Library Digital Content Access


Why do we call him Uncle Sam?

Created By: Donna Holinga, Lincoln Magnet School (Springfield, IL)
Grade Level: 7th
Content Area: Language Arts/Social Studies
Database Integration: Students will use the TDC database to view images which included common patriotic symbols of the United States such as Uncle Sam, the Liberty Bell, and the torch of the Statue of Liberty. They will then complete research on a patriotic symbol of their choice.


Illinois Learning Standards Achieved

Standard Achieved

Activity that Meets this Standard
STATE GOAL 14 (Social Studies): Understand political systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
Learning Standard F: Understand the development of United States political ideas and traditions. 		Students will complete research about the origin of a patriotic symbol and report their findings using either a poster or a Power Point presentation.
STATE GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations. Students will complete research about the origin of a patriotic symbol and report their findings using either a poster or a Power Point presentation.
STATE GOAL 5 (Language Arts): Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information. Students will use various types of research materials and report their findings in either a poster or Power Point presentation.


Materials:


Procedures:

This unit will take seven 50 minute class periods to complete.

  1. As part of the study of the United States in World geography the teacher will present several images from the TDC database to the entire class which included various patriotic symbols of the United States.
  2. The teacher will lead a discussion as to the name of the symbol and the possible origin of the symbol.
  3. Students will then be divided into teams and each team will choose a patriotic symbol to research.
  4. Students will spend three days researching the following: why the symbol was created, who created the symbol, the meaning of the symbol and when it was first used.
  5. Students will then complete a poster or a three-slide Power Point presentation to display the results of their research.

Assessment:

Student will be assessed using a predetermined, teacher created rubric which will be presented to them at the beginning of the project.