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| Students at Ochoco Elementary learn the lyrics to our nation's anthem |
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 | | Photo courtesy of Ochoco Elementary | | Members of teacher Grace Deboodt's class are shown with their flag projects. |
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Two out of every three Americans do not know the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner," according to a Harris poll.
With this in mind, and to help give students a history lesson, Ochoco Elementary teachers have been busy this past week teaching kids the lyrics to the song, which is also the National Anthem. The song was inspired by the War of 1812.
"It opened up dialogue for them to discuss what's important to them about living in America," said Ochoco music specialist Blaine Cameron.
The idea of having students across America learn the words was started by the Music Educators National Conference.
Cameron said conference participants "decided to start this program to help with promoting learning the 'National Anthem' and promoting patriotism in the schools through the program."
"First of all, I chose to become a part of it because it was a great way to start off the school year, with a project that had national implications," said the music specialist, adding that teaching "The Star-Spangled Banner" is as important as The Pledge of Allegiance.
This also gave students a look at some of the important music in the United States' history, such as "God Bless America," "America, The Beautiful" and "You're a Grand Old Flag."
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is sung before football games and before NASCAR races and Cameron thought this would be good to teach at the school.
"Here's a way for a kid to really shine in front of peers," he said. "I think it really drives home the point that the 'National Anthem' is really important to our country and that is why it is sung before events."
Also, kids learned the historical circumstances behind the "National Anthem."
The reception from students about learning and singing the words has been good.
"It was really positive feedback from the kids," Cameron said. "Like, 'Mr. Cameron, I really enjoyed singing that song. Let's sing it again.'"
He is hoping to sing the anthem two or three times a week during the school's morning assembly.
"I like using music in the morning assembly," Cameron said, adding that opening the day with music helps put some focus on the day. "It helps lift up your heart."
"I suppose if I had to add anything, I was really, really pleased with the outcome and the result," said Cameron. "The kids are really excited in their participation."
Students in teacher Grace Deboodt's class each made a small copy of the American flag and wrote the poem that Francis Scott Key wrote, that eventually became the National Anthem, below it. That was because Cameron had brought up the fact that Sept. 14 is National Anthem Day.
"And in the course of writing that poem, we also studied the benchmarks in U.S. history of the War of 1812," Deboodt said. "Then that kind of led to a writing assignment, of which our writing goals were to improve our conventions. That encompasses spelling, capitals, paragraphs, all of the grammar kind of stuff. And the topic of our essays was heroes. The heroes opening paragraph was what is a hero, the next paragraph was local heroes."
The next paragraph discussed heroes of the past and then students wrote a topic sentence on Key and why he is a hero to America. Students also wrote about heroes of the present.
They also put photos of what being an American means to them on the photo pages.
Deboodt said students colored their flags and studied the life of Francis Scott Key, who wrote the poem that later became "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Cameron hopes that next year Ochoco Elementary has a week of activities with a day culminating in the celebration of "The Star-Spangled Banner." This would include visits from Crook County veterans and "what it means for them to fight for people's freedoms." |
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