Postcard Pals 2016-2017 Update

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I hope that everyone is having a great September so far! Still warm and beautiful in these parts, and the leaves will soon be changing color soon.

Here's a quick update on Postcard Pals 2016-2017 that I wanted to share. I sent out mailing addresses and instructions to all participants on August 26 via e-mail. The e-mail is from my blog e-mail address, which is info@aspiretoinspireblog.com. 

MailChimp is the program I use to manage my e-mails, and I'm able to check who has opened and clicked on my e-mails. It also lets me know if any of my e-mails bounced back because of invalid e-mail addresses, and none did that. Based on the reports I've been running, I know that there are some participants who have not opened their Postcard Pals e-mails for whatever reason. If you have not seen an e-mail from me in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folders as it may have been filtered there. It is possible that if you are using a school or business address, the firewall has blocked the e-mail altogether. This has been a problem in the past. If you check and do not find an e-mail in any of your mailboxes or folders, please send me an e-mail at info@aspiretoinspireblog.com and include an alternative e-mail address that you can receive e-mails at, such as a Gmail, Yahoo, etc. account. I will then resend the information.

Another thing I've noticed is that the check off documents are not being updated by participants when they send their postcards. Please do this so that I know who has sent postcards and when. Directions for how to do this are included in my August 26 e-mail. Thanks!

The deadline for sending postcards is October 31 so hopefully you've been starting to receive them and to send them. Please send me your updates and photos! I'd love to see what's happening. 

Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg Book Review

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Thanks to innovative hands-on activities, simulations, and technology, teachers have more tools than ever to help overcome the challenge of engaging students in history. However, trade books--especially nonfiction--are still a powerful way to connect students to the events of the past.

Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg by Tanya Anderson is one such nonfiction account that takes students to the front lines of the Civil War's bloodiest battle through the eyes of a 15-year-old girl who was there. In today's world, where students are thousands of miles removed from full-scale wars, Anderson invites students to step through a door to America's past and come face-to-face with the extraordinary sights, sounds, and smells that Tillie encountered. Using Tillie's own words from her 1889 book At Gettysburg: Or, What a Girl Saw and Heard of the Battle, A True Narrative Story as well as interesting, informative graphics and historical images, Anderson presents a well-researched account of Tillie's experiences as well as important background information about Gettysburg itself prior to, during, and after the battle.

One of the aspects of this book I enjoyed most is the narrative style that Anderson uses to tell the story of Tillie. This is definitely not a dry, nonfiction account of the events at Gettysburg. It reads like a story, which will draw in students. While primary sources like Tillie's account are amazing windows to the past, I have found that language and writing styles from the past can be a barrier to students' comprehension of what the witness is describing. In this case, yes, Tillie was a teenager, but her language isn't necessarily that of today's teenager, and I thought that Anderson did an excellent job of conveying Tillie's story in contemporary, easy-to-understand prose. The excerpts from Tillie's book that Anderson did use in the book effectively describe not only Tillie's wartime experiences but also the range of emotions that this 15-year-old had witnessing such an extraordinary event.

I also was fascinated by the graphics and images used to tell the story of Tillie. When I traveled to Gettysburg in 2009, I was impressed by the remnants of history left among the landscape of the town and battlefield. However, even though monuments and placards denoting significant sites dotted the area, envisioning the Gettysburg of 1863 still required some imagination. Thanks to the emerging use of photography in the Civil War-era, readers of Tillie Pierce are able to view images of the actual people and places of wartime Gettysburg, including those connected to Tillie Pierce's story. I had never seen many of these images before, but they were extremely helpful to me as I read the book. Along these lines, the book also includes standard nonfiction features, such as interesting sidebars, charts, and maps, to support the text.

The Confederate dead (courtesy of the Library of Congress)

View from Little Roundtop (courtesy of the Library of Congress)

Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse (courtesy of the Library of Congress)

The structure of the book is well-organized by chapters and subheadings within. Each subtopic within the chapter is a short read, which lends itself to being able to stop and reflect on the information presented. Most, if not all, subsections of the chapters include images or visual aids that tie into the topic being discussed. The book is not simply page after page of nonfiction prose.

The book begins with an introduction to Gettysburg with a short history of the town up until the Gettysburg that Tillie grew up in.  From there, Anderson introduces individuals and families associated with Tillie. Several chapters describe the build-up to the battle then the battle itself, including Tillie's movements, activities, and thoughts during it. As the book closes, readers learn about the aftermath in Gettysburg as well as what happened to Tillie, her family, and the other individuals connected to her story.

The book is 96 pages, with eight chapters, an epilogue, and a detailed resource section in which Anderson provides source notes, bibliography, resources for further information, and an index. She also includes an interesting feature called "Taking Tillie's Path" that provides the blueprint for a virtual tour of modern Gettysburg using Google Earth. Through this activity, students can see the the places that Tillie saw as they are today.

A view from a modern-day Roundtop

Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg is published by Quindaro Press of Kansas City. It was a 2014 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Nominee, a Junior Library Guild Selection, a 2014 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award (Teen Nonfiction) winner, and a 2014 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book. You can order a signed copy with FREE shipping here. You can also visit Tanya Anderson's online home here.

P.S. Tanya Anderson has another book coming out in October 2016 entitled Gunpowder Girls, which tells the stories of the three worst arsenal explosions during the Civil War, the victims of which were primarily poor, immigrant women and girls who worked in the arsenals. It looks intriguing!

Have you read Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg? How would you use this book in your classroom? Leave a comment!

The Official Postcard Pals 2016-2017 Sign-Up is LIVE!

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Wow! I'm thrilled with the response to bringing back the classroom postcard exchange. With more than 100 classrooms expressing interest, that means that the 2016-2017 Postcard Pals Classroom Postcard Exchange is ON!

So now what?

The next step is for teachers to officially sign up. Here is the 2016-2017 Postcard Pals sign up form. The form will be open until AUGUST 20, 2016. At that point, I'll begin working on mailing group assignments.

By completing this form, YOU ARE COMMITTING to participating in the exchange. Participating means that you agree to do the following:

1. Use or create an e-mail address that accepts e-mail messages from my blog e-mail address. Some school addresses have very fortified firewalls so if you use your school e-mail, please make sure that it accepts e-mails from info@aspiretoinspireblog.com. If it doesn't, I recommend setting up an e-mail address specifically for this exchange at a free e-mail provider such as Gmail or Yahoo.

2. Send a one-time paper postcard to every class in your group (est. 30-40 cards) by the mailing deadline.

3. Update a Google spreadsheet to indicate that you have sent your postcards (simply entering a date--easy!).

4. Complete a short feedback survey about your experience after the exchange.

5. (Optional but appreciated!) Send a few photos of any postcard displays or your class in action as they participate. (I will protect student privacy and cover faces, etc. if I use your photos on a blog post.)
 

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Here is some important info to keep in mind:

By overwhelming preference, the postcard exchange will involve traditional paper postcards. Each class is responsible for supplying its own postcards and postage. I will provide you with some ideas for inexpensive or free postcards as well as funding options when I send out the instructions and mailing lists.  

You will receive your mailing list and instructions in early September, and postcards will need to be mailed by the end of October. Please make sure that you are able to work on this project within that timeframe before you commit to the exchange. 

The only information that will be shared with others on your mailing list is your name, school name, and address. All other information that I request from you will be seen and used by me to communicate updates about the exchange only.

Okay, I'm off to check the growing list of official participants. Hope to see your name on that list!

It's Back! Postcard Pals Classroom Postcard Exchange 2016-2017

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So continuing with the theme of my last two posts about making the most of the summer by getting in on some unique learning experiences for students before the next school year starts, I'm going to offer one to you myself! 

Postcard Pals is making its triumphant return after a year hiatus with what I hope will be the best exchange yet. I have coordinated Postcard Pals since 2013, and I'm really happy with the results of both exchanges I've done. (Some of the participants must have been happy, too, because they signed up for another year!)  You can read more about past exchanges here. 

So here's a little description of what has happened in past exchanges:

1. Teachers (public, private, and home school are welcome) sign up, and depending on the number of classes, I divide up classrooms into groups of 20-30 classes. I do this to keep costs low for participating classrooms as opposed to asking them to send 100+ postcards. I also--as best as I can--divide by grade band, usually PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. 

Each teacher is then responsible for sending one postcard from his or her class to each of the other classes in his or her group. Postcards include information about the geography, economy, history, and other interesting facts about the state in which the class lives. Signing up commits teachers to sending one postcard to each class on their mailing list. If teachers want to establish a pen pal program beyond the one postcard, they are welcome to do that; however, I don't facilitate that. It would be up to the classes involved to work that out.

2. At the beginning of the year (September, usually), I provide teachers in each group with detailed instructions about what should be included on the postcards along with a mailing list of classrooms in their groups. I give a deadline by which postcards should be sent so that everyone knows by when they should expect to receive their postcards (usually October or November). I ask teachers to indicate that they have sent postcards by updating a Google spreadsheet (very easy to do) with the date that they sent them. I use this spreadsheet to follow up with teachers who have not sent postcards.

3. Let the postcards roll in! I love to receive photos and comments about how the exchange is going, and I encourage participants to stay in touch. Many of the photos I receive show bulletin boards prepared especially for the exchange, which is so fun to see. 

In year one, I had 130 classrooms signed up, and in year two 43. Now, that's a big difference, I know. However, year two actually had a higher success rate of follow through on those who committed to participate so that's a good thing! While this an intermediate blog, I do open this exchange up to K-12 students. I've had all grade levels from across the USA participate--and even a few outside of the country--which is quite exciting. 

For 2016-2017...

Step #1 is determining interest, which is what I'm doing in this post. If you're interested in learning more about this exchange, please complete this Google form. Completing the form in no way locks you into a commitment to join. Once I finalize details, I'll set up another form to officially sign up. Please share this with colleagues and teacher friends! Pin it, tweet it, post it, sky write it with an airplane...just please help me get the word out.

Step #2 is thinking about how to improve Postcard Pals. This year, I'm looking into some different options, including possibly making it a virtual postcard exchange to defray the cost of sending postcards via snail mail. Nothing is set in stone, but it's an idea rattling around in my head. I will also be incorporating feedback from past participants into this and any future exchanges as I know we ran into some issues with people not following through on their commitment to take part.

Click HERE to complete the Google form for more information.

I think that's it for now. Hope to see many of you joining the fun! 

Have you ever done a postcard exchange? Tell us about it in a comment!

5 Unique Learning Opportunities That Your Intermediate Students Will Love

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In my most recent post, I suggested that summer is a great time to research unique learning opportunities in which your students can participate during the next school year, especially if deadlines, fees, and applications are involved. With a little digging, you can find some pretty interesting events, contests, and curriculum extras to engage and challenge your students!

In today's post, I'm sharing five very cool such options for upper elementary and middle school classrooms that I recommend checking out. 

1. Electronic Field Trips (EFT)

The world is so much smaller thanks to technology. Students can now see and experience places, people, and cultures that they might never have encountered otherwise. With electronic field trips, students can "visit" places, sometimes in real-time, without ever leaving the classroom. Ahh...just imagine. No permission slips. No loud bus rides. No constant head counts.

Here are two examples:

Colonial Williamsburg

My classes took part in these EFTs, and they were amazing! My students loved them. Since I last used this resource, it appears that the live broadcasts have been discontinued. Instead, however, they have turned to their HERO multimedia library that includes videos, lesson plans, and other resources about life in Colonial and Revolution-era America that you can access. You can sign up for a free account, but there is a fee involved for school-wide access to the library for the year. The material is high-quality and engaging, and it's a fantastic supplement to social studies curricula. You'll get the most for your fee if you register before the year starts, and that will also give you time to go through and choose material.

National Park Foundation

I have not used these EFTs; however, in browsing through the collection of EFTs available, they seem to be high-quality and varied in social studies and science content and feature diverse US national park locations. These are not real-time videos; however, you can watch them for free in segments whenever you wish. Each EFT includes a video and a corresponding Web site that is rich in resources to use in conjunction with the EFT. The service appears to be free, which is a BONUS!

2. Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) Mock Election 

This is one of those opportunities I found out about just a little to late to incorporate into my classes, but I would have loved to have my students be a part of it. The YLI mock election is "the largest secure, student-only, online mock election in the nation, using electronic ballots tailored to each student's home legislative district." It takes place during the mid-late part of October and includes many resources and options for teachers to conduct an election tailored to their students and their area of residence. You must register for this mock election, and the activity and resources are FREE!  

3. Free Student Book Publishing

We did this activity school-wide for several years, and it was very cool! Every student had the opportunity to write a book and have it hardbound published for FREE. This program, created by Student Treasures, involves each student or class (depending on whether you choose an individual or class book project) receiving a book-writing packet that includes everything they need to create their books (ex. instructions, lined & unlined final pages for writing and illustrations, cover page, dedication page, etc.). Each teacher/school chooses a publishing date, all of which have been established by Student Treasures, so teachers need to plan this project with the submission deadline in mind since all packets must be sent in together before the deadline. Under the guidance and instruction of the teacher, students then write their stories and create colored illustrations for them. In my case, I used this project to practice the writing process--brainstorming, drafting, peer reviewing, revising/editing, planning illustrations, and rewriting, and we spent several months working on the books. I must warn you, though, that executing this program requires a lot of planning so start early! 

I was not the coordinator at our school, but from what I understood then and understand now, the publishing programs are tailored to student age groups (K-6, Middle School, High School, etc.). You simply provide the information to Student Treasures about grade levels and type of book you want students to create, and they determine the program that fits those needs. Again, this worthwhile project is FREE to you, and each student received one FREE hardbound copy of their book. (Parents can order multiple copies of the book using an order form found in the packet.) You can request a free sample packet at Student Treasures' Web site. I can't relay to you how excited students were to receive their books and see their work published. It was amazing!

4. Content-Area Contests

Contests are a great way for students to showcase their talents and, in some case, win prizes for it! I am lumping all of the cool contests I found into one section here because I'm leaving it up to you to decide which of the many out there would fit your needs. There are several different Web pages dedicated to listing contests open to upper elementary and middle school students. I'm including a link to a good resource/repository of contests here. You can find contests for all subjects. I noticed that some have not been updated for next year, and some are defunct so be sure to check for further information at their respective Web sites. Here are a couple of examples that I found:

Cricket magazine is a literary publication for students ages 9-14 and holds contests about a variety of literary topics throughout the year, all of which encourage creativity.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards involve contests for many art and writing categories in which students enter their pieces based on local program guidelines. These contests are open to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 7-12

5. NASA events and contests

NASA keeps an updated calendar list of opportunities for students in grades K-8 to participate in a variety of science and technology related activities, events, and contests. I noticed the word FREE in many of these descriptions, and there's a nice variety of events that take place at NASA locations and virtually (online). Check back as new events are added! 

What do you think? Have you ever incorporated any of these in your classroom? Other suggestions? Leave a comment!

Keep Students Learning with Summer Scavenger Hunts

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When students walk out of your classroom on the last day of school, chances are that you may not see most of them again anytime soon. It's bittersweet. You spend a year getting to know them, and then you must send them along to the next class. However, your connections and their learning don't have to end. Here's a fun way to stay in touch with your students over the summer and encourage them to use their knowledge in practical, everyday activities: a summer photo scavenger hunt!

The hunt...

Provide students with a list of learning tasks that they must complete over the summer. Students must document their activities with photos of themselves doing the tasks and an activity log that includes a few details about what they did. They upload photos and an activity log to a shared Google Drive. Then, you review what they submit on the Google Drive.

The incentive...

Obviously you can't require students to complete this activity. However, there are some students who would enjoy the challenge. Some parents would appreciate the extra opportunities for their children to learn and to set and achieve goals. You can reward the effort with a gift card or small but worthwhile prize for each student who successfully completes the activity. (Tip: You may not have to pay out of pocket for prizes. Ask local companies to donate gift cards or prizes. Apply for a grant to subsidize prizes. Raise donations through a crowdfunding site.) Your incentive is maintaining relationships and encouraging learning...of course!

How to do it...

I'm going to outline a plan for developing a summer scavenger hunt. (Keep in mind that I have an upper elementary ELA and Social Studies background so you can just as swap out activities based on the subject matter and grade level that you teach.) With just a little prep before the summer comes, you can create an easy activity for students to complete and for you to track.

The technical stuff...

1. Setting up a Google Drive account with an editable folder

Set up a Google account specifically for scavenger hunt. If it's separate from your personal account, you needn't worry about people accessing personal information. 

Next, go into Google Drive. Set up a folder with the name Scavenger Hunt.  

You will have to make the folder editable so that students can upload photos. The downside to this is that anyone with the link can access the Scavenger Hunt folder. However, you can show students how to make their folders private so that only you can see the photos and activity log. This step addresses the issue of privacy. Once the activity is over, you can edit the privacy of the folder so that no one but you can view or edit it.

To get a shareable link for the Scavenger Hunt folder, go into the folder then to the drop down at the top of the page. Select Get Shareable Link as shown below.

So that students can upload their photos and log, choose Anyone with the Link Can Edit. Students do NOT need a Google account to upload anything if they have this link. You will need to share this link with them when you introduce the activity. (Tip: Shorten the link with bit.ly or goo.gl.)  

2. Setting up private student folders

Once you have set up the editable Scavenger Hunt folder and share the link with students, they can create folders within the Scavenger Hunt folder and upload their photos and activity log. It's a good idea to create a tutorial for students about how to upload their photos and activity logs. Model how to do it so they can see an example, too. (You might want to tell them to email you if they have questions over the summer.)

Students will use the shareable link you've given them to create a folders with their names. To do this, click on the red NEW button, and choose Folder. I named mine Aspire Inspire as shown below.

Next, students need to change the privacy of their folders so that only you can see them. Students should open their folders. and at the top of the page, they should see My Drive > Scavenger Hunt > THEIR FOLDER NAME. They should click on the dropdown, and select Get Shareable Link.

When the dialogue box opens, they need to change the link sharing to OFF--Only Specific People Can Access.

Students should then click on the Advanced button at the bottom right of the screen. This is where they will see who has access.

Under Invite People, students should type in your e-mail address. Your e-mail address could be your new Google account name@gmail.com or another address if you prefer. Once students send permission to you, you will be able to access their folders to view their photos and activity logs.

3. Uploading photos and activity logs

Students will open their folders, and choose the red NEW button. They should select File Upload.

They will choose from the files on their computers.

Once the file uploads are complete, they will be able to see what is in their folders.

I recommend asking students to send you an email when they have finished the scavenger hunt so you know to be looking for their photos and activity log.

Phew! Okay, now the fun stuff...

For this scavenger hunt, I chose very simple tasks that students more than likely either would or could do easily during the summer. The tasks are related to English-Language Arts, Social Studies, and Math concepts. Some are general, and some are based on 5th grade learning targets/standards (Math and Science):

1. Join a summer reading program at the library. If your library doesn’t have a reading program, check out a few books to read over the summer.

2. Use fractions in a real-life activity.

3. Visit a historical site.

4. Visit a natural site—a landform or body of water.

5. Visit a cultural site or attend a cultural event such as a concert or play.

6. Describe in writing a fun experience that you had this summer.

7. Visit an ecosystem in action such as a zoo or a park.

8. Find a spelling error on a sign or brochure, and correct it.

9. Persuade your parents in writing to let you do something.

10. Plant something—in a flower pot, in a garden, or elsewhere—and show that plants get the food they need from the air and water.

Next, I created the following documents to give to students before the end of school:

1. A printable task list with general instructions;

I did not share the link to the Google Drive on this. That would have to be shared verbally.

2. A set of caption cards that students hold in each corresponding photo; and

3. An activity log for students in which to detail their activities.

Some reminders and suggestions

• Choose reasonable and appropriate tasks that most students can do. The idea is to make this activity flexible and accessible to as many students as possible.
• Post the activity documents in the Scavenger Hunt folder on the Google Drive.
• Remind students to hold the corresponding caption card with the date each activity is completed in the photos they take.
• For the writing tasks, ask students to show the finished piece of writing in the photo. 
• Give examples of places to look for spelling errors (#8)--advertisements, news articles, brochures, signs, etc.
• If there is signage at any of the places students visit, encourage them to take a photo in front of it.
• While students may take a few different photos, ask them to limit uploading to one photo of each activity. If you have 10 activities, they should have 11 artifacts in their folders (10 photos plus the activity log).
• For the activity log, give students options to complete it: editing a PDF, scanning and uploading the completed log, or taking a photo of the completed log and uploading it. 

Feel free to use the documents I created for this scavenger hunt! Just please keep the copyright/source info on all pages. Find them here. 

I would love to hear if you implement such a hunt in your class or if you try out the plan I suggested. Leave a comment!

Friendship Resources and Activities Link-Up

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It's been a while since I've done a link-up, and variety is the spice of blog life, right?

This week (May 15-21) is New Friends, Old Friends Week, which is a time to celebrate and make time for new friends and old friends. Friends are such an important part of the lives of our students. We need to encourage them to be good friends by showing them how to connect with one another in encouraging, trustworthy, and fun-loving ways. 

This week's blog post is a link-up of FREE classroom resources that you can use to promote friendship in the intermediate classroom. If you have one, share it here. If you're searching for one, find it here. Can't wait to see what creative activities are out there! Leave a comment about how you plan to use them.

The resource I'm sharing is a sample from Today I Will...Daily Character Building Task Cards. The prompts on these cards encourage students to practice character traits of good friends: selflessness, compassion, kindness, and more. Many friendship resources are geared toward primary students, and I've designed these cards for upper elementary/intermediate students so they require a little more intention and thinking by students.

Meaningful Ways for Students to Observe Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day

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Holiday celebrations in the classroom can be epic, don't you think? I see so many creative lesson ideas, crafts, and activities for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and other big-time holidays that you could probably dedicate a whole month for each of them!

When the school year runs from August to May, though, there are some major holidays just don't get the love they deserve, especially a few important patriotic observances in the USA. If we are to encourage citizenship and a responsibility to preserve freedom among our students, Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day definitely deserve some attention from us as part of the curriculum. Even though school might not be session on the days they're observed, we can still teach our students how to honor them, which is where the featured freebie in this week's blog post comes in.

One of the first resources I ever shared on Teachers Pay Teachers was an free activity called "What Do You Know About Veterans' Day?" It was a simple 5-question quiz that was meant to activate prior knowledge or supplement a reading or discussion about the holiday. From there, I created the similar activities for seven other patriotic holidays, including Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day, that I've also shared for free with teachers. In recent weeks, I've started to update these older resources and even beef them up with more content to make them even more attractive and useful to teachers. The major addition to them is a printable list of ways that students can thoughtfully observe the holidays. Believe me. I love a big, fun family cookout and jaw-dropping fireworks show just as much as anyone else, but there are so many deeper, more personal opportunities to connect to these holidays that we can share with our students. After all, isn't that our goal--to empower our students to do something meaningful with the knowledge they have? 

So here are some ideas to encourage students to thoughtfully participate in Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day on their own and with their families and friends. You can download these along with the 5-question quizzes for each holiday using the link that follows or by clicking on the images. Everything is free! 

Memorial Day

Thank a veteran or active service member.

Maybe you have a family or friend who has served or is serving in the military. Take a moment to say “thank you” for his or her service.

Visit a war memorial or statue.

Statues and memorials honoring fallen military men and women are found in many cities. Visit one. Take time to reflect on the sacrifices men and women throughout history made to protect the country’s freedom—and your own.

Attend a Memorial Day ceremony or service.

Many towns, cities, and organizations hold ceremonies to remember the ultimate sacrifices paid by servicemen and women. Go listen to special speakers, music, and tributes honoring fallen military men and women.

Attend a Memorial Day parade.

Show your gratitude to servicemen and women by attending a parade. Wave, salute, or just silently consider the sacrifices these men and women and others have made on your behalf.

Volunteer to decorate military graves.

A Memorial Day tradition is to place American flags on the graves of military men and women. Contact a local cemetery to find out who does this and get in touch with the organization to volunteer.

Read a book or watch a film about Memorial Day

Learn more about the history of this solemn day by reading a book or watching a film about it. Share what you learn with family and friends. 

Flag Day

Display an American flag.

Whether it’s a large one hung from a flag pole, a small one displayed in a window, or tiny one pinned to your shirt, you can honor the Stars and Stripes by exhibiting a flag.

Read the Flag Code.
Do you know that there are special rules about how to handle and observe the flag? Read up on the Flag Code, which explains how to care for and show respect to the American flag.

Attend a Flag Day ceremony.
Many organizations hold ceremonies to mark the birthday of the American flag. Pay tribute by listening to special speakers and patriotic music that honors the flag.

Wear red, white, and blue.
This one is easy! Dress in patriotic colors to match the colors of the American flag. Research the meaning of each color on the flag.

Enter an art, music, or essay contest about the flag.
Research some opportunities to creatively honor the flag through art, music, or writing.

Listen to the Star-Spangled Banner (and read the lyrics).
Do you know that there is more than one verse in the national anthem? Read all the verses and listen to a recording of it. Reflect on what the flag meant to Francis Scott Key when he wrote this song in 1814 and what it means to you today. 

Independence Day

Display an American flag.

Commemorate the birthday of the United States by showing a symbol of it—big or small!

Read the Declaration of Independence.

This short but important document officially created the United States as a new and separate nation, no longer under the rule of a king who mistreated his colonial subjects. Read about the rights endowed to all people that are the basis of the freedoms we have.

Read what happened to the signers of the Declaration.

The decision to separate from Great Britain was not an easy one for many colonists. Patriots and their families risked much and faced danger for voicing their beliefs. Research some of the names on the Declaration of Independence to find out what these men endured after putting their names on this document.

Attend an Independence Day parade.

Join family, neighbors, and other community members to the celebrate the United States’ independence as you enjoy music, floats—and maybe even a little candy!

Reflect on how freedom impacts your life.

Most of us have never experienced oppression in the way that the American colonists did or the way that even people today in countries with little to no freedoms do. Think about how your life has been impacted by the freedom in this country and how you can preserve freedom for future generations.

Attend a fireworks display.

Independence Day is an event to celebrate by taking part in fun activities like fireworks. If you’re lucky, you may even get to hear a patriotic soundtrack as you watch the show!

You can download these printable lists along with the quizzes here.

Do you have suggestions to add? Leave a comment!