North Babylon Students Discuss History of Star Spangled Banner

On Sept. 12, children at Marion G. Vedder Elementary School in the North Babylon learned about the history of the National Anthem, which celebrated its 200th anniversary this year.

Second-graders in Madeline Parlato’s music class read aloud a picture book about the Star Spangled Banner and sang the National Anthem with their hands held over their hearts. Parlato examined each verse and asked the students about the significance of the words, and also provided historical context so that they could understand the meaning of the lyrics.

The children also watched clips and listened to sound bytes from the Smithsonian’s interactive website, which was shown on the classroom’s overhead projector. The website featured interactive games, trivia and pictures from the preservation of the original American flag from the Battle at Fort McHenry

“This lesson was a terrific example of how we can teach our children American history through music,” District Arts and Music Director Dr. Kim Lowenborg-Coyne said. “We strive to educate tomorrow’s great citizens in our programs, and we have fun learning about what makes America great while we become proficient in the arts.”

Photo (courtesy of the North Babylon School District): Children held their hands over the hearts while listening to the national anthem.

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