Memorial Day Ideas and Writing Inspiration

I have been trying to finish this post for like 3 days.  So finally in time: Happy Memorial Day!

Times like Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, and 9/11 are great opportunities with your students to discuss everyday heroes. Last year for 9/11 we talked about heroes and created quilt squares to remember 9/11. This was an activity from Scholastic. After the students designed their quilt squares, I glued them all to construction paper and laminated them.  There are a couple pictures below to show you some of them.  The students really enjoyed seeing their quilt squares displayed in the hallway. I have made a Memorial Day quilt square freebie that you can download at my TpT store.

If you are still in school and need some other Memorial Day ideas, here are some great ideas I found on different websites:

You can find all sorts of links and printables at Apples for the Teacher.

There are tons of great ideas at Education World: lesson plan ideas and activities like making a Memorial Day book, windsock, and internet scavenger hunt.

Here is a list of Memorial Day books for kids at Apples 4 the Teacher.

Here is a list of Patriotic themes and activities at Scholastic.

Here is an article on Memorial Day from Time for Kids.

Lots of printables at Teacher Vision.

Now Writing Inspiration for Memorial Day

To go with the writing inspiration this week, I have made a Hero Writing Packet that is on sale at my TpT store as part of the Memorial Day "Sale"abration.  It includes the quotes, the poem, questions on the poem, a paper to think what it means to be a hero, a prewriting graphic organizer, and lined paper for students to write about their personal hero. There is lined paper for young students and older students.

Picture: Graves at Arlington Cemetary (Source is Wikipedia)

Discuss why it is important to remember the fallen.  What did they die to protect?  I think it is important for students to remember these holidays are about more than parades, flags, sunny days, and cookouts.

Poem: "The Heroes We Never Name" by M. Lucille Ford
I think this is a really great poem to prompt discussion about everyday heroes and what makes a hero.

Quotes:  Heroes
I found several really great quotes for Memorial Day and to think about what it is to be a hero. 

(The quotes are framed by frames from the 3am Teacher)


Blessings and Happy Memorial Day!