The Tennessee state flag is red with a blue circle in the middle that has three white stars. Each star means something different, and together they tell the story of our whole state.

What to Do

Grab red, white, and blue crayons or paper. Let us make our own version of the Tennessee flag.

Step 1: Talk about the three stars Point to a map of Tennessee and see if you can find: - East Tennessee (that is where we go to visit the Great Smoky Mountains) - Middle Tennessee (that is where Nashville lives - it is our state capital) - West Tennessee (that is the flatter part near Memphis)

Tell your child: "These three stars stand for these three parts of Tennessee. They all hold hands in the middle to show they are one state."

Step 2: Make the flag Give your child red paper to cut into a rectangle. Then give them a blue circle (you can trace a bowl or cup). Stick the blue circle in the middle. Now give them three white stars to stick on top of the blue circle in a triangle.

Step 3: Talk about the colors - Red stands for courage - Blue stands for loyalty
- White stands for purity

Why This Works

Kids learn state symbols through hands-on making. When they create the flag themselves, they remember what each part means. The three stars become a visual that connects to a map they can see.

Pro Tips

• Show them the real flag at the Capitol in Nashville if you visit
• Point out the flag at government buildings around Maryville
• The flag was designed by a Marine named Lemuel Keyser Shoptaur in 1904

Fun Fact

Tennessee is the 16th state. The three stars also remind us that Tennessee was the third state to join after the original 13 colonies. That is why there are three stars - not two, not four, but three!