The Star-Spangled Banner

Grade: 8
Student Learning Objective:
After completing this lesson, students will be able to analyze a historical event, compare its facts and opinions and write their own perspective.
Materials:
Pen/Pencil
Notebook paper
Copy of original version of The Star-Spangled Banner
Fact or opinion organizer
Audio recording of the bombing at Ft. McHenry and of The Star-Spangled Banner (Original and Modern)
Historic images (Ft. McHenry, Battle, American Flag, Francis Scott Key)
Preparation for the Activities:
During the past week students have been studying the war of 1812; the reasons for the war, the burning of the Capitol building, White House and the
bombing of one of Americas most important ports in Baltimore, Ft. McHenry. Students observed the sight of the bombing through historic images,
these images depicted the battle and events that took place on the night of September 13, 1814. But it was through the eyes of one man aboard a ship
not too far from Ft. McHenry on the morning of September 14, 1814, from where he observed an American flag still standing that would serve as the
inspiration for what we know today as The National Anthem of the United States
Text Information: The Star-Spangled Banner Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Link to Text: http://amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/the-lyrics.aspx
Flesh-Kincaid Readability Level: 8.9
Order of the Lesson:
1. Introduction: Students will listen to the original audio version of The Star-Spangled Banner and discuss with their group anything they
might have heard that is different from a version they have heard most recently. The original version of The Star-Spangled Banner may
contain vocabulary that may not be familiar to all students in which case, the teacher will include a vocabulary overview guide.

2014Cherie Behrens

2. Before Reading strategy: Students will take a picture walk through the bombing at Ft. McHenry as well as the flag that stood the morning
after the bombing. Students will then make predictions as to how the views captured through these images, served as an inspiration for The
National Anthem.
3. During Reading strategy: Students will evaluate whether the content of The Star-Spangled Banner was based on fact and opinion, this will
allow students the opportunity to analyze the written content and determinations based on the writing and the historic images the students
viewed.
4. After Reading Strategy: Students will be able to take on their individual perspective by viewing the attack on Ft. McHenry as if they had
been in the place of Francis Scott Key and write a summary of their perspective.
Introduction:
The teacher will initiate the lesson by reminding the students how they arrived at this point in history based on the lessons discussed the previous
week. The teacher will then play an audio recording of the bombing at Ft. McHenry as well as an audio of the original Star-Spangled Banner. The
teacher will then initiate a discussion of what the students heard in the original version that maybe different from a more modern version. The
teacher will also distribute a copy of the original version of The Star-Spangled Banner which will be used throughout the lesson. In order to obtain
full understanding of every word in the The Star-Spangled Banner, the teacher will provide each student with a vocabulary overview organizer. This
strategy will assist students in obtaining a better understanding of words that may be unfamiliar. The student will glance at the document to be
evaluated and make note of any words that may be unfamiliar. This will allow students to identify the word, write clues that may help them in
finding a definition, writing a sentence and even drawing a picture which student can then associate with the meaning of the word.
CONTENT AREA STANDARD:
Discipline:
Social Science
SS.8.A.1.7
View historic events through the eyes of those who were there as shown in their art, writings, music, and artifacts.
http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewStandard/Preview/3253
ANCHOR STANDARDS FOR READING, WRITING, LISTENING, and SPEAKING:
CCSS Anchor
Reading
Writing
Standard
Addressed:
K-12 CCSS
CCSS.ELACCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3
Anchor
LITERACY.CCRA.R.7
Standards
Write narratives to develop real or imagined
with Link
Integrate and evaluate content
experiences or events using effective technique,
and Standard presented in diverse media and
well-chosen details and well-structured event
Written Out: formats, including visually and
sequences.
2014Cherie Behrens

Listening and Speaking

CCSS.ELALITERACY.CCRA.SL.1
Prepare for and participate
effectively in a range of
conversations and collaborations

quantitatively, as well as in
words.

http://www.corestandards.org/ELALiteracy/CCRA/W/3/

http://www.corestandards.org/EL
A-Literacy/CCRA/R/7/
Correspondin
g Before,
During and
After
Strategies

Before Reading: Students will

hear and audio recording of the
Ft. McHenry attack as well as the
audio of the original version of
The Star-Spangled Banner. This
will allow students to build visual
images of what took place and be
able to discuss their thoughts
based on what they heard.

Before Reading: Students will write the

predictions they have made during the picture walk
through, this will give the opportunity to discuss
with their peers their predictions.

Before Reading: Students will

take a picture walk through the
bombing at Ft. McHenry as well
as the flag that stood the morning
after the bombing. Students will
then make predictions as to how
the views captured through these
images, served as an inspiration
for The National Anthem.

During Reading: Students will also create a third

column in the fact and opinion chart in which they
will write an explanation as to the reason why they
believe certain statements would be considered
opinions.

During Reading: Students will

read and have the opportunity to
evaluate and discuss whether The
Star-Spangled Banner was
written based on facts or opinions
from their reading, audio and
2014Cherie Behrens

During Reading: Students will complete a

fact/opinion chart in which they will need to record
whether they believe the information written was
based on opinions or facts.

After Reading: Once students have created their

own perspective of the character assigned, they
will write a summary based on the experiences
they believe the person may have encountered.
Students will based their writing on how they view
the characters feelings, reactions, decisions, and
even the reasons behind the characters writing.

with diverse partners, building on

others' ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
http://www.corestandards.org/EL
A-Literacy/CCRA/SL/1/
Before Reading: Students will
have the opportunity to
discuss/share the predictions they
have made based on their
observations and listening of the
audio recordings.
During Reading: Students will
have the opportunity to share
their observations and hear the
observations and opinions of the
other students in their groups.
After Reading: Students will
share their perception with a
partner and discuss how their
perception was different or
similar and what those different
could have been based on.

visuals.

Evaluation
Using
Formative
Assessment

After Reading: Students will be

able to create their own
perspective based on their
reading.
Before Reading: Teacher will
walk around and ensure that
students are engaged in
conversations based on the
audios they heard.

During Reading: Teacher will review and

evaluate the statements and evidence showing
mastery of the concept.

Before Reading: The picture

walk through will serve as an
evaluator to determine the
students ability to make
predictions based on images they
have observed.

After Reading: Teacher will

evaluate written summaries of the
students perspective of the
character, their actions, feelings,
reactions and writings. This will
reflect their understanding and
mastery of the concept being
taught.

During Reading:
Estimated Time: This lesson should take no more than two class periods, a lot will be based on the time spent sharing each students perspectives
and observations.
English Learner Strategies: Visuals, audio, speaking, writing, listening working in groups, working in pairs, and vocabulary overview.
Hess' Level of Cognitive Rigor Matrix: Webbs DOK Level 2, skills and concepts. Understand: Make basic inferences or logical predictions from
data or text.
Rigor Explained to Show Meeting this High Level of Cognitive Rigor: Students will be required to make predictions based on observations they
made from audio and visuals provided, this also gives them the opportunity to make their own conclusions or speculations of what might occur.
Reference Information for Hess' Level of Cognitive Rigor Matrix:
http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/M1-Slide_22_DOK_Hess_Cognitive_Rigor.pdf
2014Cherie Behrens

 2009 Karin K. Hess: Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrix, khess@nciea.org

The Gradual Release Model:
About the scaffolding technique called the Gradual Release Model (I do it, We do it, You do it):
I do it: explicit teaching (explaining what they need to do)
We do it: guided practice (where you provide support by doing the activity with them)
You do it: independent practice (when the students practice the skills they learned on their own)
Before Reading:

Gradual Release Model for the Strategies in this Lesson

During Reading:
After Reading:

I do it: The teacher will introduce

the lesson to the students by
giving a short recap of previous
lesion and the arrival to the
specific time in history. Teacher
will project through a PowerPoint
presentation several pictures
(visuals) of the bombing of Ft.
McHenry, Baltimore harbor, and
the flag that stood the morning
after the attack. The teacher will
also play an original audio
version of the Star-Spangled
Banner. The teacher will explain
the concept of making predictions
based on observations.
We do it: Teacher will guide
students as to how observations
can help predict events or
outcomes. Students will have the
2014Cherie Behrens

I do it: Teacher will distribute a

hard copy of the original StarSpangled Banner to each student,
along with a fact or opinion
organizer. The teacher will provide
students with clear instructions for
completing the organizer, giving a
clear explanation of the difference
between a fact and an opinion.
This will be necessary in order for
the students to complete the
organizer accurately.

I do it: Teacher will provide a detail

explanation of the meaning of
perspective as well as letting them
know that for this activity they will
be taking the perspective of Francis
Scott Key. Students will be provided
with a blank sheet of notebook paper
in which they will be asked to
summarize their own perspective of
the events that occurred in 1812 from
the eyes of Francis Scott Key.

We do it: Students will have the

opportunity to ask questions or
receive further clarification of the
difference between facts or
opinions. Teacher and students will
then read the original version of the
Star-Spangled Banner and will
complete the first section of the

We do it: Teacher and students will

briefly discuss the situation, the
person, and the events taking place at
this specific time. This will be a time
to brainstorm how that person may be
feeling, how they may react, what
decisions he is making and perhaps
what let him to his most well known

opportunity to ask questions and

receive further clarification of
teacher expectations.

organizer.

You do it: Students will complete

the fact or opinion organizer,
You do it: Students will write
including their own explanations as
their own predictions and discuss to why they believe certain
the observations made based on
statements would be considered
the visuals they saw and the audio opinions.
they heard, they will then have
the opportunity to share them
with their peers

writings.
You do it: Students will write a
summary of their individual
perspective.

Strategies and Links:

Before Reading: Picture Walk
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryReading/BeforeReading.aspx
During Reading: Fact or Opinion
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryReading/DuringReading.aspx
After Reading: Perspective
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryReading/AfterReading.aspx
Vocabulary: Vocabulary Overview
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/curriculum/AcademicCore/LanguageArtsandReading/SecondaryReading/VocabularyBuilding.aspx
Reflection:
This lesson was created to give students a different perspective on something that they are already familiar with yet may not have the background
history as to why it was created. This lesson gives students the opportunity to make their own predictions about events that occurred and have made
impact on the history of this nation. It also allows students to evaluate The Star-Spangled Banner from a fact or opinion point of view. My favorite
concept of this lesson is the idea of placing each student in the shoes and allow them to view such heroic events through the eyes of Francis Scott
Key. Students are able to give their own perspective of what he saw, what he felt, how he reacted and perhaps the reasons that lead him to writing a
2014Cherie Behrens

song that brings people together, that is used to honor a nation and bury those who die fighting to protect it. It is my hope that next time a student
hears The Star-Spangled Banner will be able to view it and appreciate the history behind it.
Objectives Connection:
Students had the opportunity to analyze the attack on Ft. McHenry which was a historical event that let to the writing of our nations National
Anthem, they were able to evaluate the Star-Spangled Banner from a fact or opinion point of view and students were able to share their own
perspective placing themselves in the shoes of its author Mr. Francis Scott Key.

2014Cherie Behrens