Memorial Day, Lindbergh, and Sally Ride: May 20 to 26 on ReadWriteThink
Observed on the last Monday of May, Memorial Day honors the men and women who have died while serving in the United States military. In addition to having celebrations with family and friends, many people visit cemeteries and memorials and place flags on the grave sites of fallen servicemen and women.
Share stories of war, sacrifice and honor with ReadWriteThink resources for Memorial Day. Lesson plans invite students to take a look at Wartime Poetry, explore the short stories of Tim O’Brien, and set off on a Vietnam War Scavenger Hunt. You can find additional resources for Honoring Our Military from our Thinkfinity partners, including a podcast on Music in the Military and an interactive version of The Gettysburg Address.
For classroom materials on other timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on Charles Lindbergh, Mister Rogers, Scott O’Dell, and more!
New Resources
- Stop the Summer Slide! Encourage students to use our Brights Ideas for Summer.
- Take advantage of the long summer days, and prevent summer learning loss with Thinkfinity’s fun, interactive games, resources, and field trips.
- What did George post today? Learn about the famous people of the American Revolution.
- Celebrate the heritage of Asian and Pacific Americans and their contributions to the United States with activities from ReadWriteThink.
From the Calendar
- May 20: Charles Lindbergh began his transatlantic flight in 1927. Students consider what is meant by the phrase “Human Hero,” think of people who fit into the category, and read a biography of a selected hero. (For grades 3–12)
- May 22: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood premiered in 1967. After thinking about TV shows, books, and movies from their childhood, students write about what they remember and revisit how they feel about it at an older age. (For grades 7–12)
- May 23: Author Scott O’Dell was born on this day. Students select a set of books to read and compare fiction and nonfiction books and discuss their findings as a class. Students can follow up by writing short stories about the topics they explored. (For grades 5–12)
- May 24: The Brooklyn Bridge opened on this day in 1883. Students explore the literary concept of point of view by examining a pair of picture books that highlight the controversies surrounding the Brooklyn Bridge. (For grades 5–12)
- May 25: Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in 1803. Students visit a quotation attributed to Emerson and identify the definition of success. Students then use the Postcard Creator to write a note to a person that they feel is successful. (For grades 7–12)
- May 26: Sally Ride, first American woman in space, was born in 1951. After exploring information about Sally Ride on the StarKids Who’s Who site, students write a letter using the Letter Generator to Dr. Ride. (For grades 3–8)
- Later this month, find lesson plans and activities on Memorial Day, Rachel Carson, Walt Whitman, and more!
Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers
- What book would you recommend to your high school students for summer reading?
- What is your best tip for surviving and thriving in the last two weeks of school?
- As an educator, what would you recommend to a parent to keep their children engaged in learning activities over the summer?
- The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
- Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!
If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.
—Traci Gardner
[Photo: Flags-In' at Arlington National Cemetery for Memorial Day 2008 by The U.S. Army, on Flickr]