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patriotism: related resources
About the Authors | Activity Ideas | Related Resources
Find Below: PBS Web Sites, Other Recommended Links, Recommended Books
pbs online
NewsHour Online: The USA Patriot Act
The controversial Patriot Act, passed by Congress in 2002, is examined.
NOW: Civil Liberties After 9/11
Bill Moyers looks at the age-old debate over civil liberties and national security.
NewsHour Online: Fight For the Pledge
Is reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school unconstitutional?
Liberty! The American Revolution
The Web site for Liberty!, the PBS program about the American Revolution.
recommended web sites
Ceremonial Music Online
http://www.heritageofamericaband.acc.af.mil/
The United States Air Force Heritage of America Band plays patriotic songs including Taps, Stars and Stripes Forever, and the National Anthem. The Amazing Grace version is played on bag pipes. Other songs are a variety of marches, bugle calls, service songs of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard, and honors for the President and other officials.
If you are looking for possible combinations of songs for morning or evening colors or parades, you'll find ideas here. Useful technical information about downloading is provided. Clips can be saved with MP3 and RealAudio and are used for downloading rather than streaming.
Subject: The Arts
More Recommended Arts Links
Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom
http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/szyk/
Szyk, born in Poland, became a United States citizen in 1948 and uses patriotic symbols such as the Liberty Bell, bald eagle, soldier and sailor. The theme of freedom is central to his work on political cartoons, war time publications, and illuminations.
Specific examples are the portrayal of St. George as a soldier, the personification of Poland, fighting the Nazi dragon and illuminations of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The site is from the Library of Congress and presents almost 20 examples of Szyk's work.
Subject: The Arts
More Recommended Arts Links
1776
http://www.mediapede.org/filmhistory/guides/1776.pdf
There is no more riveting or exciting patriotic musical than "1776" by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards. This media guide is from the Center for the Study of Public History and Public Culture. The guide contains a brief summary the movie plot, recommendations for age appropriateness, suggestions for how to break down the movie into classroom length sections, potential topics to highlight, depending on whether you are focusing on political history, social history, or media literacy, suggested discussion questions and classroom activities, and suggestions of relevant materials that will allow the students to compare the two versions of history presented in the different kinds of sources.
Subject: The Arts
More Recommended Arts Links
Hamilton College Patriotism Poll
http://www.hamilton.edu/Levitt/surveys/patriotism/
The Hamilton College Patriotism Poll is from a national survey of the high school graduating class of 2003. It surveyed attitudes toward patriotism, military service, and the pending war in Iraq. The survey of 1,001 high school seniors was conducted in March 2003. Since imminence of war was likely to inflate patriotic feelings, this report pays special attention to the differences between the attitudes expressed during the early polling sessions (on March 12 through 16) and the later (March 17-18) polling period. Included in the 11 key findings from the poll were that 2003 high school seniors are moderately patriotic by their own descriptions and that ethnic variation and political parties in patriotic feelings is marked. Other topics related to the draft, war protesters, and President Bush. Detailed results can be found in the appendix, which includes question wording and statistics. This file is in pdf format only.
Subject: Math
More Recommended Math Links
Declaration of Independence
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/index.htm
If you have ever been frustrated about getting a paper back with editing marks, take heart, you are in good company. Thomas Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, along with Congress's draft, and the final version are found at this site. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration in three weeks at the Graff House, stating the reasons for the colonies to separate from Great Britain.
He was plagued by horseflies from the neighboring stables. You'll find short biographies of the 56 signers of the Declaration, other prominent people, events, and laws which help understand the background for the "treasonous" act by the Continental Congress.
Subject: Social Studies
More Recommended Social Studies Links
American Defenders of Land, Sea & Sky
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/pad/defenders/intro.htm/
The National Park Service takes you for a tour to 56 historic battlefields, forts, lighthouses, ships, aircraft, and rocket sites representing the nation's "common defense." Start at the scene of the American Revolution, and travel through the War of 1812, the Civil War, Spanish-American War, two World Wars, and into the Cold War years. Play the monthly game "Place the Face" where you try to figure out who is portrayed from the site. A Teachers Guide will assist in tying in geography, civics, economics, and language arts by connecting themes with specific historic places. Viewers can browse by lists of locations or by era.
Subject: Social Studies
More Recommended Social Studies Links
recommended books
I Hear America Singing: Folksongs for American Families
By Kathleen Krull and Allen Garns
Published May 2003
Grades: PreK-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12
Subjects: The Arts
This collection contains 62 folk songs from every region of the country. You will find work songs, spirituals, protest songs, and songs just for fun. One index separates the songs into 23 types, including animal songs, ballads and story songs, and blues. Each comes with sheet music and its complete lyrics. A CD with 23 of the songs is included.
More Recommended Arts Books
Grilling America
By Rick Browne
Published April 2003
Grades: 6-8; 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
What could be more American than a barbeque? Browne opens with grilling basics and then devotes chapters to appetizers; beef; fish and shellfish; lamb; pork; poultry; side dishes; sauces, marinades, and dry rubs; and desserts. Vegetarians will find a chapter on vegetarian BBQ. He even tells how to recognize a good BBQ joint. You have to believe a guy who wears a shirt that looks like a tablecloth.
More Recommended Health & Fitness Books
America the Beautiful
By Katharine Lee Bates and Wendell Minor
Published May 2003
Grades: PreK-2; 3-5
Subjects: Social Studies
Wendell Minor has illustrated the first verse of a familiar patriotic song and three more verses seldom heard. The book concludes with biographies of the poem's author and the composer of the tune to which it is commonly sung. Also included are the sheet music, facsimile of a handwritten copy of the poem, descriptions of Minor's twenty-one paintings, and a map locating the subject of each one.
More Recommended Social Studies Books
I Pledge Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance: With Commentary
By Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson, and Chris Raschka
Published August 2002
Grades: PreK-2; 3-5
Subjects: Social Studies
The Pledge of Allegiance is presented word by word and phrase by phrase. Abstract words and concepts are explained. Additional facts about the flag and Pledge are provided. This attractive and useful book will make clear the meaning of a familiar school ritual.
More Recommended Social Studies Books
A Patriot's Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love
By Caroline Kennedy
Published May 2003
Grades: PreK-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12
Subjects: Social Studies
This encyclopedia of American patriotism is organized in sections covering the flag; visions of America; portraits of Americans; rule of law; freedom; freedom of speech and press; freedom of religion; the right to be left alone; equality; the individual; war and peace; work, opportunity, and invention; and the land. The book is packed with illustrations and provides a cross-section of American voices. Celebratory and critical voices are present.
More Recommended Social Studies Books