Children's Books by Author Pat Miller
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Interactive Activities to Involve Students on Veterans' Day

10/31/2013

 
Is Veterans Day an overlooked event at your school? Make it a stand-out day that brings pride to your campus. Try these two interactive activities and make November a celebration of service and family. Leave a comment about the veteran(s) in your family so we can honor them as well.
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PERSONAL CONNECTION
My father retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. I am proud to be an "Air Force brat". I saw much of our country because of our frequent moves. Our son joined the Air Force, and as a young captain, was posted to Afghanistan. Cell phones provided near-miraculous communication with him, assuring us he was safe, but the days of his wartime service were long and tense for his bride and his family.

Your school community has many veterans in its extended families. Veterans Day has personal meaning for many whose brothers, sisters, moms and dads, sons and daughters, have served our country in peace and in war. Make this day meaningful for your students and staff and their families in two interactive ways.

HISTORY OF VETERANS DAY
An armistice was declared between the Allies and Germany at 11:11 on 11/11/1918 to end the fighting in Europe. A year later, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day. In 1954, President Eisenhower proclaimed the day as Veterans Day, a day to honor all who served their country in the American Armed Forces, particularly those still living. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, honors veterans who have died.

America's White Table - Honoring Missing Veterans

PicturePhoto by Kathleen Woodward, Robert Cashion Elem, Greenville, SC
Read America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven (Sleeping Bear Press, 2005) to your students. It is told through the eyes of a young girl whose family set up a Remembrance Table when their Uncle John, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, came for dinner on Veterans Day.

The tradition of The Remembrance Table originated during the time of the Vietnam War and is observed at American military bases to remember service members who were held prisoner of war or were missing in action. Solitary and solemn, it is the table where no one will ever sit. Our library white table display became a hushed memorial that students and parents frequented.

Share the book with students in grades 3 - 5. Recreate a White Table in your library or classroom. Download the White Table Display Cards for students to read and match to each object. Duplicate several sets on card stock since student handling will wear the original set. Explain why students are to be quiet and respectful around the table as they set the labels out.

Honoring Student's Veteran Family Members

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Create a large bulletin board in your hall, library, or classroom. Cover it with paper in patriotic colors. Add die-cut stars. Use the parent letter to request family participation. (Be sure to give the letter to each of your faculty and staff members, including kitchen and custodial.) Display information cards and photos where all can see for the entire month.

Before mounting photos on the board, be sure there is a sticky note on the back of each telling the child's name and teacher so it can be returned. Use photo corners or repositionable tape (available at hobby stores in the scrapbook section) to mount the photos, or carefully staple across the corners so the staples do not pierce the photo. 

Before displaying the forms, cut off the printed "student name" and other information so only the handwritten part is displayed. You may be surprised at the number of vets in your school family. We were! That's why you see the addition of white paper to the right of our display. 

Students, staff, and visitors were often seen perusing the board throughout the month. It was a great way to honor the veterans's service, and to help students learn about their veteran relatives and show their family pride. Make November 11--and all of November--a time to remember the heroes in your midst.

Leave a comment about the veteran(s) in your family so we can honor them as well.
Rivka
10/31/2013 03:26:05 am

Great ideas Pat!

Janie Reinart
10/31/2013 03:50:23 am

Pat,
Your new site is as vibrant and lovely as you, the author! Love all the library games. You rock! Janie

Pat Miller link
10/31/2013 04:00:19 am

Thanks, Janie! These Veteran activities were well received at my school.

Donna L Sadd link
10/31/2013 04:24:29 am

Pat,
Your site is wonderful and chock full of helpful information. Teachers and librarians should be banging down your door! Looks like the classes and all your hard work paid off handsomely. I love the header! You Go Girl! :0)
Donna

Pat Miller link
10/31/2013 04:42:20 am

Thanks, Donna. Hope the veterans in your family would approve.

John Miller
10/31/2013 04:45:41 am

Thanks for the chance to recognize my father, Sgt. William Miller, a veteran of World War II.

Pat Miller
10/31/2013 06:14:40 am

Thanks for sharing. His service is appreciated!

Barbara Cairns link
10/31/2013 05:53:00 am

Pat,

I wish you had been a librarian in my school when I was principal. What an outstanding idea to have The White Table set up. and to have everyone share in that very important bulletin board. I'm going to share your ideas with others. Thanks for introducing us to your new and informative blog with such a powerful message for our Veterans. Barb.

Pat Miller
10/31/2013 06:16:12 am

Thanks, Barb! The White Table is good for home rembembrance as well as school or other public places.

Stacy S. Jensen link
10/31/2013 07:54:16 am

Love these ideas. Sharing them with my friends.

Cathy Ballou Mealey link
10/31/2013 08:02:36 am

I love sharing The Poppy Lady by Barbara Walsh, illustrated by Layne Johnson, for Veteran's Day and Memorial Day.

My Dad was Air Force during the Korean War.

Lovely new site!

Pat Miller
10/31/2013 08:37:37 am

That's a great book, too. Layne's illustrations really add to the power of the story. Thanks to you father for his service. My dad was there too, in the Air Force. Maybe they served together.

Lisa H
10/31/2013 08:20:35 am

At my school, we always have a Wall of Honor for those relatives that survived. It includes pictures and information about the Veterans. We also have a Special Veteran's Day Ceremony where we have music, a speaker and often performers. It is always a very special event.

Pat Miller
10/31/2013 08:38:39 am

Sounds like a memorable way to acknowledge our veterans and their service.

Evie Hjartarson
11/1/2013 05:00:01 am

Pat, what an informative and awesome blog. I wish I would have known you when I was teaching, I loved these ideas. My dad was in officer in the Navy.

Pat Miller
11/1/2013 05:04:56 am

So you were a Navy brat. It's good to remember your father's service this month. Thanks!

Laura Carpenter
11/3/2013 11:00:23 am

Pat,
A former teacher (now volunteer) left the suggestion on a yellow Post-It note that I purchase "America's White Table." I hadn't looked into it yet and had no idea what it was about. Now I do!

Thanks for your wonderful and informative article. My home-school does an all-out assembly for Veteran's Day. The white table will enhance and already great program.

Fellow Scribbler,
Laura ( :

Pat Miller
11/3/2013 01:39:11 pm

Glad to second the recommendation for "America's White Table." Happy Veteran's Day!


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    About Me

    Ah, books. I never outgrew my love of children's books. My passion became a career--I was an elementary school librarian. And now I write books for kids!

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Pat Miller * Author, Presenter, Writing Instructor * Richmond, TX  
Header illustrations by Kathi Ember  * Header design by Joe Kawano * Author photo by Ruth Rose Photography  *  c2021
NF 4 NF Logo designed by  Karah Bradshaw.
Photo used under Creative Commons from onlineplantexchange.com
  • Home
  • About
  • PRESENTATIONS
    • Author Visits
    • Storytelling Programs
    • Professional Workshops
  • Books & Activities
    • Activities for The Hole Story of the Doughnut
    • Activities: Substitute Groundhog
    • Activities: Squirrel's New Year's Resolution
    • Activities: We're Going on a Book Hunt
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