11th November Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is observed in Australia on the 11th November to recall the date that World War 1 ended in 1918. In schools and public places at 11.00am on this day, a minute's silence is held and a bugler may play the Last Post. This pause in the day's bustle is to remember men and women who have died or suffered as the result of war. 

Our whole school observes Remembrance Day at 11.00am  and each class observes it in other ways too, usually by recalling the significance of poppies and making poppies to wear.

Although written in 2020, this is a good place to start. This video made by the Australian War Memorial is also suitable for young children.  This blog  entry from Bright Horizons will give you lots of ideas and a couple of poppy poems.

Britain, its allies Australia, New Zealand and Canada and America all fought in the first world war and that is why all have Remembrance Day, Armistice Day or Veteran's Day on the 11th November and why  it is often referred to in its literature for children.

In Scotland children may watch this video which is a good summary for all of us or read this book.

In Canada children might watch this video or read this book.

Last week I read Finding Winnie by Lindsay Mattick and Sophie Blackall to my Year 2 students and it starts with vet Harry Colebourn going off to World War 1 from Winnipeg in Canada. This sparked discussion about WW1 and who fought in it. Next week I will share The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston and Barbara Cooney with the same classes and here Ruthie's father is off fighting in WW1 and he writes her a letter telling her that the war finished on 11th November and that he is coming home to America.

These stories are a good way to connect young children to history and WW1 without dwelling on the conflict and fighting that is inevitable in war. Of course, there are other books that do this too.

However if you do want some picture books that are more specifically about Remembrance Day look for these:

• A Poppy for Pa by Rebecca Laing Zammit 

• Lest We Forget by Kerry Brown

• Australia Remembers by Allison Patterson

• Reflection  by Rebecca Sharpe Shelberg

• Where the Poppies Now Grow by Hilary Robinson

• Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood

• The Poppy Lady  by Barbara Walsh

These are stories that feature poppies (no war):

• Poppy's Own Spot by Guido Van Genechten

• Ava's Poppy  by Marcus Pfister

• Poppy and the Blooms by Fiona Woodcock