Celebrating Veteran's Day with Montessori Activities
In many parts of the world, military veterans are honored on November eleventh. This day, known in the United States as Veteran’s day and as Armistice or Remembrance Day in other countries, is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I in 1918.
Although most federal holidays are celebrated on Mondays so as to gain a 3-day weekend, Veterans Day is always celebrated on November 11 to preserve the historical significance and importance of the date.
There are several activities that you can do in your Montessori classroom to help children recognize and learn about Veterans Day.
Celebrating Veteran’s Day in the Montessori Classroom with Montessori Activities
3-Dimensional Star Table Decorations
What You Need:
- Star Template
- Stiff paper (card stock, oak tag, Styrofoam meat trays)
- Scissors
- Crayons, markers
What You Do:
- Trace stars onto stiff paper. (Two star shapes are needed to make one star).
- Decorate both stars on both sides.
- Cut out both stars.
- With scissors, make a slit from an inner corner to the center point of one star.
- On the other star, make a slit from an outer corner to the center point.
- Slip the two stars together through the slits.
- The star should be stable enough to stand alone as a table decoration.
A nice way to practice Grace and Courtesy is to write thank you letters to veterans.
What You Need:
- Plain printer paper
- Crayons/markers
What You Do:
Design a patriotic letterhead with American symbols: flags, stars, eagles. Students can then write a personal thank you letter to a veteran, either those who have served in prior wars or conflicts or those who are currently serving. Students can also do research on the history of the American Flag, American Military Flags, or American Symbols. A short written report accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations would help illuminate an oral presentation to the class. Students could also make 3-part matching cards to accompany their research.
