Memorial Day Activities for Kindergarten
Memorial Day is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the last Monday in May. The holiday commemorates the members of the United States armed forces who have lost their lives in war. When looking to celebrate Memorial Day within a kindergarten classroom, create projects that are interactive and require student participation. Projects can require reading and discussing the significance of Memorial Day and can showcase student creativity with crafts and poems. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Individual
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Read about and discuss the significance of Memorial Day. Have each student write down what the day means to him. Allow the more advanced students to create a poem with the Memorial Day theme, while other students jot down words or phrases that describe how she feels about Memorial Day. Give each child a worksheet with at least five Memorial Day themed words printed on it, for example, tribute, monument, soldier and war. After discussing the holiday, have the child place each word in alphabetical order.
Group
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Create a Memorial Day skit or play. It should be easy and on a kindergarten level but demonstrate the significance of the day. Each student should play a part in the performance. Perform the skit for other classes. Break the children up into groups. Have the children memorize a specific Memorial Day poem. Each group can perform the poem in front of the class, with each student in the group reciting a different line of the poem.
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Crafts
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Purchase some red, white and blue construction paper at your local thrift store. Purchase sticker stars as well. Demonstrate how to make an American flag by cutting out and gluing white strips onto the red construction paper. Stick on the star stickers. Have each student duplicate your craft. When finished, hang up the flags for teachers and parents to admire.
Make a craft stick flag. Instruct each student to paint five craft sticks white and four sticks red. Glue the red and white sticks together in an alternating pattern by gluing them to one craft stick on the right side and two broken craft sticks in the middle and on the left side. Cut a small square with the blue construction paper to fit in the corner of the sticks. With white chalk, have the students draw on stars or you can purchase sticker stars.
Considerations
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As a teacher, be sure to fully discuss the meaning and significance of Memorial Day before beginning an activity. When performing a play or skit, make sure each child participates.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit memorial day image by cherie from Fotolia.com
