A lesson to help students better understand what they are saying in The Pledge Of Allegiance

   Social Studies
The Pledge of Allegiance-Unit following history of the flag.
by Nick Smith
5th grade
  

Goal: Students will understand what they say every morning during the pledge of allegiance.

Lesson:

-Ask the students why they say the pledge every morning. expect a response such as, “Because school makes us.”

-Hand out a copy of the of the pledge, with words singled out that the students might be unfamiliar with, such as “indivisible”.

-Have students look these words up in the dictionary.

-Write the words that the students are looking up on the board or overhead. Discuss the definitions of each word, writing key words of the definition under each word.

   Indivisible:
       Cannot be divided
       Not separated
  

These words will probably be more familiar to students.

-Following the discussion, have the students refer to the new words and rewrite the the pledge of allegiance. It may look something like this:

   I promise loyalty
To the flag
of the United States of America
And to our government
For which it stands
One community
Under God
Unable to be separated
With freedom
And fairness for all
  

*Have selected students say the new pledge in the same rhythm that they would normally recite the pledge.