MEMORIAL DAY

May 28
 

HISTORY

Memorial  Day, originally called  Decoration Day, is  a day to remember those who have died in our nation's service.  Today, Memorial Day  marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season in the United   States.  It is still a  time  to  remember     those  who  have  passed  on, whether in  war  or otherwise.   It  also is a time for  families  to get  together  for picnics, ball  games, and  other early summer activities.

For more information about Memorial Day, Click Here!
 

LESSONS

Lesson 1: Personal Memories

Two or three class sessions required.

Students supply materials for a classroom art activity.

Discussion questions:

           How do we remember personal events in our lives? Below is a list of items that evoke personal memories for us.  Encourage students to make a list, using some of these suggestions to help them: stuffed animals, jewelry, souvenirs, photographs, albums, certificates, notes and letters, diplomas, diaries, birthday cards, videos, ribbons, trophies, or ticket stubs.

          Ask the students to recount what event or personal memory such keepsakes represent, such as: births, best friends, sports events, favorite places, family reunions, pets, weddings, or secret places.

Art activity:

          Create a classroom memory place.

         Ask the students to choose one object that represents an important moment in their lives and that they are able to bring to class and share. Have the students explain the memory that their selected object captures, and why. Then create a group memory place. The class can organize their objects on a tabletop, pin them to a bulletin board, place them in a big case, such
as a library display case, display them in a case in the school hallway, or film each other explaining the significance of their objects.

          Students should give their objects titles. Choosing a title can require serious work. Titles can be descriptive or explanatory, such as "Joy," "Ultimate Danger," or "Bunny of My Babyhood"; they can pose a question or set a mood. The French painter Paul Gauguin named one of his Tahitian works Where Do We Come from? What Are We? Where Are We Going?