(Ages 9-12)
Introduction
Start by asking students what they know about Remembrance Day. Why do Canadians observe Remembrance Day each year on November 11?
Explain that Remembrance Day and Veterans’ Week (November 5-11) are opportunities to remember and recognize the people who have served in Canada’s military during times of war, military conflict and peace support operations. These people are Veterans.
Tell students they are going to watch a video called Who is a Veteran? They will meet Simone and Win and learn about Veterans and the many different ways they have served Canada.
Watch the animated video Who is a Veteran?
Ask students to listen for:
- Who Veterans are
- The different roles Veterans have performed
- How Veterans have contributed to Canada
- Why it is important to remember and recognize Veterans
Video discussion
Ask students questions like:
- Who is a Veteran?
- What are some different jobs Veterans may have done?
- What do Veterans look like?
- Why do you think the military needs people with many different skills and abilities?
- What surprised you about the video?
- Why do Canadians recognize Veterans on Remembrance Day?
- How can learning about Veterans help us better understand Canada's history?
Discuss how Veterans come from all walks of life and communities across Canada. Some served in the army, navy or air force. Others worked as mechanics, cooks, medics, drivers, engineers and in many other roles. Every job contributed to a larger mission.
Remind students that Remembrance Day and Veterans’ Week are not only about remembering the past. These are opportunities to not only learn about the people behind that history and to recognize their service and sacrifices, but to recognize Veterans and learn from their experiences.
Veteran guest speakers
Ask students:
- Why is it valuable to hear directly from a Veteran?
- What can we learn from a Veteran that we might not learn from a textbook?
- Why might two Veterans have very different stories to tell?
- How can personal stories help us better understand history?
Explain that historians learn about the past from many sources, including photographs, artifacts, letters and official records. They also learn by listening to people who experienced events themselves. These firsthand accounts are called oral histories.
When a Veteran visits your classroom, they are sharing an oral history. Their stories can help us better understand people, events and experiences from the past.
Refer to Questions for a Veteran for guidance on brainstorming questions and discussing respectful behaviour during a Veteran visit.
Wrap-up
Remembrance Day is an opportunity to remember and recognize Canadians who have served. In the video, Simone and Win visit a mural that honours Veterans and helps tell their stories.
Challenge students to think about how they can recognize and thank the Veteran guest speaker who will be visiting their class. What can they learn from the speaker's story? How can they show appreciation during and after the visit?