Veterans Day is a day to honor United States veterans who have had the fortune of coming back home to their families and those who have lost their lives for our country. Every year on November 11, we honor those who have devoted their lives to maintaining freedom and justice for all in America and worldwide.
How will you recognize Veterans Day in the classroom?
Here are some ideas for introducing Veterans Day to your students so they can better understand the importance of this often overlooked holiday.
Veterans Day videos
Here’s a quick video that can be used at the beginning or end of a class period to introduce students to Veterans Day. It gives students a quick summary of how the holiday came to be and the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
This video teaches students about Veterans Day. This short 6:45 video features Michelle Obama and the penguins of Madagascar to tell others about the importance of the holiday. The video introduces concepts to help students learn about respecting and honoring our veterans.
Lessons to teach about Veterans Day
Infuse literacy skills into your curriculum while celebrating the achievements of our soldiers by having students read to learn about the history of Veterans Day.
Throughout the reading, students will learn about:
- Armistice Day
- What a veteran is
- The history of Veterans Day
This activity includes print and digital materials, allowing students to read and summarize their learning by completing a review flipbook. Hang the printable book in your classroom for students to reflect on and honor our veterans on or near November 11.
Science activity:
Science teachers, you too can recognize Veterans Day in your classroom! Students will read to learn about Veterans Day and its history and work on their design and engineering skills by creating a flagpole to honor veterans.
Get a closer look at the activity here:
-Joseph Campbell
