Teaching the True Meaning of Memorial Day

I would like to start by saying a huge 

Thank You

to everyone who has served in our U.S. military.  We have so many freedoms that are only possible because of the sacrifice made by our soldiers and their families.  I will always be grateful.

If we are truly thankful for our military, then it is important to teach our students about the true meaning behind Memorial Day.  Here are some great resources you can use to introduce Memorial Day to your students.

The National Education Association has a large set of Memorial Day lesson plans and ideas.  They include craft ideas and printables to use with your students.  They even have a link to several videos on History.com that share the history of Memorial Day.  These short 4 minute videos are perfect for a starter or closing activity.

Of course, you will probably want more reading material for the day.  Here are several nonfiction resources for you to use.
*Time magazine's website has listed 7 interesting facts about Memorial Day.  Each fact has a picture with a small paragraph underneath it that explains the fact. 
*And of course, Time for Kids has a great printable article about the meaning behind Memorial Day as well.
*Scholastic News has a longer article that discusses ways people celebrate Memorial Day including ways that we remember and honor our fallen soldiers.
*Dogonews has an article on Memorial Day accompanied by several political cartoons meant to remind us of what Memorial Day is really about. 

Hopefully these resources will help you start a discussion with your students about the fact that Memorial Day is more than just getting a day off or having a picnic with friends.  You can find even more resources at ReadWriteThink and EducationWorld.