Lady Liberty Reading Packet
ELL Grade 3 • Social Studies & Reading
The Lady in the Harbor
Name:
Date:
Key Words:
Symbol: An object that stands for a big idea.
Gift: Something special given to a friend.
Harbor: Safe water where ships stop.
Copper: A metal that turns green in weather.
1
A Giant Gift Across the Ocean
The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. She was a giant birthday gift from the people of France to celebrate American independence and friendship.
French artist Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi designed her. Because she was so huge, workers took her apart into 350 pieces, packed them into 214 crates, and shipped her across the Atlantic Ocean!
2
Why Did She Turn Green?
Lady Liberty is made of copper. When she was new, she was shiny brown like a penny! Over time, rain, wind, and ocean air turned the copper into a soft green coat called patina that protects the metal.
3
Four Symbols of Freedom
Lady Liberty holds powerful symbols that tell a story of freedom:
1. The Torch: Held high in her right hand, its golden flame lights the pathway to freedom and hope for the whole world.
2. The Crown: Her crown has 7 spikes (rays). They stand for the 7 continents and 7 seas of the earth, meaning liberty is for everyone everywhere.
3. The Tablet: In her left hand, she holds a book-like tablet marked with the Roman date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776), America’s Independence Day.
4. The Broken Chains: Lying at her feet are broken chains and shackles. They stand for the end of slavery and freedom from unfair rulers. Her feet are stepping forward into liberty!
Did You Know? For millions of immigrants arriving by boat, Lady Liberty’s torch was the very first sign of welcome to their new home in America.
Visual: Parts of Lady Liberty
JULY 4 1776 Torch: Freedom Crown: 7 Continents Tablet: July 4, 1776 Chains: End of Slavery
Map: Where France Is Look for Star ★
U.K. SPAIN GERMANY ITALY ★ FRANCE (Gift Giver!) Capital: Paris ATLANTIC OCEAN Ship to New York, USA ➔
France is located across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe.
Read the text and examine the visuals carefully. Page 1 of 2 • Turn page for Questions
Comprehension & Reflection Questions
Answer all 9 questions using details from the text, map, and diagram.
Name:
Part 1 Fact Check: Circle the letter of the correct answer.
1. Why did the people of France give the Statue of Liberty to the United States?
A To celebrate friendship and freedom
B To use as a tall lighthouse for boats
C To keep gold safe inside the harbor
2. What metal is the statue made of, and why did she turn green?
A She was made of green wood
B Her copper metal changed from weather
C Workers painted her with sea water
3. True or False: The statue crossed the ocean in one giant piece.
TRUE
FALSE
Part 2 Map & Diagram Detective
4. Look at the Europe map on Page 1. Name the country with the star (★) and the ocean the ship sailed across:
Country:
Ocean:
5. Look at the statue diagram on Page 1. What do the 7 spikes on her crown stand for?
They stand for the:
(Hint: look at the callout box pointing to her crown)
Part 3 Short Answers: Use the sentence starters to complete each answer.
6. How did workers transport the huge statue across the sea?
Sentence starter: Workers took the statue apart into...
7. What do the broken chains at Lady Liberty's feet symbolize?
Sentence starter: The broken chains show that...
Part 4 Open-Ended Thinking: Share your ideas!
8. Imagine you were arriving on a ship in New York Harbor and saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time. How would you feel, and why?
Sentence frame: If I saw Lady Liberty, I would feel ______ because ______.
9. If you could build a giant statue as a friendly gift to another country, what would your statue look like and what idea would it stand for?
Sentence frame: My statue would look like ______ and stand for ______.
My 3rd Grade Checklist: Capital letters Punctuation (. ! ?) Details from text
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