http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/kaboom/ Anatomy of a Firework - Grades 5-8, 9-12 Click on a drawing of a firework to learn about its components.

Pyrotechnics: It's Elemental (Hot Science) - Grades 5-8, 9-12 Click on highlighted elements to find out their contributions to the whiz, bang, pop, and color that make up a firework.

Read the children the following poem and see if the children can guess a special birthday we all celebrate in July?

some birthdays come in winter, some birthdays come in spring. On birthdays there are games to play and lots of songs to sing.

My favorite birthday is in july, And it doesn't belong to me! It's the birthday that lights up the sky For all the world to see!

Rockets glare, trumpets blare, And bands begins to play. Happy Birthday America It's Independence Day!

Tell the children that Independence Day is celebrated on the fourth of

Jult each year. It marks the day many years ago that the United States Became independent, or when we decided that w4e would be our oun country. Have the class set up a birthday party for America. Talk about what games children play at their own birthday parties and play some of those games. If possible play "Stars and Stripes Forever" and encourage children to play imaginary instruments along with the music.