Kentucky Academy of Technology Education

Celebrating Memorial Day

Core Connections

Memorial Day means a day off from school and the beginning of summer, to most of our students. However, its significance is much greater than that.

Memorial Day celebrations were first recognized in 1868 but the beginning can be traced back to the Civil War. Once known as Decoration Day, it is a day of remembrance for those who died in service to our nation. Women of the Civil War began the tradition by decorating the graves of fallen soldiers and loved ones. Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years as Americans have forgotten the meaning of the day. As educators we have a duty to remind our students the importance of service to our country and those who have given their lives for our freedom.

"The custom of placing flowers upon graves is an old one, and exists in many countries. The Greeks had rites called zoai, which were performed over each new grave. If the flowers took root and blossomed on the graves, it meant the souls were sending back the message that they had found happiness. The Roman festival, called Parentalia, or Day of the Fathers, lasted for eight days in February--violets and roses were the special flowers. Whatever the flower, wherever the grave, this placing of flowers upon graves has always seemed the natural thing to do." http://www.patriotism.org/memorial_day/index.html 

Use the month of May to honor, celebrate and educate our youth about the significance of Memorial Day.

Poetry and Mother Goose Day

Core Connections

In 1987 Gloria T. Delamar founded May 1 as Mother Goose Day. Not only are Mother Goose nursery rhymes a fond memory for people across the globe, they are a very important part of literature. The use of poetry and rhyme to express emotions and thoughts about identity, discovery, family relationships, survival, change, mortality, hopes, and dreams is an important aspect of self-discovery and expression. Students most readily identify poetry with popular song lyrics. They are exposed to these lyrics on a daily basis most likely not realizing that they are listening to poetry. Many educators do not see the purpose of teaching poetry as part of their curriculum, after all students are not going to be asked to compose a sonnet on an accountability assessment and the majority of teachers have not been officially trained to teach poetry. However, the benefits of learning about poetry reach far beyond scoring well on a state mandated test. When reading and writing poetry students are encouraged to use their imagination, express emotions and opinions, and expand their cultural experiences. Often, students who do not perform well on traditional forms of assessment will flourish when allowed to compose a poem as part of an assignment. Students who like to daydream or get side-tracked very easily will demonstrate their creative abilities when given the opportunity.

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Project Based Activities

Instructional Illuminations

Project Based Activities Resources

Excitement is generated almost instantly in a classroom when students feel that the work they are doing is important. When students are engaged the potential for learning is increased. Teachers can choose to participate in projects designed by other teachers or organizations or they can create projects themselves. Internet projects can be very basic, short-term activities. They can involve two classrooms or many classrooms. All projects should be based in curriculum, not a desire to use the Internet.

Follow these basic steps as you plan for a project-based classroom activity.

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