The Pledge of Allegiance is a staple of the American experience. Whether it be reciting it at the beginning of the school day or at a major league baseball game, our communities engage with it. But do your students know that the Pledge includes the word “indivisible” rather than “invisible?” And more importantly, have they reflected on the meaning and text of the Pledge and discussed it with others?
See below for materials that you can adapt and use in your classroom. It includes the different versions of the Pledge that have existed since its inception in 1892, a bank of discussion questions, and the text of the CA Ed Code that addresses the Pledge. We introduced this at the California Council or Social Studies Spring 2019 Conference and will add to the packet in the future (Supreme Court rulings on the Pledge anyone? analyzing images of communities reciting the Pledge anyone?)
Pledge of Allegiance_Materials for a Lesson
Image: Johnston, Frances Benjamin, photographer. Pledge of allegiance to the flag, 8th Division. Washington D.C, 1899. [?] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2001703605/.