Grade:  Level 3

Subjects:  Social Studies and Language Arts

Learner Outcomes:  The students will be able to:

• identify Betsy Ross as a historical figure
• identify events surrounding her sewing the American Flag
• write a journal entry portraying themselves as Betsy Ross

• Scavenger Hunt- 45 minutes
• Journal Entry- 60 minutes

• Scavenger hunt worksheet (Teacher copy and student copy provided)
• Handwriting paper
• Pencils

Teacher notes:

• Make sure all students have signed acceptable use policy forms for using the internet
• It is widely debated that Betsy Ross truly made the United States flag.  We are only going by the tradition as it has been passed down from generations.
• It may be easier if the web site is book marked for students.
• This lesson is designed to be completed in a lab setting.  It can be done at different times through the use of partners or at center times.

1. Begin lesson by asking students who made the first flag and what they know about Betsy Ross.
2. Give students a copy of the scavenger hunt and explain to them that they are to search the Betsy Ross web page to find the answers.
3. Collect all worksheets to check accuracy.

1. Review information found on the Betsy Ross site.  Discuss how they think Betsy Ross felt being chosen.
2. Discuss with students how to write from another person's point of view as if they're Betsy Ross.
3. The students writing assignment is to write a journal entry as Betsy Ross telling about the visit and designing the flag.
4. Students will write their rough draft and work as partners to edit.  The students will make corrections and write their final copy.
5. Students may volunteer to read their final copy to the entire class.

• Students can work with a partner.
• Written work can be shortened.
• Students with written language deficiencies can tape record their journal entry or dictate to a peer tutor or teacher.

• Betsy Ross color page
• Compare and contrast Francis Hopkinson with Betsy Ross.  A lot of people think that Francis Hopkinson designed the flag instead of Betsy Ross.
• After reading about Hopkinson and Ross have the students decide who they believe designed the flag and graph results.  Let the students debate their choices.
• According to the Betsy Ross home page the original flag disappeared.  Have the students write a story telling what happened to the flag.

• The teacher will check accuracy of scavenger hunt sheet.
• The teacher will check journal entries to determine if they had correct information and if it was written from the correct point of view.

• Social Studies    3.5      3.39
• Language Arts    3.44      3.45      3.20

History

• Understands how democratic values came to be, and how they have been exemplified by people, events, and symbols.
• Understands the folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the United States and how they helped to form a national heritage.

Language Arts

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
• Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions.
• Gathers and uses information for research purposes.
• Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes.

Betsy Ross and the American Flag
The Legend of Betsy Ross
Steve's Flag Page
Stitching A Nation's Dream
Francis Hopkinson
Biography of Francis Hopkinson

Authors:

Brenda Smith
Becky Miller
Tammie Miley
Andrews Heights Elementary, P.O. Box 340 Tornado, West Virginia 25202