4th of July
I clearly remember the various moments when I realized that no, our country isn't this glorious infallible thing we are gifted to enjoy. It was shocking to hear that US soldiers had done and were doing awful, unjustifiable things, or that judges and elected officials were not always worthy of the trust and power they had. It was horrifying to hear that my family had once owned enslaved people. Since I know I am from Mayflower stock, when I read atrocities from the early years of our country, I have to guess that people I am descended from were there too, kicking heads through the streets and burning witches (or being burned). Knowing these things, I feel a responsibility to try, at the least, to not keep the evil going, and it is important that my kids (who will grow up to be white men) learn about their history, their power, and their ability to choose to change the world. Not reaching too high or anything, right? Piece of cake.
Sometimes it is also surprising to me what my kids do and don't know. My middle guy can tell you all kinds of crazy facts, but he didn't know about Uncle Sam. For this Independence Day, I made a playlist for my guys to share some of the facts, symbols, and music that most Americans associate with the country. Since we are a nation of immigrants, I included some info at the end about the naturalization process, what it means to be a refugee, how immigration works, etc. There are some thoughts from Native Americans, and a clip from Frederick Douglass's "What Is the Fourth of July to a Slave." I tried to keep it as apolitical as I could, considering what videos were available to me. I did include music that sang about God since it is so widely known. There are read alouds talking about the fourth of July, parades, and Chinese food and apple pie. There is history, tours of the Statue of Liberty, the Nathan's hot dog eating contest, Uncle Sam and Ellis Island, the bald eagle, parades and how to make a float, Kid President and fireworks and Schoolhouse Rock. There's Daniel Tiger and Popeye and Tom and Jerry. There's the Star Spangled Banner, the 1812 Overture, the flag and how it's made, Yankee Doodle and the pledge, Liberty Kids and firework safety and citizenship oaths. It's here.
Of course this won't be the end of our discussions, but it's a start.
Sometimes it is also surprising to me what my kids do and don't know. My middle guy can tell you all kinds of crazy facts, but he didn't know about Uncle Sam. For this Independence Day, I made a playlist for my guys to share some of the facts, symbols, and music that most Americans associate with the country. Since we are a nation of immigrants, I included some info at the end about the naturalization process, what it means to be a refugee, how immigration works, etc. There are some thoughts from Native Americans, and a clip from Frederick Douglass's "What Is the Fourth of July to a Slave." I tried to keep it as apolitical as I could, considering what videos were available to me. I did include music that sang about God since it is so widely known. There are read alouds talking about the fourth of July, parades, and Chinese food and apple pie. There is history, tours of the Statue of Liberty, the Nathan's hot dog eating contest, Uncle Sam and Ellis Island, the bald eagle, parades and how to make a float, Kid President and fireworks and Schoolhouse Rock. There's Daniel Tiger and Popeye and Tom and Jerry. There's the Star Spangled Banner, the 1812 Overture, the flag and how it's made, Yankee Doodle and the pledge, Liberty Kids and firework safety and citizenship oaths. It's here.
Of course this won't be the end of our discussions, but it's a start.
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