Classroom Activities for Veteran's Day

 Classroom Activities for Veteran's Day

Here are 10 simple, meaningful classroom activities that work across grade levels to commemorate Veteran’s Day:

1. Thank-You Card or Letter Writing
   Students write thank-you messages to veterans, active duty service members, or local Veteran’s organizations.

2. Veterans Wall of Honor
   Create a classroom bulletin board where students bring photos or names of family members or community members who served.

3. Moment of Silence & Reflection
   Begin the day with a short moment of silence and brief reflection about the meaning of service and sacrifice.

4. Class Pledge to Serve
   Students brainstorm small acts of service they can do (helping at home, being kind, community clean-up, etc.) and create a class “service pledge.”

5. Read-Aloud or Video Storytime
   Share age-appropriate books or short videos about veterans, patriotism, or military service (e.g., The Wall by Eve Bunting).
   Older grades can read articles or primary-source stories.

6. Art for Veterans
   Students draw patriotic pictures, make flags, or create simple artwork to send to a VA hospital, American Legion, or VFW.

7. Veterans Day Word Study / Vocabulary
   Introduce and discuss terms like “service,” “honor,” “courage,” “veteran,” and “sacrifice.”
   Older students can write definitions or journal responses.

8. Community Veteran Guest (In-person or Virtual)
   Invite a veteran to briefly share their experience and answer questions.
   Can be done live or via a recorded message.

9. Patriotic Song / Poem
   Learn and sing a patriotic song (America the Beautiful, This Land Is Your Land) or read/write short patriotic poems or acrostics (e.g., “VETERAN”).

10. Gratitude Chain or Quilt
    Each student writes one way they appreciate veterans on a paper strip or square. Link them into a chain or assemble into a “gratitude quilt” bulletin board.