How to Celebrate Veterans Day with Elementary Students

Veterans Day is a great time to teach students about honoring people who have served our country. Many students have family members in the military so it's also an opportunity for students to make family-school connections. Keep reading for my favorite Veterans Day activities!

Veterans Day PowerPoint Lesson

Teach first and second graders about Veterans Day with this engaging PowerPoint lesson. Students will analyze photographs, calendars, and a timeline. They will "Turn and Talk" with peers and check their comprehension at the end with five multiple-choice questions. This will make teaching Virginia SOL 1.2 and 2.3 a breeze!

Learn about the Military Branches

This resource, from Primary Punch, teaches students about the different military branches. It includes a recording sheet where students can write down facts about each military branch. I used this with third graders and posted the blurbs around the room so they could "Read the Room" and record what they learned using clipboards and pencils. The Veteran's Day resource also includes a reading passage, word search, mini-book, and more. These would provide several follow-up learning opportunities to the PowerPoint lesson.

Write Thank You Notes to Veterans

An authentic learning experience would be to have students write thank you notes to Veterans. There are several free templates on Teachers Pay Teachers. I like this one, from Michelle McDonald.

Let me know if you try out any of these activities! Happy Veterans Day!