Star Spangled Banner Day

Francis Scott Key was a Washington attorney who once wanted to be a clergyman. He wrote amateur verse which was mainly religious. Key wrote the national anthem during the War of 1812 while interceding for release from the British on behalf of a friend. He wrote his poem from a prisoner exchange ship in the Baltimore harbor after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry. The flag that flew over McHenry can be seen in the National Museum in Washington, D.C. The tune of the anthem is that of an old English song, "To Anacreon in Heaven." "The Star-Spangled Banner" became our national anthem in September of 1931.
For Language this week you are to write a personal reflective paragraph. This means you will need to SERIOUSLY think about the topic: WHAT THE U.S. FLAG MEANS TO ME. Look at an American flag. Think of all the places you have seen it, how it has been displayed, how it might have been used. Brainstorm your ideas on the back of this paper then write your paper.
REMEMBER:
___ 5-8 sentences, including a topic and concluding sentence
___ five elements of good writing; focus on PURPOSE and IDEAS
___ clearly reworked rough draft
___ final is neat and written in ink
___ signature of adult who helped you proofread your work for content and PRESENTATION
___ all three papers stapled together with final on top

Return to the Paragraph a Week Index.