Happy Presidents Day!

Wow, I just survived Day 100 and Valentine's Day on the same day. (We had a blast, but boy, am I run down!)

Monday is Presidents Day! I plan on spending most of next week celebrating our presidents as well as our country! 

If you've been following my blog, you know I have a strong sense of patriotism, and feel children should take pride in their country. I also LOVE teaching social studies and mapping skills.

Here's a freebie that I made that includes 3 fact mini-books. One is on George Washington, another is on Abraham Lincoln. Plus, it's been updated to include President Joe Biden! It also has a mapping activity, finding places related to these presidents. Click the image for the freebie!

President's Day Mini-Books and Mapping Freebie

 

Here's another freebie to review the difference between most of the patriotic holidays we have through the year:  Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day and Veterans Day.  I don't know about you, but my little second graders struggle to remember which one is which!

 

Patriotic Holidays

 

Of course, you'll be needing brain breaks! Here's one more freebie!

Patriotic Brain Breaks

 

 

Looking for some books to read?  Here are some fun ones! (These are Amazon affiliate links, which means you'll help me earn credit at Amazon, but at no cost for you!)

                                 

This is a lengthier, paid version of the presidential mini-books freebie.  It includes everything the freebie includes, plus a compare and contrast activity comparing the 2 different presidents. There are also 2 games to practice word work, a graphing activity, a mapping activity, and an opinion writing activity. Click the image or click here for the link!

 

President's Day  5 Different Games and Activities!

 

If you're looking for more, I do have a whole USA Bundle that includes the above items and several others here:

 USA Bundle.

 

 

Here are a couple of related blog posts that might interest you:

• Learning About the USA
• 5 Patriotic Options for Veterans Day or any Patriotic Holiday 
• Hooray for the USA 
• What Would You Do if You Were President?
  

If you have the day off, have a great one!  (Be sure to thank George, Abe, and the rest for the day off!)

A Couple of Freebies for Veterans Day

Somehow Halloween is over, we have Veterans Day in less than a week!  

I've rounded up a couple of freebies to share with you!

Here's a collection of paper for writing thank you letters to veterans!  After a lesson or two on what veterans are and how they help us, I find letter writing to be a nice way to culminate the activities.

Thank You Veterans!

I've noticed my little second graders often confuse the different patriotic holidays, so I made this freebie to help them keep track of President's Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, and Veterans Day. It's really helped them keep track of which holiday is which!

Patriotic Holidays!

Hope your students end up with a good understanding of Veterans Day!

Memorial Day: A Day To Remember

Memorial Day in America is a day to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom. Many people also enjoy the day with a long weekend, parades, cook outs, and the beginning of summer.

When I grew up, Patriotism was strong in this country. Most of our parents remembered World War II, and it was clear how lucky we are to be Americans. Our parents taught us the importance of being Americans. We learned all the words to all the patriotic songs, and sang them proudly. We knew how to care for our flag, and we knew we were lucky to be born Americans.

It seem that many Americans have forgotten the joys, privileges, and responsibilities of living in a free country. So many Americans are angry, and are blaming our government. Many Americans don't even know the words to The Star Spangled Banner, or even how to show respect for the American flag. I try to teach my own students to be proud of their country. I teach them what freedom means, and how they live in a land where they can choose what they want to be! I read Patriotic books and I cry.

       

       

Especially with this one.

Although I'd say we are definitely due for a long, relaxing weekend, you'll bet I'll be reading these books and showing videos like this one I found which explains Memorial Day to children, with pictures of American Memorials and just enough history for little ones to understand.

 

I'll also be singing Patriotic Songs with the children, as I do on most holidays. I found this great website that has lyrics and background music for most of the favorites, and it's all free!

I found some great ideas for celebrating patriotic holidays on the Scholastic Website. These ideas would work for any of the patriotic holidays, not just Memorial Day. 

Since my little ones sometimes struggle to remember the differences in many patriotic holidays, I made up these lists to help remember the importance of each occasion as well as some ideas for celebrating each. See the image or HERE for your freebie.

Planning on doing some patriotic writing this Memorial Day? You can download this writing paper freebie HERE!

Here's one more freebie that can be used for any patriotic holiday: Patriotic Brain Breaks!

I also have a "Reading Comprehension for Active Learners" Resource which is perfect for Memorial Day. It has informational text, text questions, sketching, and brain breaks, all related to the USA. Check it out here: Freedom Isn't Free: Learning About the USA for Active Learners.

Here's a little video to help you see this resource.

 

Want a resource with plenty of ideas for patriotic holidays? Try this bundle with 7 different resources PLUS 7 different freebies: Learning About the USA!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, have a steak, or a hot dog, or even a veggie burger, but don't forget to remember the reason for the holiday, and that FREEDOM ISN'T FREE!