Our school last year added to our School Improvement Plan that we wanted
our students to grow as citizens as well as growing in math and reading.
One of the ways we are trying to promote citizenship is to show them what it means to be
an American.
Last year, we began having a Veterans' Day program.
This program was to cover multiple purposes:
1. To thank our town's veterans
2. To teach our students what a veteran is
3. To teach our students what the veterans have done for our country
Needless to say, the program was a huge hit and plans began for this year's program
which we had on Friday.
We met in the gym with parents and other visitors in the bleachers, the veterans in chairs in the middle of the gym and the students surrounding the veterans.
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| We probably had close to 60 veterans. |
Our third graders took an active role in leading our thoughts as we thanked these men and women.
As part of the assembly, we set a white table and explained the meanings of the different items
on the white table.
My students introduced and welcomed everyone to the program.
After the presentation of the flags, the pledge and national anthem,
our third graders sang "You're a Grand Old Flag."
Each grade level presented a song to the veterans at different times during the assembly.
More of my students quoted lines of poems that talked about a veteran's service.
They also talked to us about the military history.
Some of our veterans listening to the children.
We, then, played a medley of all the branches anthems. As their song was played, veterans of each branch stood. We also presented them with pins thanking them for their service.
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| The kids loved clapping along to the different anthems of the branches. |
Some of my students were pleased to have family members and friends who are veterans attend
the program.
The students said their favorite part was walking among the veterans thanking them for their service.
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| You see in the veteran's hand gifts that were made by the students in the school. Each veteran had a stack of thank yous in their chair when they arrived. |
All of Kim and my kids were super proud to have
"their own" veteran at the program, Mr. David (my dad).
Mr. David is a retired Air Force Pilot as well as a retired high school math teacher.
He works as a math interventionist in Mrs. Kim's room with all of our kids,
and they ADORE him!
I love teaching my students about our country as well as the men and women
who have helped to make it what it is today.
I read this book before the Veterans' Day assembly so they really understand the concept of
the white table.
We always go out and place flags out in front of the school around Veterans' Day as well.
When we do that, I read this book to them or we watch the YouTube video.
We also write thank you letters to veterans.
I ask for addresses from the students' parents of friends and family they know.
The kids take this job very seriously.
The letters are always so sincere and I love reading them.
We even hear back from some of them.
The kids love that!
I really believe it is so important to teach the kids about this part of our history.
Many might think they are too young to understand, but when I read my kids' letters telling the veterans
"Thank you for fighting for me!"
When I hear a first grader tell his teacher he may not be able to sing to the veterans because he might start crying thinking of how brave they have been,
I realize they understand WAY more than many adults.
Thank you for your service, veterans!
STUDENTS: What do you want to remember about the Veterans' Day program?
