There are TWO guest writers on this Memorial Day post!
My current group of Girl Scouts and a former student who was a Girl Scout.
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We are a Girl Scout troop, and in honor of Memorial Day, we taught a lesson about our American flag. We used information from our camping and day trips. On each of the trips, we learned a little bit about the flag. We have even done a flag ceremony at City Hall!
We taught the class how to fold the flag. We were very careful of the flag. We did not want it touching the ground because if the flag touches the ground then we would have to burn the flag.
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| Photo by Mrs. Yollis |
When the flag is raised on a pole it has its signals. One signal is when the flag is half raised it means that an important American has died. On Memorial Day, we raise the flag half way for all the soldiers that sacrificed their lives. Halfway into the day, they raise the flag fully to recognize the soldiers that are still alive. They raise the flag fully at the White House when the president is there.
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| Photo from Pixabay |
There are 13 stripes on the flag because of the 13 colonies and 50 stars because of the 50 states. America has grown over the decades. One event that changed America was the Louisiana Purchase. It doubled the size of America (Thank you, Thomas Jefferson, for purchasing if from the French!) America was part of Britain living under their laws. But, we fought the Revolutionary War and we won. We the people govern the land!
When you fold the flag, there are many steps. First, you hold it parallel to the ground.
After two folds, you have a long narrow flag with the blue field on top. Next, begin making triangular folds.
Finally, you tuck in the end and you have folded the flag respectfully!
Here is a link to a Flag Retirement ceremony that Mrs. Yollis attended in 2010.
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Guest post from Mallory, Mrs. Yollis' former student
This Monday, May 28, is Memorial Day in the United States.
It is a national holiday!
I celebrated Memorial Day with my mom and my Girl Scout troop in a special way. We went to the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood to place American flags on the headstones of soldiers who have served our country in the military. There were so many other troops to help, including Daisies, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Eagle Scouts.
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| Photo by Mallory's Mom |
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| Photo by Mallory's Mom |
I was very interested to read each soldier's headstone. Some fought in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. There were many soldiers who even fought in more than one war.
This memorable experience inspired me to come home and learn more about Memorial Day. I found out many interesting facts on Wikipedia.
Memorial Day Facts:
* Memorial Day used to be called "Decoration Day" during the Civil War.
* It wasn't until after World War II that the name changed to Memorial Day.
* In 1967, it was declared a national holiday.
* There are 88,000 graves in the Los Angeles National Cemetery.
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| Photo by Mallory's Mom |
How do you celebrate Memorial Day where you live?
Do you have anyone in your family who has served in the military?
What facts do you know about Memorial Day that we haven't mentioned?
Great job, Girl Scouts! I am beaming with pride to see that you have learned so much about caring for and honoring the flag! As your co-leader, I also feel happy to see you showing leadership in your class. Girl Scouts is all about becoming great leaders who make the world a better place!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, when you recite the Girl Scout Promise, you say that you will "serve...my country." You also vow to "help people at all times." By teaching your class how to care for the United States flag, you are serving your country and helping others!
The Girl Scouts' founder, Juliette Gordon Low, was a patriot. Do you know what a patriot is? Did you know that she once designed a uniform idea that included the stars and stripes? For some reason, the design was never made, but we do have a small flag patch on our uniforms.
Juliette Gordon Low believed that having the flag presented or displayed was important, and she made it a part of the Girl Scout tradition.
I hope one day we can help display the flags at the Veterans Cemetery like Mrs. Yollis' former student, Mallory, describes in this post. That would be very special. I also hope our troop can participate in a flag retirement ceremony. Girl Scouts sure know how to show respect to people and things!
Sincerely,
Lisa (Faith's Mom...your Girl Scout co-leader)
Hello Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time since I posted a comment for Mrs Yollis and her class because I find myself very busy these days working at different amounts for sixteen local schools, three dance schools and community groups but I found the Girl Scout post fascinating.
Here in Australia, I was a Boy Scout although these days they are called Scouts as both boys and girls can join if there is also a woman leader. There are also Girl Guides for girls only.
I was a Cub Scout, then Boy Scout, and what had been called Senior Scout (Now Venturer). At each stage I earned the highest award (Cubs-Leaping Wolf, Scout-Green Cord, and Senior Scout-Queen’s Scout) and many years back was a Scout Leader. Scouting for girls and boys is a great way of learning skills and working in teams.
Our Australian flag is very different. It carries the Union Jack (United Kingdom flag) in the top left corner to show our links to the Queen and the origin of the first European settlers. Five stars form the Southern Cross seen easily in our night sky. Under the UK flag is a seven pointed star known as the Federation Star. Six points of the star represent each of the six English colonies that joined to form Australia in 1901. The 7th point is for the territories under Australian control. Whereas you fold the flag to display the stars, we don’t fold it to highlight any particular part.
There have been attempts to change our flag to better reflect a modern Australia with suggestions to remove the English flag and perhaps include a flag for the First Nation People (Aborigines) or perhaps a kangaroo or other ideas but we so far keep the flag we had when Australia became a nation in 1901 rather than a collection of British colonies.
I do have an American Flag I bought while visiting the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. It is kept folded in the way you have shown so the stars are displayed as a respect for the sailors who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attack.
Keep up the great work, Girl Scouts.
Ross Mannell
Teacher (Retired), N.S.W., Australia
Hello Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time since I posted a comment for Mrs Yollis and her class because I find myself very busy these days working at different amounts for sixteen local schools, three dance schools and community groups but I found the Girl Scout post fascinating.
Here in Australia, I was a Boy Scout although these days they are called Scouts as both boys and girls can join if there is also a woman leader. There are also Girl Guides for girls only.
I was a Cub Scout, then Boy Scout, and what had been called Senior Scout (Now Venturer). At each stage I earned the highest award (Cubs-Leaping Wolf, Scout-Green Cord, and Senior Scout-Queen’s Scout) and many years back was a Scout Leader. Scouting for girls and boys is a great way of learning skills and working in teams.
Our Australian flag is very different. It carries the Union Jack (United Kingdom flag) in the top left corner to show our links to the Queen and the origin of the first European settlers. Five stars form the Southern Cross seen easily in our night sky. Under the UK flag is a seven pointed star known as the Federation Star. Six points of the star represent each of the six English colonies that joined to form Australia in 1901. The 7th point is for the territories under Australian control. Whereas you fold the flag to display the stars, we don’t fold it to highlight any particular part.
There have been attempts to change our flag to better reflect a modern Australia with suggestions to remove the English flag and perhaps include a flag for the First Nation People (Aborigines) or perhaps a kangaroo or other ideas but we so far keep the flag we had when Australia became a nation in 1901 rather than a collection of British colonies.
I do have an American Flag I bought while visiting the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. It is kept folded in the way you have shown so the stars are displayed as a respect for the sailors who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attack.
Keep up the great work, Girl Scouts.
Ross Mannell
Teacher (Retired), N.S.W., Australia