Most of you don’t have time to devote a whole day to covering Veteran’s Day. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the truth. There is so much material to cover in US History that Veteran’s Day typically gets a very small piece of the pie, if any. How can you cover Veteran’s Day well, but also do it quickly?
First of all, make sure your students know what a veteran is. They probably do, but it’s always good to cover the basics. Then, show the first video below. It explains what Veteran’s Day actually is and how it came about.
After the video, ask the following questions:
- Veteran’s Day originated because of what war?
- What was Veteran’s Day originally called?
Then show the video below. It’s about five minutes long, but it’s really well done. It shows a lot of clips from various wars. It evokes an emotional response and presents veterans as real people. It really helps students see the “people” behind the word veteran.
Then, have your students write an informal reflection or freewrite answering some of the following questions:
- What kind of sacrifices do veterans make when they are in the military?
- Would you be willing to make those same sacrifices?
- What would happen to the US if it did not have any armed forces?
- How does our military make your life better?
- How can you thank a veteran when you see him/her?
Download a free copy of these questions to display on the board here.