On November 11, we honor the service and sacrifice of men and women in the armed forces. Originally celebrated as Armistice Day in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I, it was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to include American veterans of all wars.
There are many ways that we can celebrate this day with our students and communities. For a general overview of Veterans Day and student activities, check out the Veterans Day 2023 Teachers Guide found on the Veterans Affairs website. Explore five more ideas for celebrating Veterans Day below!
- Visit the VA’s website to search for regional sites where veterans will be celebrated near where you live. (There are two in Virginia!)
- Host a Veterans Day breakfast and invite veterans in your community to come speak to students about their experiences.
- Discuss flag etiquette with students and allow students to practice. These videos on the symbolic importance of the American flag are great supplemental resources: Flags and Their Symbols | City Island; The American Flag: Social Studies Shorts.
- View current and past VA Veterans Day poster contest winners and have students create their own to display around the school and community.
- Choose a resource from eMediaVA’s Veterans Day collection to discuss and explore the life and role of veterans in the United States.
There are so many resources online you can use to integrate Veterans Day lessons into our classrooms and get our students excited about honoring the service of American veterans. How will you celebrate this week?
Aubree Mitchell is a middle school librarian in Halifax County Public Schools and an eMediaVA Ambassador.