Grade Level: 6-8

Subjects: Math, Language Arts, Social Studies

Learner Outcomes: Students will be given the opportunity to:

• Use the cooperative learning strategy KWL
• Search the Internet to complete a Scavenger Hunt worksheet
• List the day of the week that Veteran's Day is celebrated for the next 25 years, and graph this information into a line, bar, or pie graph
• Make a Veteran's Day puzzle using an Internet site to print out and to share with classmates

Materials:

• chart paper
• markers
• Veteran's Day KWL worksheet
• Veteran's Day Scavenger Hunt

• computer with Internet access and Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Excel or other software with graphing capability and/or TI73 graphing calculator.

Prepare a large version of the KWL worksheet on chart paper prior to lesson. The teacher should be familiar with or team with someone that is familiar with the graphing software.

• Introduce the KWL learning strategy (What you know, What you want to know, and What you learned) with the students. The students will complete the K & W parts individually on their own papers. The teacher will lead a class discussion and complete the K &W parts on the class chart.
• Students will work individually or in pairs to complete the Veteran's Day Scavenger Hunt, finding the answers on the Internet.
• Demonstrate the calendar feature (go to the system tray - double click on the time - this opens the date/time properties) that is a feature of Microsoft Windows, and how it can display any month, in any year. Discuss the fact that although Veteran's Day always occurs on November 11th, the day of the week can change.  Instruct the students to track the day of the week on which November 11th falls for the next 25 years, and record the information in a spreadsheet. (formulas can be used to calculate the sums). Using this information, students will graph this information in a bar graph. Print out the bar graphs on a color printer and display. Discuss the results with the students. Point out the repeating pattern and the cause (leap year). Discuss the predictability of the holiday falling on a certain day of the week.
• Students will first finish their individual KWL chart and then complete the class KWL chart.
• Each student will develop a list of vocabulary words from the information gathered on KWL charts.
• Students will use the Internet puzzlemaker site  to construct a Veteran's Day puzzle using the vocabulary words.  Puzzles are to be printed and shared with students.

Blue paper and enlarged fonts should be used for worksheets for the visually-impaired. Computer 'buddies' can be assigned and support staff utilized on an as-needed basis. All lessons should be modified to meet student IEP.

• Students can make a list of family members that are Veterans.
• Students can write a thinking/reflection essay titled: Should There Be A Veteran's Day?
• Students can investigate similar holidays and celebrations of other countries, i.e., Canada's Flag Day, Remembrance Day, etc.

• completed KWL chart
• completed Scavenger Hunt
• completed graph
• completed Veteran's Day puzzle using appropriate vocabulary

Social Studies

7.47, 7.59, 7.61, 7.62, 7.63

Math

7.30, 7.54, 7.55, 7.46, 7.50

Language Arts

7.2, 7.22, 7.52, 7.54, 7.66

Mathematics

• Uses a variety of strategies in the problem-solving process.
• Understands and applies basic and advanced concepts of statistics and data analysis
• Understands and applies basic and advanced concepts of probability

Historical Understanding

Understands and knows how to analyze chronological relationships and patterns

Understands the historical perspective

References:

Origin of Veteran's Day
Veteran's Day - A Tribute
Tribute to U.S. Veterans
What is a Veteran
Veteran's Day Origin
Helping Students Understand

John Richmond
Darlene Milam
Patty Waldeck

Horace Mann Middle School
301 43rd Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
304-348-1971

Overview

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lesson 5