LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Many thanks to everyone on this listserv who sent me ideas for Veterans =
Day. The following are the replies which I received:
*****************************
I polled my faculty/staff as to whom among us was a veteran or married to =
a veteran. I also asked students to ask their parents if they were vets. I =
think we did a bulletin board display. We wrote thank-you notes to all the =
veterans who were part of our school family. We also announced the names =
of veteran faculty on the day, and reminded students to thank them for =
their service. Several veterans told me they were very touched and =
appreciative of this.
Try reading "The Wall" by Eve Bunting and discussing the Vietnam war. =
Older children "Park's Quest" which is a novel about the same topic, by =
Katherine Paterson.
My Daddy was a WWII Solider (tells of the home front during the War). =
Rose Blanche -- a story of the war (both picture books)
*****************************
Read a good book and discuss the implications of war and doing nothing. =
Invite in a soldier to talk about his/her experiences -- for example, my =
son--a special forces member of the Army (Green Berets)--can relate =
experiences as a peace keeper in the Middle east, work in Grenada, Kosovo, =
and Bosnia. Personal Q & A sessions bring the importance of the work home =
to young listeners. Surely an army, navy, airforce recruiter would =
consider visiting with a set standard for goals of the discussion.
*****************************
At my schools, it's been the usual patriotic songs. Some schools have put =
together student presentations on the various services or wars. Generally,=
veterans are only introduced. The K-6 crowd for the most part will lose =
interest in someone speaking about their service. They just aren't ready =
for it yet. It's more about being able to comprehend than anything else. =
I've also seen schools encourage children to bring in pictures of parents =
or relatives who have served. The children can then talk about these =
people in their classes.
*****************************
There are some great programs on The History Channel dealing with =
veterans. I do not know if any tapes are available, but I'm sure that if =
they are, they will be on the Hist. Chan. web site. Discuss the sacrifices=
made, i.e. WWII vets gave up at least 4 years of their lives to their =
country for freedom. Eating cold meals for days on end and needing to =
deal with the elements, let alone the enemy.
*****************************
I read The Wall by Eve Bunting and show the website at
http://members.aol.com/deweytj/index.htm
This is the first year I have used this activity and plan to do it =
w/4th-6th. My 6th graders were solemn as could be but we had a good =
discussion afterwards. This is not an original idea; someone on LM_Net =
posted it .
*****************************
One thing we have used quite successfully with our upper grades is Red =
Skelton's version of the Pledge of Alliegence. You can find it on the =
Internet at http://train.missouri.org/~emgeer/flagpled.html
It really helps explain that part of our heritage. My son worked at a =
local radio station when he was in high school, and he recorded it for us =
with patriotic music in the background. That was effective too. The main =
page of this site has other information on the flag too.
Our local VFW Auxiliary has a great presentation on the various flags that =
have flown in our country and they present that for us.=20
=20
We also have had someone from the band play taps on a trumpet after one of =
our students or teachers explains what that means.
After some preparation study, we had our students make hearts with words =
of appreciation and thanks and present them to the veterans that volunteer =
to help us with our program. We also have had the students hang these in =
a display in the hallway. We've used hands, too, to represent the helping =
hands of the military.
Another thing I've done is have students interview family members about =
their military contributions. We then have used this for things such as =
essays, to write letters of thanks, for oral presentations, etc.
*****************************
Bill McLoughlin, Library Media Specialist
Brookside School, Worthington, Ohio
BROOKM.Media@Worthington.k12.oh.us
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=
LM_NET
Archive Home