Remember this?

I have finally finished my quilt from the Celebrate Red, White and Blue Blog Hop! All the stars were paper pieced and sewn together a while ago but I thought it would be nice to do some Big Stitch hand quilting. 

I also added covered buttons to the center of each star.

During the many hours spent with needle in hand, one thought kept coming to my mind...3rd grade flag songs. You may ask what are 3rd grade flag songs? Let me tell you, one of my favorite things about one the schools I work at is 3rd grade flag songs. 

The 3rd grade teachers take time out of their schedule once a week to gather all the 3rd graders together and teach and sing American Patriotic Songs. They learn and sing songs such as The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, You're a Grand Ole Flag, Yankee Doodle, This Land is Your Land, Hall of Montezuma, My Country 'Tis of Thee, the Salutes to the Services and many more. One of the teachers plays the piano and the team teaches the lyrics, tunes and actions to the songs. 

It is pretty amazing how well the kids know the songs and actions after just a few sessions. By the end of the school year, the 3rd graders have a solid knowledge of American Patriotic Songs and the 2nd graders are looking forward to their turn next year. 

What a fantastic way to teach patriotism! If my schedule allows, I try to join in on this fun and educational time. So, I am dedicating this quilt, "Seeing Stars," in honor of 3rd grade flag songs.

Monday starts the Leafs Me Happy Blog Hop. Go here for the entire schedule! Don't miss the fun!