Great Britain, France, and other countries celebrate November 11th as Armistice Day to commemorate the ending of World War I on November 11, 1918. Fighting ceased at the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month. Canada celebrates Remembrance Day on this same date.The history of the Veterans Day in the United States is as follows:1919 - President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tragedies of war.1938 - The day becomes a federal holiday.1954 - Congress changes the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all United States Veterans.Today, in the United States, Veterans Day commemorates the courage and patriotism of all the men and women who have served in the United States military from the birth of the American nation through this current Afghanistan/Iraq war.
Here are some books to read that honor our U.S. military sailors, soldiers, and Marines:
- For Younger Children...
- Veterans Day by Jacquelin S. Cotton
- Pepper's Purple Heart: a Veterans Day Story by Heather French Henry
Veterans Day by Robin Nelson - H is for Heroes: A Military Family Alphabet by Devin Scillian
- The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter
- America's White Table by Margaret Theis Raven
- The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in World War II by Louise Bordon
- The Wall by Eve Bunting
For older children, Tweens, and Young Teens....
- Behind the Blue and Gray: One Soldier's Life in the Civil War by Delia Ray
- Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
- My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
- The Tuskegee Airman: Black Heroes of World War II by Jacqueline L. Harris
- Veterans Day: Remembering Our War Heroes (Finding Out About Holidays series)
Veterans Day by Marlene Targ Brill - Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution by Seymour Reit
- Bull Run by Paul Fleishman
- Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
- Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith
- Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (#3) by Helen Wells
- Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse (#6) by Helen Wells
- Yankee Doodle Boy by Joseph Plumb Martin
- Navajo Code Talkers by Nathan Aaseng
- Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam by Walter Dean Meyers
For Older Teens and Adults...
- Going Solo by Roald Dahl
- The Boys' War by Jim Murphy
- Uncle Sam Wants You!: Military Men and Women of World War II by Sylvia Whitman
- A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier by Joseph Plumb Martin
- The Navajo Code Talkers by Walter Dean Meyers
- Forgotten Heroes of World War II by Thomas E. Simmons
- Cold Ground's Been My Bed: A Korean War Memoir by Daniel Wolfe
- If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story by George Wilson
- Visions From a Fox Hole: A Rifleman in Patton's Ghost Corp by William A. Foley, Jr.
Of course, these are just a few titles! Check at your local school or public library for more choices.
On Tuesday, Nov. 9 I will meet with 3-Bruns and we will learn about biographies and make our own autobiography; and 4-Kahlstorf where we listen to America's White Table by Margaret Theis Raven. On Thursday, Nov. 11, the 1st graders will listen to Turkey Surprise and 4-Hildman will listen to America's White Table.
I know this post is long, but I think it is so important that we honor and remember those men and women of our military. Here is one last thought. It's a poem written by Courtney Tanabe.
Because of You, Unknown Soldier
Because of you, I am here. Because of you, I am able to live freely.
Yet I do not know you and I have not done anything for you.
But there you stand, ready to fight. And there you are prepared to die for me.
You've fought before. And you'll fight again for someone you don't know.
So thank you Unknown Soldier fighting for me.
I'm here because of you and I owe my future to you.
Until next time,
Mrs. T. Reiter, K-12 Teacher Librarian
No comments:
Post a Comment