES 
ACTIVITY ONE: STATE YOUR SYMBOLS  
In this activity, students do research and learn about the significance and use of state symbols.

Answers: 1. CT 2. MS 3. RI 4. TN 5. OH 6. New York 7. Nebraska 8. Utah 9. Illinois 10. Texas

Follow-Up Lesson: Work as a class to create your own set of symbols. Assign groups of students to different tasks, including designing a class flag, and naming a class nickname, motto, fruit, vegetable, animal, song, and dance. 

ACTIVITY TWO: ALL OVER THE MAP 
This activity reinforces students’ geographic, directional, and map skills while conveying interesting facts and state trivia. 

Answers: 1. Oregon 2. Colorado 3. Wisconsin 4. South Dakota 5. Georgia 6. Pennsylvania 7. Kentucky 8. Maine 

Follow-Up Lesson: Have students research five trivia facts about a state and write clues for classmates to guess which state is being described.

FAMILY TAKE-HOME QUIZ 
Created as a fun parent-child interaction, this page asks parents and children to guess (or look up!) the answers to amusing, out-of-the-ordinary state trivia. 

Answers: 1. Colorado 2. Arizona 3. Arkansas 4. California 5. Alaska 6. Alabama 7. Delaware 8. Connecticut

WHAT DO YOU THINK? 
Fill out the enclosed evaluation, or visit www.wrinsiders.com/usps to share your thoughts. Thank you!

Images of Flags of Our Nation stamps, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, from Series 1.

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
WRCP - WEEKLY READER, Custom Publishing