Craft: Fingerprint Flag

With July 4th just around the corner, children are wearing flags on their clothing as well as seeing displays of flags around. This is a great opportunity to teach them a little about the flag, the United States, and patriotic meanings.

The ABCJesusLovesMe.com 5 Year Preschool (Pre-K) Curriculum has a unit on the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance.  Here is a list of ideas:

– Learn the United State Pledge of Allegiance in phrases:
“I Pledge Allegiance
to the flag
of the United States of America,
and to the republic,
for which it stands,
one Nation under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice, for all.”

– Respect during the pledge:
Boys remove their hats
Stand in attention
Salute or place right hand over heart

– Definitions:
pledge – promise
allegiance – to be loyal, good friend
United States – 50 states (look at a map of the US)
Republic – a place that people can vote to make choices (take a vote on something to demonstrate this process)
one Nation – one country working together
under God – God is our Lord
indivisible – not able to be divided
liberty – freedom
justice – fairness

– Learn the Pledge of Allegiance in Sign Language with this YouTube video

– Create a Flag
Using the US Flag Printable, paint the flag using fingerprints.  Place paint on a plate and dab three fingers into the paint.  Stamp the fingers on the flag.  Paint the blue rectangle first to allow it to dry before adding the 50 “stars.”  Use one fingerprint to create the stars.  Count the stars as you paint to get exactly 50 stars. 

Discuss:
7 red stripes, 6 white stripes to represent the 13 original colonies
50 white stars to represent the 50 states of the union
Blue symbolizes justice
Red symbolizes courage
White symbolizes purity