What Should I Remember on Memorial Day?

It’s hard to remember what you’ve never learned.  For most students, Memorial Day is the time when the city pool opens, or they have their last three day weekend before the end of the school year. In order to teach the importance and solemnity of the day, here’s a ready-to-go lesson you can teach in about 30 min. You can easily create an unforgettable moment to help students think through the day and its meaning, and also teach some vocabulary, history, music and most importantly, some gratitude along the way.

We begin by learning how Memorial Day began. You may be surprised to learn that it began with freed slaves taking the time to bury the bodies of the soldiers who had sacrificed so they could enjoy freedom. This would be great inspiration for a journal entry or and diving board into a history lesson on the Civil War.