The Great American Seal

Discover the beauty of the Great American Seal. Recreate this national emblem with Crayola™ Color Sticks™ Colored Pencils.

• 1.

  Use a medium size plate as a template to draw two circles on a piece of white construction paper and a piece of cardboard. Cut out the construction paper and cardboard circles with scissors.

• 2.

  Look in a book or on the Internet for a colorful picture of the Great American Seal. Use this as a reference when drawing your seal.

• 3.

  Using Color Sticks™ Colored Pencils, draw the front and back of the Great American Seal on two circles of construction paper. Lay the Color Sticks flat to shade a large background area. Add details and words with Crayola™ Markers.

• 4.

  Attach the finished seals to the cardboard circles with a glue stick.

Benefits

• Students will research the history of the Great American Seal. Who created this national emblem and why and report findings.
• Students will be able to identify the symbols from nature and history found on the great seal.
• Students will translate the three Latin phrases or mottoes written on the great seal. Students will discuss the meaning and messages conveyed in these mottoes.
• Students will define what a seal is and how the Great Seal is used to seal documents. They will also include information about why the Great Seal has two sides.

Adaptations

• Students can gather information about how the great seal ended up on the dollar bill and the role of Henry A. Wallace in this process.
• Students can research and identify the myths and misinformation associated with the Great Seal.