Make an American Flag with your Preschool Class: Great Craft for President's Day

This project is best suited for students in grades three through six. It can be modified for younger children, however.

First, teach the students a brief history of the American Flag. The American Flag is a symbol of our freedom. The thirteen colonies that were first liberated from the rule of England are represented by the thirteen red and white stripes. The fifty states that entail America now are represented by the fifty stars.

It would be helpful if you showed the student’s pictures of how the flag has evolved since the early days of America. Show who was president each time the flag changed and teach the reasons that the flag was changed. If you do not have this information in your history book, then borrow a history book from the library.

You Will Need:

Popsicle sticks
Small stones
Glue
Cardboard
Scissors
Paint
Paint brush
Newspaper
Smocks

Directions:

Lay newspaper across the student’s desks to protect them.
Have each student wear a smock to protect their clothes. If you do not have enough smocks, then have the student’s parents send an old shirt that the student can slip on.
Give each child a piece of cardboard to glue their flag upon. You can use construction paper, but cardboard will be sturdier.
Have each student glue thirteen Popsicle sticks onto the cardboard to represent the thirteen colonies.
Show the students how to paint a blue box in the top left hand corner of the flag. Paint the whole box blue.
Next have the students paint the thirteen stripes starting and ending with red. The white should be in between the red, creating a red-white-red-white pattern.
While the students have the white paint, have them paint several small stones or rocks. These will be the stars.
Glue the “stars” into the blue box on the flag. Obviously fifty stones cannot fit on this replica, so just glue as many as can fit.
Cut the flag out of the construction paper. Cut around the edges and leave the cardboard backing on the flag.
Glue two Popsicle sticks together to make the flagpole. Glue the sticks behind the American Flag for the flagpole.

More President’s Day Crafts from this Author:

President’s Day Crafts 1: Washington’s Wig

President’s Day Crafts 2: Lincoln’s Log Cabin

The Flag at Theodore Roosevelt’s Home

This post is part of the series: President’s Day Crafts

When teaching about the Presidents, it be will fun for students to create these President’s Day crafts.