10/5/2026

Morning Announcements

Morning Meeting Agenda

Mon · Social Studies Tue · Literacy Wed · Science Thu · Math Fri · ROAR + Houses
Social Studies of the Day

An island that’s part of America

This month we’ve met a baseball legend, a Supreme Court Justice, and a superstar performer — and all three come from the same place: Puerto Rico. Today we find it on the map and learn a surprising fact.

This is the flag of Puerto Rico! Puerto Rico is a beautiful island with beaches, rainforests, and mountains. People there speak Spanish and English.

An island is land with water all the way around it. Puerto Rico is part of the United States, just like Tennessee is!

The flag of Puerto Rico with its beaches, rainforest, and mountains
Let’s talk
  • What colors do you see on the Puerto Rican flag? How many stars?
  • Puerto Rico is warm all year. What would you wear if you lived there?
Reveal the answerHide the answer
Red, white, and blue — the same colors as the U.S. flag! And there is one white star.
Try it

Be an island! Stand up and make a circle with your arms — that’s the water all around you. Now say it with me: “¡Puerto Rico!”

Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean Sea, about 1,000 miles southeast of Florida. It is a U.S. territory — not one of the 50 states, but part of the United States. Its flag deliberately mirrors the U.S. flag’s colors, with one star for the island itself.

Here’s the fact that surprises people: everyone born in Puerto Rico is a U.S. citizen. Roberto Clemente, Sonia Sotomayor, and Rita Moreno — all Puerto Rican, all Americans.

A map showing Puerto Rico about 1,000 miles from Florida
Let’s talk
  • What’s the difference between a state and a territory? What might that mean for people living there?
  • Hispanic Heritage Month covers people from many different countries. Why does it matter to know which one someone is actually from?
Try it

Map it! With a partner, trace the route from Chattanooga to Puerto Rico. Which states and waters would you cross? About how far is it compared to a trip you’ve taken?

Additional Notes/Activities

If additional activities are needed for the Morning Meeting, they will be added here.