Veteran’s Day Activities

Veterans Day Report Writing and Handprint Art Project 
This week is Veterans Day. We will celebrate the day by honoring soldiers who have died in the line of duty, protecting Americans in the U.S.A.  I will teach the kids all 5 branches of the military; Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines. We will also share that they all have their own song (with lyrics) and their own cool uniforms. We listened to them and watched them march out with the flag on utube.

 Veterans Day reports. I love Henry’s description of bombs “such as the smoke bomb”. Spoken like a true 2nd grader! 😀

HERE is a Veterans Day Crossword Puzzle.  The kids really enjoyed.  I told the kids about  Mr. Moss’s dad, and how he was a flying navigator in the U.S. Air Force. He flew bombing missions in several wars.  He is still alive and retired. I will also share a picture of my nephew Garrett, who was in the army and shares my birthdate with me.

We painted our right hand brown with a blue thumb and left hand brown with a red thumb. Then we did a white finger for the white tail feather and painted heads in white and a yellow beak (I outlined them in pencil first). Then we glittered red, blue and silver glitters over the tail feathers.


              Veterans Day Youtube we watched. There are 2 others on my last year’s post HERE.
I am the daughter of a U.S. Marine who served in 2 wars and was in the military for 8 years. He is gone now, but he is buried in a military cemetary in Southern California. I honor him this week and all other vets who serve, protect and defend our citizens at home and abroad. As a classroom teacher it is my duty to teach my students about Veterans Day each year.

H Is for Honor: A Millitary Family Alphabet (Alphabet Books)
I got this book for $6.00 and free shipping on Amazon and it’s a HARDBACK!  Woo Hoo!  I read is called H is for HONOR. It gives kids an education on lots of different things in the military. 

Product Details
Jill Biden’s book is a wonderful way to introduce to kids all that Veterans and their families sacrifice for us to be protected. I got a copy used for $6.00 which was hardback. It is hard not to cry reading it though, just warning you!

Veterans Day bookmarks
HERE is the link for some cute Veterans Day Bookmarks printables.

Then we brainstorm a list of things that military men and women do for us in the USA. I teach the students the 5 branches of the military; The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the Marines, and what each branch protects.

Our finished bulletin board for Veterans Day 2012. 

 I told the kids about my dad, Mr. Russell, who was a marine in 2 wars.  He was a great soldier and Marine for the U.S.A. I’m very proud of him.

 We discuss how the military are stationed all around the world to protect us from terrorists and people who would harm our country. Boy are we thankful for our brave Veterans and all that they do!

 They wrote about seeing the military men and women at Air Shows.

 Some kids had uncles who were members of the U.S. Military.

 Lots of kids have grandfathers who were in the military.

 My nephew Tyler is in the Army reserves and he posted this poem last year on Facebook. I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER POEM. I loved it. So I added it to our cool bulletin board.

 The students each chose 1 branch of the military to do a colorful seal as a fast finisher.

 We had Marines, Navy Seals, Army, Coast Guard and the Air Force.

 The military seals look cool, but the Eagle handprints look awesome!

 We made our own themed stationery with an eagle on it. It’s easy from DLTK Kids link here.

. I show the kids several videos. Check out last year’s post on 11-11-11 on Veterans Day to see a few more great ones, as well as the tutorial on how we did the Eagle Handprint art project HERE on 11-11-11 post.

I’m proud to be the daughter of a U.S. Marine. He is gone now, but I love and miss him. And I think of him with honor and pride on this Veterans Day. Thanks pops for all you did for America! Happy Veterans Day everyone!