Character Development Program: Online Training
Our world has gone more digital than ever, and the Medal of Honor Character Development Program is rising to the challenge with a new training program. For educators who want […]
With Veterans Day a few weeks away, now is the time to start planning lessons and activities for your classroom or school. But engaging students can be challenging as winter madness starts ramping up, and limited time and resources don’t make your job any easier. Luckily, there are FREE Veterans Day lessons available. At the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS), we proudly offer the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, which has FREE Veterans Day classroom activities to seamlessly add to existing elementary and secondary lesson plans.
These lessons make it easy to explore the essential role veterans play in our community and inspire students to show their gratitude for the sacrifices of our service members, both on November 11 and year-round. We also offer the PATH TO HONOR student program, a compelling collection of video lessons that revolve around the values that define the Medal of Honor to ignite inspiration.
Here is everything you should know about why students should learn about Veterans Day, how you can help them learn and grow during this holiday season, and how the Character Development Program and PATH TO HONOR student portal can help!
When students learn about and celebrate Veterans Day, they learn more than historical facts. Celebrating this holiday teaches patriotism and empathy while allowing children to honor and show gratitude to the men and women who fight for our freedoms and protect our nation.
Teaching students about Veterans Day develops character in other ways by teaching the value of sacrifice, loyalty, and commitment to the greater good. These values will turn them into active community leaders and equip them for success far beyond the classroom.
Related Article: Why Is History Important for Students? The Foundation for Future Leaders
For your lessons to have the most significant impact, it is essential to make them dynamic and student-led; they need to be replete with riveting content that helps them experience the unbelievable sacrifice veterans have made so that they can develop that same sense of dedication to the greater good.
Related Article: World War II Lessons for Middle and High School
To teach your students about Veterans Day, you can use several Veterans Day classroom activities:
Check out our recorded webinar for detailed suggestions on celebrating Veterans Day in your classroom. No matter what activities you incorporate, give your students autonomy for self-discovery. Self-guided lessons can be a great way to nurture independence in your students.
Despite the importance of Veterans Day, it can be challenging to find lessons that engage students, especially this time of year. With the season change and imminent holiday rush, it is easy to feel like you don’t have the time and resources to dedicate to celebrating this holiday.
Luckily, there are FREE Veterans Day lessons available. Let’s explore some ready-made Veterans Day activities for students and how they can instill these crucial character values in your students!
Related Article: How to Empower Students in the Classroom
As we mentioned, the most impactful Veterans Day classroom activities put your students in the shoes of those who put it all on the line for a more significant cause. And there’s no better way to do this than to let them hear about these gripping tales of courage from veterans themselves!
An excellent activity for middle and high school students is to watch our Medal of Honor Recipient oral histories, which provide an individual veteran’s perspective on the experience of serving. Your class can watch the video independently, or the whole school can watch a video and then connect with that story in courses throughout the day.
For a more historical deep dive, check out our newest video, The Courage of the Submariner, which focuses on the stories of two WWII submariners who were eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions.
After you’ve watched your selected video, lead a discussion with your class about the sacrifices our veterans make during service and how challenging it can be for them to come home, or have students write an essay about the importance of honoring and remembering those who have served our country. Still, that’s easier said than done. Here are FREE Veterans Day lessons for kids to help!
As children grow up and become teenagers, developing character is crucial as they navigate the pressures of school and their social circles. Use one of these Veterans Day classroom lessons to spark conversations with your students about Veterans Day and develop character in them.
Related Article: FREE Teaching Resources for Middle School | No Lesson Planning Required!
In this lesson, students reflect on the deep commitment shown by our service members. After your students have watched Reginald Myers tell his story, challenge them to think about how we can honor the commitment veterans showed during their service. How can we commit to helping the veterans who gave so much to our country?
In this lesson, students will focus mainly on veterans and the sacrifices they have made for our country. Featuring the story of Medal of Honor Recipient David G. Bellavia, this lesson explains the significance of honoring veterans and also helps students evaluate the challenges faced by veterans who return home from foreign conflicts.
This lesson focuses specifically on Vietnam War veterans and incorporates the living history video of U.S. Army Sergeant Gary Beikirch, a Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient. Key takeaways from this lesson include the importance of honoring veterans and the challenges veterans face when they return home from war.
This lesson is a great option if you are already planning on incorporating a visit from a local veteran or active duty service member into your Veterans Day plans. Featuring the story of Medal of Honor Recipient Jay Vargas, this lesson asks students to analyze the challenges service members face and learn how to develop insightful interview questions.
It is crucial to instill these values in elementary-aged children as well, which is why finding FREE Veterans Day lessons is crucial. Here are some great ideas for kids to honor Veterans Day!
Designed for upper elementary students, this lesson helps students identify the importance and symbolism of the Vietnam War Memorial as well as why it is important to remember all veterans.
This lesson is a great option for lower-level elementary students. It focuses on discovering what citizenship means and culminates with students writing thank you letters to service members through the non-profit organization Operation Gratitude.
Share the story of Dominique Claseman, 2023 Youth Service Awardee, who set out to raise $12-$15,000 for a local veterans memorial but exceeded that goal, raising more than $77,000.
For elementary students, you can show your class our video of Medal of Honor Recipient Gary Beikirch reading “The Wall” by Eve Bunting and then facilitate a classroom discussion about the importance of honoring all veterans.
We also offer PATH TO HONOR, one of the best ideas for a Veterans Day program at school. PATH TO HONOR is a student platform with 18 FREE Veterans Day lessons made by teachers and for teachers.
PATH TO HONOR teaches students the six fundamental character traits that have built our country and define the Medal of Honor: courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, and integrity. And who better to demonstrate the importance of these values than Medal of Honor recipients themselves?
Each character trait will have three self-guided video lessons that promote self-discovery and spark discussion. In each Veterans Day video for kids, students will hear first-hand accounts from veterans themselves about the unbelievable circumstances they endured to uphold that core value.
Related Article: FREE Online History Lessons for High School | 18 Ready-Made History Modules
Ready-made, easy-to-use, easily adaptable, and accessible from any device with internet access, your students will embark on an immersive journey that drops them right in the middle of combat to understand why these values are essential, no matter how high the stakes.
Plus, these interactive lessons are self-guided, so students can choose their own path as they learn. Each lesson features a riveting video that features first-hand and primary accounts of the act of valor that was recognized with a Medal of Honor. Still, these lessons can be self-directed or teacher-led.
Students will then be prompted with a question that requires them to reflect on how they would respond under the pressure of those same circumstances. At the end of the lesson, students will receive a written prompt to reflect on these values and how they apply to their daily lives.
After taking time to reflect on these values, students will then engage in an enlightening discussion about what this value means and why it’s important. By catalyzing true character development in students, you will watch your class flourish like a time-elapsed rendering of a blooming garden!
Both the Medal of Honor Character Development Program and PATH TO HONOR are FREE resources that teach courage, commitment, integrity, sacrifice, citizenship, and patriotism to students through educationally grounded lessons developed by teachers for teachers. Your students will witness the power of character and emerge from these FREE Veterans Day Lessons lessons as the leaders our country and communities deserve.
For more lessons and Veterans Day for kid videos revolving around our six core values, visit our website. To stay up-to-date on new lessons and teaching resources, sign up to receive our monthly newsletter.