Sometimes when we get caught up in the midst of the chaos from the loss of electricity and Internet access, we forget that there are others who faced far more: our veterans of foreign wars. "All I want is a hot shower and a cup of coffee" takes on a new meaning if you fought in deserts, jungles, and mountains. We begin to realize our inconveniences are small in comparison to those who served for months or years in harm's way, defending our nation.
Veterans Day, like Memorial Day, is one of those calendar events during the year when we are off from school as a way to honor those who served our country. Whether it's before or after the holiday, we need to make our students aware of just how important these men and women are and to take the time out of our tight curriculum demands to teach them about what this day means. As with our other calendar
posts, using infographics that visualize the facts and data to teach our students makes for simple and effective ways to incorporate the details about Veterans Day into our lessons.
For the first time in decades, we have record numbers of veterans returning home from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Many are unharmed, but a staggering number are wounded both physically and mentally. Depending on where you live in the country, those numbers can represent whole communities.
All of our students should know that the United States Armed Forces are made up of volunteers who put their lives on the line daily to keep us safe. Make it a point to talk about it in your classrooms.
