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Symbols: Are They Worth Fighting For?By KRISTEN STERNBERG | NIE Educational Consultant Symbols represent many things. Some are universal, meaning they stand for the same thing all over the world. One example of a universal symbol is the white dove, recognized practically everywhere as a symbol of peace. Another is the white flag of surrender. At the other end of the spectrum are symbols whose meanings are more private or shared by only a few people. As an example, you and your friends might choose or design your own symbol that means something only to your group. Your school colors, and those used by various gangs, are also examples of symbols. The United States flag has a deep, special meaning to most Americans, while flags of other nations have special meanings to their own citizens. We generally expect others to show the same respect for our symbols as we would for theirs. It's customary, for example, for Americans to stand quietly when the U.S. flag is raised, lowered or displayed in a parade. You can also see this same respect displayed by others at international sporting events, such as the Olympics, when national flags are raised and folks stand at attention during award ceremonies. Usually, symbols such as flags are designed and adopted because of their special significance. The white stars on the U.S. flag symbolize the states of the Union, while some say the blue background depicts the sky. What do you think the 13 stripes on our flag might stand for? Why are some stripes red? It might seem unlikely that some people could take offense at flags or other symbols, because they are just objects. However, because pride is often attached to those symbols of home and country, that is exactly what happened recently-with three different states in America's South! Each state in the U.S. has its own flag, seal, banner and other symbols. Also, geographical and political regions sometimes share symbols of their own. One example is the Confederate flag, which was adopted by those states that fought in the Confederacy during the Civil War. The Confederate flag, to some, symbolizes honor to those killed in the war. To others, it represents slavery and is therefore offensive. Find out how the State Senate recently voted on a similar issue in an article about the state flag of Georgia, which incorporates part of the Confederate flag. Then, check out the problems with the new design for that state's flag. Florida's "Stainless Banner," a Confederate battle flag, was removed from display at the state Capitol not long ago. Take a look at the solution to this issue in Florida. In a subsequent News-Journal article, read about how the flag's supporters are campaigning to have it put back up! As you continue to think about this issue, ask yourself which symbols are most meaningful to you. How strongly do you feel about such symbols as the U.S. flag, or the Confederate flag? Do you feel deeply enough to fight for symbols that are important to you? Try these fun activities using The News-Journal! 1. Each state in the U.S. has adopted official symbols denoting, for example, the state flag, state song, state bird, state insect and so on. Use the newspaper and other available resources to locate as many of Florida's official symbols as you can. (Hint: One of the web links, in the following section, leads you to a page that shows all of Florida's 21 official symbols.) Then, search the newspaper to find as many of Florida's symbols as you can. Here's something to start you off: Florida's official marine mammal is the manatee. Make a list of which symbols you have found, and which ones you still need to complete your collection. If you found more than 7 symbols, you're a real whiz! Keep checking different issues of the newspaper until you have a complete collection. Be sure to share your findings with a classmate or teacher or other adult. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.8) 2. What's important to Floridians? Search the newspaper to find and read articles of local interest. Using what you have read, list three people, places, events and/or things you believe symbolize what Florida stands for. Draw your interpretation of your three items in the form of a state flag, seal or banner. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.2.2.5, SS.A.1.2.1, SS.A.5.2.3, VA.A.1.2.1) 3. Because pictures are sometimes more easily recognizable than words, you encounter pictorial or graphic symbols every day-on signs, on television and in the newspaper, for example. Symbols have many uses. Some are informative (a picture of children crossing in front of a school, a dollar sign). Some are designed to make you feel good (a happy face, a gold star). See how many of these and other symbols you can find in your newspaper, and list their uses. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.1.2.1, LA.B.2.2.1, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.D.2.2.3) 4. Some foods have even become national symbols, such as apple pie in America. Search the food section in one or more recent newspapers to see if you can find other foods that are strongly associated with either America or with other countries. Clip out your findings and use them to make a collage. Be sure to share your findings with others. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.8, VA.A.1.2.1, VA.B.1.2.1) 5. Another area that makes extensive use of symbols is sports. Using your newspaper's Sports section, find pictures of symbols used by sports teams. Make a list of what you found, including both the team name and its chosen symbol. Choose one of the symbols and write a poem or rap song using it. Invite a friend or classmate to listen to your creation. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.8, LA.B.2.2.3, MU.B.2.2.1, MU.B.2.2.2) A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org. Check out these links to learn more: You'll find a complete list of official Florida symbols, songs, and other items at the Florida Kids web site maintained by the Florida Division of Historical Resources. With this link, you can find how the U.S. flag evolved. Another symbol of our country is the bald eagle. You can learn all about it at this site. Have you ever wondered what other countries' flags look like, and the symbolism behind them? Try this site about flags of the world, where you can play "flag detective." People from some nations have family crests, which are made up of symbols that have been passed down through the generations. In Japan, historical family crests called Ka-mon are symbols of pride, and they play an important role in helping modern Japanese trace their family history. Ka-mon are usually made up of symbols of plants, animals and other designs. Check out some of the more unusual Ka-mon at this web site. The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check out some of them to see if they have recently published any articles on this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries. The Daytona Beach News-Journal NIE Program, published April 16, 2001 |
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