The California State Flag Teacher Guide In this activity, students will design their own version of the California state flag and describe what each element of the flag means and why it is important to the Californian identity. Materials/Preparation ● Coloring/art materials ● Student handouts Suggested Procedures 1. Have students look at examples of flags from different countries and states. Explain that flags can use symbols to convey meaning. Some are straightforward, while others contain more specific or in-depth references. a. Example: The American flag has 13 stripes to represent the original colonies and 50 stars to represent the states. b. Example: The Mexican flag features an emblem which is based on an Aztec legend that the gods told the people to build a city where there was an eagle eating a serpent on a cactus. 2. Discuss key events and topics that surfaced in California throughout this unit. It might be useful to record student shares on a chart or on the board. 3. Have students design their own Californian flags and explain their design choices. Students should consider what type of symbols, colors, and/or words they want to use, and how these elements represent or reflect something about California. 4. Optional: Students can present their flags in front of the class and hang them up around the classroom. The California Gold Rush The California State Flag Different states and countries have unique flags that represent them. Design a flag for California that shows something important or interesting about California. Think about what​ ​colors,​ ​shapes​,​ symbols​, ​words​, and​ pictures​ you want to use, and why. Here are some examples of flags: Flag of the United States Flag of California Flag of Mexico The California Gold Rush Use this space or a separate piece of paper to design your flag. The California Gold Rush 1. Describe your flag: ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. How does your flag represent California? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ The California Gold Rush .