Plan Veterans Day activities for upper elementary as a week: teach the history, watch and discuss a short video, interview a veteran, write an informative response, and finish by making thank you cards for veterans.
[IMAGE: Main Veterans Day activity photo]
Alt text: Veterans Day activities for upper elementary including a writing activity and thank you cards
Veterans Day can slip by fast in an upper elementary classroom.
Many schools have the day off, and if you wait until the day before, it turns into a quick worksheet and nothing more.
This holiday is personal for me.
Many people in my family have served or are serving, so I want my students to understand why we honor veterans, not just that we do.
That’s why I spread my Veterans Day activities for upper elementary across the week leading up to November 11.
Each day builds on the one before it. Students learn the history, hear a real veteran’s story, write about ways to honor veterans, and finish the week by thanking them.
Here’s what that week looks like in my classroom.
Day 1: What Is Veterans Day?
Before students can write about veterans, they need some background. Many of my students know there’s no school, but not much else.
Here’s the short version I share with my class, based on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
- World War I fighting stopped when an armistice took effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month: November 11, 1918.
- In 1938, Congress made November 11 a legal holiday called Armistice Day, mainly to honor World War I veterans.
- In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day so it would honor American veterans of all wars.
- Veterans Day is observed on November 11 every year, no matter what day of the week it falls on.
The kids always love the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” part. It sticks with them.
Veterans Day vs. Memorial Day
Students (and plenty of adults) mix these two up.
Veterans Day honors everyone who has served in the military.
Memorial Day honors those who died while serving.
A quick T-chart on the board helps students see the difference.
If you want ready-made background materials, the VA puts out a free Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide every year.
Day 2: Watch, Then Talk About It
On the second day, I like to show a short video to build more background.
PBS LearningMedia has free Veterans Day resources for elementary students, like the “Veterans Day” video from the All About the Holidays series.
After the video, students talk. I use discussion cards with questions like:
- Who is a veteran?
- What is Veterans Day?
- When is Veterans Day observed?
- How can you thank a veteran?
This is also a good time to introduce vocabulary, like “served,” “veteran,” “U.S. armed forces,” and the names of the military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Students will need these words when it’s time to write.
[IMAGE: Talk About It cards or vocabulary cards]
Alt text: Veterans Day discussion cards and vocabulary words for upper elementary students
Day 3: Interview a Veteran
This was my students’ favorite day.
My aunt served in the Army, and she came to our classroom to share her experience.
She talked about the opportunities the Army gave her, like going to school, and what it meant to serve her country.
She told us about her training and how positive that experience was for her.
She also talked about the opportunities for girls in the military, which I loved my students hearing.
She shared our family’s history, too, and how other members of our family have served.
My students were so interested and engaged. Some asked questions from our Talk About It cards, and others asked their own questions as she told her story.
We did the interview together as a class, but every student filled out their own page.
Hearing from a real person changes everything.
Veterans stop being a vocabulary word and become someone’s aunt, grandpa, or neighbor.
What If You Don’t Have a Veteran to Invite?
Start by asking your students’ families.
You might be surprised how many have a veteran in the family who would love to visit.
A local veterans group is another option.
If you do invite someone, send them your discussion questions ahead of time so they know what students might ask.
Day 4: Write About Ways to Honor Veterans
By Day 4, students have background knowledge, vocabulary, and a real story to draw from. Now they’re ready to write.
The prompt my students answer is: On Veterans Day we give thanks to the men and women who have served in the armed forces. What are ways to honor veterans?
Because of everything we did earlier in the week, students actually have something to say.
They plan their ideas on a graphic organizer, write a draft, and then revise and edit with a writing buddy.
[IMAGE: Graphic organizer or draft page]
Alt text: Veterans Day informative writing graphic organizer for 4th and 5th grade
If your students need help unpacking what a prompt is asking, my post on teaching students to analyze a writing prompt walks through it.
And if their responses feel short, these writing strategies for teaching elaboration can help them add more detail.
The final drafts go on writing paper with a “Home of the free because of the brave” topper, which makes an easy Veterans Day bulletin board.
[IMAGE: Finished writing with toppers or bulletin board]
Alt text: Veterans Day writing bulletin board with Home of the free because of the brave toppers
Day 5: Thank a Veteran
We end the week by saying thank you.
Students make thank you cards for veterans.
They can give them to a veteran they know, like a family member or neighbor, or send them to an organization that delivers letters to veterans and service members.
Operation Gratitude collects cards and letters from students and includes them in the care packages it sends. Check their current guidelines before you mail anything.
[IMAGE: Thank you cards]
Alt text: Student made Veterans Day thank you cards
One more idea to try: if you’re in school on November 11, pause for a quiet moment at 11 a.m.
The original Armistice Day included a brief pause beginning at 11:00 a.m., and it’s a simple way to connect students to the history they learned on Day 1.
A Veterans Day Writing Activity for Upper Elementary
If you want this week ready to go, everything I use is in my Veterans Day writing activity.
It includes:
- A read-aloud book list, including The Wall by Eve Bunting and H Is for Honor by Devin Scillian
- Talk About It discussion cards
- Vocabulary cards and a word bank page
- Informative writing graphic organizers
- Draft pages with a student checklist
- CUPS and ARMS revising and editing checklists and a writing buddy page
- Writing prompt templates and “Home of the free because of the brave” toppers
- Veterans Day thank you card templates
Teachers have shared that it was a great addition to their Veterans Day activities, and that it helps students who struggle with writing.
One teacher used it to prepare essays for her school’s Veterans Day program and create a display.
[IMAGE: Product overview]
Alt text: Veterans Day writing activity for upper elementary with graphic organizers, toppers, and thank you cards
Frequently Asked Questions About Veterans Day Activities
When is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day is observed on November 11 every year, no matter what day of the week it falls on.
What’s the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?
Veterans Day honors everyone who has served in the U.S. military. Memorial Day honors those who died while serving.
How do I invite a veteran to my classroom?
Start with your students’ families, then reach out to a local veterans group. Share your students’ questions ahead of time so your guest knows what to expect.
Honoring Veterans in Your Classroom This Year
You don’t need a big unit to make Veterans Day meaningful.
A few short activities across the week give students the background, the vocabulary, and the real stories they need to write something heartfelt.
Planning the rest of November?
My post on a Thanksgiving writing activity keeps writing going before break.
And my five day paragraph writing lesson plan is a great next step for building stronger paragraphs.
Save this post to Pinterest so it’s ready when November comes around.
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Alt text: 5 days of Veterans Day activities for upper elementary
