Having lived in Baltimore most of my life, up until about five years ago, I have developed a love for flag history. In my opinion, every American should know the story of Francis Scott Key, the Battle of Baltimore, and how the flag was still there in the dawn’s early light. Children should be taught this early in school along with the Star Spangled Banner. They should also be taught flag etiquette, and respect for the flag and all that she represents. So growing up in Baltimore, I had easy access to these stories. We went on what seemed like yearly field trips to Fort McHenry and the Star Spangled Banner Flag House. I will say that it has been several years since we have been to both of these. I was expecting our youngest during our last visit to both.
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry https://www.nps.gov//fomc/index.htm has become one of my favorite field trips. When I was teaching 2nd grade. We would go every year, and spend the weeks before studying the unit on the flag. Then when the rangers pull out the gigantic flag for the class to slowly unroll, it is priceless to see all their faces as the flag grow and grows to the enormous size it was the night that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. They wanted to be sure that the British knew that the flag was still there.
Fort McHenry cost $15 per adult (16 and up), and children 15 and under are free. There is an academic waiver available that we always used for school discounts, and you can also use the “Every Kid in a Park Pass” to get in. There are a few other National Park discounts listed on the website too.
When you arrive, you check in at the visitor welcome center. There is a small gift shop and exhibit. Also at the visitor center you will want to see the short movie that is played every half hour. It gives a brief history of why Francis Scott Key went to the British ship that day. At the end of the movie, as the curtain begins to pull back and the music begins to play the Star Spangled Banner, you just might have to wipe a tear from your eye. (Please be sure to stand.)
After visiting the welcome center, you walk to the fort. you get to see inside the jail cells, the soldiers quarters, walk on the walls of the fort and there is a nice paved trail around the outside of the fort for a nice afternoon walk. You might even see some tall ship sailing by, like the Pride of Baltimore II. Rangers are available for set programs and also for bits of information. Many of the buildings have interactive displays.
I always used our own curriculum in preparation for our visit to Fort McHenry, but the national park service has provided lesson plans for those that would like them. https://www.nps.gov/fomc/learn/education/lessonplansandteacherguides.htm They also provide a printable Jr Ranger activity Booklet. https://www.nps.gov/fomc/learn/kidsyouth/upload/Jr-Ranger-8-pg-Booklet-Low-Rez-2.pdf
The Star Spangled Banner Flag House
The SSBFH http://www.flaghouse.org/ is a museum dedicated to the home and business of Mary Pickersgill. She is the woman who sewed the flag that was seen by Francis Scott Key early that next morning during the bombardment of Fort McHenry.
The SSBFH is not as easy to get to in my opinion. It is in the middle of a very busy area of town. Parking is not always easy. They do have options online that are helpful. We did not use them, or they did not have them when we went, so we were stuck with street/meter parking.
The cost is $9 for adults, $7 for students, and age 6 and under are free. There are several discount programs listed online that are different from the ones at Fort McHenry. (Fort McHenry is a “National Park”. SSBFH is a “museum”. So different discounts apply.)
The museum consist of two buildings. The main building has an exhibit area, with two classroom. Our guide led the children through how life was during the time period of the Battle of Baltimore. The children participated in different chores of the day. The second building is Mary’s house. “Mary” is there and tells you about different things in her house. You can ask her questions as you walk though her house with her.
