Remembrance Day in the Classroom

ACTIVITY 3 –HOLDING YOUR OWN REMEMBRANCE DAY EVENT Recognizing Remembrance Day by holding an event is an important way we can acknowledge the sacrifices of past and present members of the Canadian military and all who suffered the horrors of war. We have created an event outline to help organize a Remembrance Day event for your class, group, or school. Thinking about previous Remembrance Day commemorations you attended in your school or community, or that you saw online or on television, create a schedule of events for a Remembrance Day assembly in your school that honours and reflects the purpose and act of remembrance. Some important aspects to consider are the size of your audience, where you will be holding the event, and who will be your master of ceremonies (MC). Be sure to include students in the planning process as much as possible. Ask for volunteers to help introduce speakers, read poems, or be the MC. KEY EVENT COMPONENTS 1. Welcome 2. O Canada 3. Last Post 4. 11 a.m. – 2 minutes of silence 5. Reveille/Rouse 6. Remarks 7. Videos 8. Memory Project Speaker 9. Poems 10. Wreath Laying 11. Close Event Remembrance Day in the Classroom A Teacher Resource Kit 5. From left to right: Mort Lightstone speaking at the Jack Cahan Memorial Lecture (courtesy Mort Lightstone, the Memory Project). Sandra Perron at a camp for displaced persons in Knin, Croatia, 1995 (courtesy Major (retired) Sandra Perron, the Memory Project). A poem that Percy Howard received from a young student in 2004 (courtesy Percy Howard, the Memory Project). Poppy flowers (courtesy Diavata/33102258/Dreamstime.com). Front of the envelope that contained Francis Bathe’s letter to his sister (courtesy Francis Bathe, the Memory Project).