200th Anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner

We learned today in first grade that 2014 marks the 200th anniversary of our nation’s beloved national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In September 1814, after a 25-hour long battle, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry raised in victory a 42-foot American flag sewn by Mary Pickersgill. A young Francis Scott Key was aboard a ship in the harbor and was so inspired by the patriotic sight that he wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

To celebrate, the music teacher (Alison Rohrbach) thought it would be nice if we ended the day around the flagpole in the primary playground while we sang the anthem for the school. We stood proudly in a ring, youngest students closest to the flag in concentric circles. It was such a proud moment for our classroom.

Feel free to explore these websites with your learner:
 http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/interactive-flag-html5/]

http://www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth/concert/200th-anniversary-our-national-anthem/