The American Flag: What the Stars and Stripes Mean
Look closely at the American flag. Can you count the stars? There are 50! Each little star stands for one state in the United States. And the stripes? There are 13 — one for each of the very first states, long ago. The flag has a special nickname: the Stars and Stripes. People fly it at schools, at parks, and on holidays.
What You Will Learn
1. The three colors of the flag and what they mean. 2. How many stars and stripes are on the flag, and why. 3. How to show respect for the flag.
Three Colors With Big Meanings
The flag has three colors, and each one has a meaning. Red is for being brave. White is for being good and honest. Blue is for being fair and never giving up. When you see the flag, you can remember: brave, honest, and fair!
Next time you see a real flag, try to count the stripes. Point with your finger: red, white, red, white... You should get to 13! Seven are red and six are white.
50 Stars for 50 States
Up in the blue corner, all the stars sit together. There are 50 stars because there are 50 states in our country, like California, Texas, and Ohio. A long time ago the flag had fewer stars, because there were fewer states. Every time a new state joined, people added a new star!
Showing Respect
The flag is special, so we treat it kindly. When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we stand up tall and put our right hand on our heart. We try not to let the flag touch the ground. These are ways to show we care about our country.
Match each part of the flag to what it means.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
What do the 50 stars on the flag stand for?
What should you do when you say the Pledge of Allegiance?
Make Your Own Flag
1. Use red, white, and blue crayons or paper. 2. Make stripes going across — try to make some red and some white. 3. Put a blue square in the top corner. 4. Draw or stick some stars in the blue square. 5. Tell a grown-up: what does red mean? What do the stars stand for? Your finished flag is your deliverable — hang it up proudly!
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