Veterans Day

Veterans Day.  More than a day off.  Veterans Day is a day to remember all those who are serving, have served, or who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  Helping young children understand this sacrifice is not always easy.  I have put together this fabulous Veterans Day resource to help you help your little learners understand the importance of Veterans Day.  

There are so many wonderful activities for learning about Veterans Day and activities you can do within your school community and as community outreach for local Veterans.  One user shared her idea on my feedback...

"My kinders always make something special for the vets in the hospital here. Your cards and wreath project are perfect!"

Another buyer had this to say about the differentiation within the unit...

"OH WOW! This is so awesome and wonderfully differentiated for different learners and their levels! Thank you!"

Another aspect of this Veterans Day resource that I just love is the My American Hero wall display.  I send the note home with each child in first grade, and if there is a Veteran in the family, the child colors the flag and border, parents attach a picture, and we display it on our hall wall.  The kids come back with great stories about their grandfathers, uncles, fathers, brothers, cousins, and a few times we had female service members as well that their parents shared with them while completing the projects.  Every person who passes the wall stops and studies the pictures and reads about the Veterans pictured. 

I developed these notes to use when my son left for boot camp over two years ago.  I put them out at his graduation/going away party, and his friends and family all jotted notes to him on them. Throughout his time at boot camp, I sent him a note a day. 

Now, we are using the notecards in class to write messages to him and other Marines that I include in my care packages to him. He says the Marines love the messages and especially get a kick out of the pictures the kids draw on the back of the notecards.  It helps them feel connected to home, too.  And some of the Marines don't get any mail at all, so they love sharing my son's mail.

I love the thought that teachers are using these same notes to send messages to other Veterans and service members!

Have a great weekend!