My Flag, My Story

Fourth graders have been global explorers this year, journeying from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the Great Wall of China, celebrating Swiss National Day in Switzerland, and learning about Eid al-Fitr in Saudi Arabia. At each stop on their world tour, students research the country and collaborate on presentations covering its food and culture, sports and entertainment, economy and exports, geography and tourism, as well as government, capital city, and symbols of national pride.

Each presentation invariably features the country’s national flag, and social studies teacher Ward Russell wanted to help his students understand why national flags evoke such strong feelings of pride and patriotism by exploring the deeper meanings behind them. The class watched a CBS Sunday Morning story on vexillology, the study of flag design, which explored what differentiates a good flag from a bad one. Then they examined all the flags from the countries they had studied thus far and learned about the meanings behind each design.

To help students connect with the deeper meaning and symbolism of national flags, Ward challenged them to design personal flags that represent who they are. Each student selected six elements that reflected aspects of their identity. “I kept it pretty broad,” Ward explained. “I asked them to think about what they want others to know about them. It could be a personality trait, something they value, or something they enjoy.” The project offered a creative and meaningful way for students to engage with this year’s schoolwide theme of ‘seeing and being seen,’ allowing them to express their individuality through visual storytelling.

Following the five principles of good flag design—simplicity, meaningful symbolism, a limited color palette (2–3 colors), no text, and a purposeful choice to be either unique or connected to another flag—students created personal flags using Google Slides. They embraced the challenge, thoughtfully selecting colors and symbols that reflected treasured family memories, personal values, faith, and the convictions that guide their lives. The result was a collection of flags on display in the Lower School hallway, which are not only visually striking but also deeply meaningful.