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Memorial Day Lesson Ideas

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Memorial Day is a day of remembrance. Education World celebrates this special holiday with activities, music, and Web-based ideas to help the children in your classroom understand Memorial Day's significance.

Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives: Lessons for Memorial Day
What does Memorial Day mean to your students? Do they grasp the significance of the sacrifice that American men and women have made to preserve our freedom? Included: Five lessons help students understand the meaning of Memorial Day.

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Every-Day Edits for May

Best Books for Teaching About...
Memorial Day, Citizenship, History, more...

Bulletin Boards That Teach
"Wall of Thanks" bulletin board.
Plus, check out more May bulletin boards.

Plus!

The Memory Shall Be Ours: Celebrating Memorial Day
Why is Memorial Day so important? Your students will learn the significance of this very special day with this exclusive Education World lesson plan.

Wall of Peace
Mary E. Noyes (with Barrie Citrowske), who teaches at Minneota (Minnesota) Public School, submitted this week's lesson in which students' essays are used to build a classroom Wall of Peace. (Grades 5-12)

Teaching Citizenships Five Themes
Memorial Day is a perfect opportunity to teach about citizenship. These activities, from the editors of Weekly Reader, will highlight each of the five citizenship themes.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Put the "Memory" Back in Memorial Day
Some teachers, concerned about students' ignorance of the origin and meaning of Memorial Day, have created programs that stress the importance of remembering and honoring U.S. war veterans on that day.

Students Remember Vietnam War Heroes
Middle school students from Capt. Nathan Hale School in Coventry, Connecticut, pieced together biographies of the 612 state residents killed in the Vietnam War. They published the biographies so others will get to know the servicemen as well as they have.

Speakers, Projects Bring Veterans' Stories to Classroom
Teachers use a variety of ways to educate students about the historic significance of Veterans Day, coming on November 11. Included: Classroom activities for teaching about Veterans Day.

Lessons in Life: Connecting Kids and Soldiers
While most teachers discuss the war in Iraq with their classes, many find that both they and their students also want to do something concrete to help U.S. troops abroad. Included: A list of organizations that link students or classes with deployed servicemen and women.

Make a Memorial Day Book
This work sheet offers an 8-page mini book for primary-grade students to cut and fold. The mini book tells of the origins and celebrations of Memorial Day.

Make a Memorial Day Windsock
This work sheet provides dirctions for designing and creating a red-white-and-blue windsock. Adapt this lesson for Memorial Day by having students reflect on the meaning of the day. Hang the windsocks in your classroom or at home.

Internet Scavenger Hunt: Honoring Our Veterans
What do you know about Veterans Day? Explore the Veterans Day Web site to learn about that national holiday.

Great Sites for Teaching About... World Wars I and II
This week's sites are among the best on the Web for teaching about World Wars I and II.

Remembering D-Day: Great Sites on the Web
Education World looks at some interesting D-Day Web sites.

Great Sites for Teaching About... Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Education World recommends some of the best sites on the Wide Web for learning and teaching about these important historic events.

Raise the Flag Day (Awareness) in Your Class!
Education World salutes Flag Day with lesson activities, links to great sites, and more.

 

 

More Resources for Memorial Day

Crafts

Red, White & Blue Windsock

Handprint Flag


Sounds

History of "Taps"


Recipes

Patriotic Jigglers

Make a Flag Cake



 

Games

Online Word Search

Online Maze


Clipart

Veterans Day Clip Art

Veterans Day Graphics

Patriotic Graphics/Backgrounds


Activities

Veterans Day Activities