Fun Facts About The US Flag

I would have written a completely different post about the US Flag and US Flag history if we weren't in the middle of such uncertain times. So, given our circumstances at the moment, I figured I could discuss different activities about the US Flag for kids to work on when they're home from school. 

Besides various worksheets, videos, coloring pages that are easily available for download, there are a number of online resources for homeschool curriculums that are free or discounted heavily for parents and teachers. (Due to the current situation, many businesses have stepped up to help to make sure parents can continue their child's education at home.) 

You can also create your own worksheets and puzzles with some facts about the flag. 

Fun Facts About The US Flag

Did you know that the flag actually has to be in bed at sunset each night? Not only that but the flag also needs to be awake at sunrise each and every morning! 

The designer of our current flag was a high school student who received a B- from his teacher for his project. 

Robert G. Heft of Lancaster, Ohio, created the current design in 1958. President Dwight D. Eisenhower picked Robert's flag out of 1500 entries! 

6 American Flags have been planted on the moon. Neil Armstrong planted the first one on the moon in July of 1969 as part of the Apollo 11 mission.  Of the 6, only 1 has been removed. So there are 5 left standing. (The first one is no longer on the moon!) 

There have been 27 versions of the American Flag. There was a mistake made when North and South Dakota became states because some flag manufacturer's thought they would be combined into just 1 state. So, there was a version with 39 stars.

Vermont and Kentucky were states 14 and 15 and the flag changed from 13 stripes to 15 stripes. However, when there were more states added, there were discussions as to whether or not they would constantly add more stripes to each state. So, they decided to go back to just 13 stripes to represent the 13 colonies.

The US Flag that we have today is the very first flag to have lasted for 50 years. At one point, we had 17 different versions of the flag over a 50-year span!

There is just a time when burning the flag is acceptable. If the flag is damaged beyond repair, the US Flag Code does state that you can, in fact, burn it in order to dispose of it with dignity.

Just like a lot of us, the US Flag has a few nicknames! You have probably heard someone use one of those nicknames. One of the first nicknames was, "Old Glory". Another popular nickname a lot of people still use is, "Stars and Stripes".

The American Flag has been on quite a few trips! Not only has it been taken to the moon but, in 1909, Robert Peary traveled to the North Pole and took a flag that his wife had sewn and put it in the ice.
In 1963, Barry Bishop took a flag with him on his trip to the top of Mount Everest!

According to the US Flag Code, the flag should never be flown in bad weather. If it must be flown at nighttime, it must be illuminated.

History suggests that the colors of the flag were chosen because red represents valor, white represents liberty and purity and the color blue represents justice and loyalty.

The proper way to view the flag when it's on display is by facing the flag with your right hand over your heart. You've probably done this at school or right before a baseball game or a hockey game!
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On August 3, 1949, President Truman signed an Act of Congress that would designate every June 14th as  National Flag Day. Our current president, Donald J. Trump celebrates his birthday on June 14th too!

There are so many fun facts about the flag! This is just a short list but if you want to impress your friends (or your teaches!) check for more at your local library or online. If you're bored and looking for things to read about or learn about, you could also start memorizing the states and even include the order in which they became stars on the flag!

You could also check out Flags Unlimited for more fun facts and to purchase one of your very own!

Tips For Helping Your Child Succeed In Education

                    Education is one of the major keys to success in life. During the formative years, a child is receiving new information that will shape their understanding of life in some of the most critical ways. In order to make sure that your child gets the education they need and deserve, it's wise to take it a few steps further than the classroom. Consider the following ways you can help your child succeed in their educational journey.

1. Develop a tradition of reading.
It's often stated that reading is fundamental. It's virtually impossible to make it through life without knowing how to read. Therefore, it's wise to encourage your child to learn to love reading. You can do this by reading with your child. Allow your child to pick out the books that interest them. It's also a good idea to read a bedtime story each night. When you read together, it becomes a habit that your child will look forward to.

2. Limit screen time.
Technology is an important part of living in today's society. However, you don't want to allow the television or the iPad to babysit your child. Instead, find different programs that stimulate the brain and encourage educational enrichment. Typing software is a great investment so that your child can improve their computer skills. You can limit your child's amount of screen time by installing a timer that goes shuts the software after a specific amount of time.

3. Be relentless when it comes to exposure.
A child needs to be exposed to different experiences and activities. When you present a child with different options and experiences, this increases their chances of learning their interests, hobbies and future career endeavors. Enroll your child in different types of programs, camps and after-school activities. It's also a good idea to make sure that your child gets a well-rounded social life experience. This includes visits to the children's theaters, local libraries and kid-friendly museum exhibits.

As you work through these various tactics in order to improve your child's educational experience, understand that this will only enhance whatever your child learns in the classroom. When you do your job as a parent, you'll increase the likelihood of success for your child in the future.



             

Reading Is Such An Extraordinary Gift

One of the most amazing things to witness on this planet is when your little kid (or any little kid. I'm sure it's the same for teachers too!) magically understand phonics, words, word families, etc. Basically, learns how to read. 

I homeschool my youngest son because he is most likely in need of some dental surgeries and he is very self-conscious about this as well as his cleft scar and nose from his surgery. It's heartbreaking to know that a small child can feel this way. It's bad enough anybody can. So, he's super duper reserved and is just starting to "come out of his shell" around people he doesn't know. (Another amazing thing to watch!)

But, we use a few different reading programs and he is great with sight words and all of the basics. He excels at math but, cannot stand reading. Until today. 

He started school around 9am this morning and worked straight through until about 5pm. 
Around 10am this morning, something clicked and Deegan just started reading everything on the page lol. He said, lol, "My brain just told me that he understands these sounds now!" (LOL he always has messages from his brain which is awesome since, when I was pregnant with him, he was missing a section of his brain but amazingly, a few months later, at another ultrasound, it started reappearing. Long story but he's perfectly fine and only had a cleft lip and club foot when he was born.) 

Anyway, he went crazy and just started reading and that was that. He didn't even work on any math today because he didn't want to stop learning words. Actually, he learned 46 new words today and took 2 tests and had a 93% and a 100% so, he's a badass. 

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If you can ever witness the exact time that something clicks inside of a little one's brain that makes reading an easy task, you will find that it is very hard to top! 

I was only able to witness this once before when my 11-year-old daughter had that light go off and all of a sudden, she ran to the 1 bookshelf and just started tearing books out. (Apparently, my other 2 had this happen during school lol!)

Reading is the most important and most fascinating gift that we have!

I wish I would have recorded both of these times because the looks on their faces when they have that "click" is such a rewarding and memorable experience. They are so grateful for this gift and so excited when they hone those skills. Both of these days will be 2 of my most favorite memories of my children growing up. (Of course, there are many more!) 

We have been using Reading Eggs, ABC Mouse, as well as several different books, flashcards, the old school way of learning to read. If you have any other ideas or tips for teaching your little ones to read, please let me know in the comments! The possibilities are endless and I want to be able to offer as many options as possible for him to really get as much as he can!