Veterans Day Ideas and Tell Me Somethin Good!

Today I’m going to link up with Rowdy in First Grade’s Linky party “Tell Me Something Good” because it fits so well with what I was planning to blog about today anyway:  Our Fifth Grade Veterans Day Program!

Something good at School: On Friday we had our Fifth Grade Veterans Day program.  By the way, did you know that Veterans Day is traditionally written without an apostrophe?  This is something I learned this week!  Anyway, at my school the Veterans Day program is a pretty big deal that they do every year, and all of veterans who live in the area attend.  If you are looking for some great additions to your program, or maybe just something to do with your class to remember the veterans, I highly recommend these two songs, which our students sang during our program:

American Tears by Teresa Jennings

God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood

We didn’t have a dry eye in the house!  We also had a student do a reading of “Why Wear a Poppy” by Don Crawford.  You can read the lyrics below at the end of this post.  Finally, we played the Armed Forces Medley and asked each veteran to stand while their song was played.  As they stood, we presented them each with a poppy. Throughout the program, we also had three fifth graders read essays they had written about “What Freedom Means to Me”.

Overall, the program was a huge hit, and our students really learned a lot about what it means to be a veteran.

Something Good at Home: Payday is coming a week early because of Thanksgiving break, and I finally get to buy a new pair of shoes! Wahoo!

How are you celebrating Veterans Day with your students this year?

Why Wear a Poppy by Don Crawford

"Please wear a poppy," the lady said

And held one forth, but I shook my head.a

Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,

And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made

There remained a smile that refused to fade.

A boy came whistling down the street,

Bouncing along on care-free feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,

"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"

When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,

"Why do we wear a poppy today?"

The lady smiled in her wistful way

And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,

And the poppy there is the symbol for

The gallant men who died in war.

And because they did, you and I are free -

That's why we wear a poppy, you see."

"I had a boy about your size,

With golden hair and big blue eyes.

He loved to play and jump and shout,

Free as a bird he would race about.

As the years went by he learned and grew

and became a man - as you will, too."

"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,

But he'd seemed with us such a little while

When war broke out and he went away.

I still remember his face that day

When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,

I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry."

"But the war went on and he had to stay,

And all I could do was wait and pray.

His letters told of the awful fight,

(I can see it still in my dreams at night),

With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,

And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire."

"Till at last, at last, the war was won -

And that's why we wear a poppy son."

The small boy turned as if to go,

Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.

That sure did sound like an awful fight,

But your son - did he come back all right?"

A tear rolled down each faded check;

She shook her head, but didn't speak.

I slunk away in a sort of shame,

And if you were me you'd have done the same;

For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,

Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!

And so when we see a poppy worn,

Let us reflect on the burden borne,

By those who gave their very all

When asked to answer their country's call

That we at home in peace might live.

Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!