“honoring our veterans” · program at berkley, it has brought an understanding of sacrifice for...

“Honoring Our Veterans”

n PROGRAM OVERVIEW Freedom does not come free. We

are reminded of this daily on the news of the fallen soldiers and ongoing acts of terrorism against our country. The students of Berkley Elementary desire to pay tribute to veterans and active members annually at our Veteran’s Day Breakfast. This is a program at which we thank these patriotic citizens. We also take the opportunity at this time to educate the children what our veterans have done and continue to do for our country. Invitations are sent throughout the school. Breakfast foods, coffee, tea, and juice are provided in the cafeteria. Tables are decorated in red, white, and blue. Flags made with the children’s handprints are hung from the ceiling.

The Fourth grade children prepare for the performance by working on a Patriotic project in social studies for two weeks to gain background knowledge. In music, they practice several patriotic songs from the beginning of the school year to perform on the day of the breakfast. Several children read essays of why veterans are important to us in writing class and practice public speaking. The Pre-K 4 year old children also participate by saying the pledge and singing with the fourth graders on the day of the breakfast.

By developing and using this program at Berkley, it has brought an understanding of sacrifice for our country. The knowledge that the students gain results in their wanting to pay respect to veterans who sacrificed to protect our

For further information contact…

Jill Whitley O’LearyBerkley Charter

5420 Berkley Road Auburndale, FL 33823

(Courier route B)

863-968-5024

[email protected]

2012 - 2013 Idea CatalOg Of exCellenCe

freedom. They also wish to recognize service members who are still on active duty. The Berkley students demonstrated their passion for this event and patriotism as tears roll down their cheeks when they are singing songs such “Thank You Soldiers” by Michael and Angela Souders, and other traditional patriotic songs. The veterans who attend also have tears in their eyes. They get a feeling of gratitude from an entire school, along with the knowledge that children are learning what veterans have done for our country. The respect and honor which they receive keeps them returning year after year.

n OVERALL VALUE “Honoring Our Veterans” accom-

plished the goals of partnering public schooling and the community building. Students make meaningful connections among musical, linguistic, historical, so-cial, and creative ideas.

This program is a small token of appreciation the students can give to the men and women who have sacrificed for our freedom. It is a way of saying thank you for all that they’ve done. It would be fulfilling to see other schools adapt this program and more veterans being honored.

n LESSON PLAN TITLES• Learning About Veterans

• Essay About Veterans

• Patriotic Musical

n OUTSIDE RESOURCES Guest speakers: The Patriot Guard

Riders arrived on their motorcycles and explained their job in honoring veterans during our breakfast. Local newspapers sent reporters to photograph the event.

n MATERIALS Cafeteria, projector, microphones,

sound system, risers for the students to stand on and sing, breakfast foods and drinks, table decorations, DVD-Rs to make copies of the slide show for the veterans. Materials for each lesson are listed with each lesson plan. Overall materials budget including pricing and vendors follows the lesson plans.

n ABOUT THE DEVELOPER Jill O’Leary graduated from the

University of South Florida with a B.S., in Elementary Ed. She did teach in Pinellas County in 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade before joining Polk County schools in 1999. She taught 2nd at Polk City Elementary and then transferred to Berkley Charter when it opened and taught 2nd grade from 2000 – 2010. She is currently teaching 4th grade science.

She has taught a total of 15 years. She was awarded a Kids in Need Grant, two Adapter Grants, two Developer Grants, and now a School to School Grant from Teacher-to-Teacher Connection.

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~ A Returning Developer ~

“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyLesson Plan No 1: Learning About Veterans

n SUBJECTS COVEREDSocial Studies

n GRADESK - 5

n OBJECTIVE • To be able to research and create

a timeline of U.S. conflict and a shoebox Veteran’s Day Parade to commemorate soldiers who fought for freedom.

n SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS

SS.4.A.6.3

Describe the contr ibutions of significant individuals to Florida

SS.4.A.7.3

Identify Florida’s role in World War II

SS.4.A.1.1

Analyze primary and secondary resources to identify significant individuals and events throughout Florida history.

SS.4.A.1.2

Synthesize information related to Florida history though print and electronic media.

n MATERIALS• Computer

• Shoebox for each small group of students, internet resource and/or library materials

• Art supplies

n DIRECTIONS Show Discovery Education video to introduce veterans.

Arrange students into groups and give a time period or war conflict to research. Make a timeline on the wall. Students make posters to accompany the war they research and place it at the appropriate period on the time line. The posters should show the name of the war, it’s dates, the causes of the war, the number of causalities, and illustrations which can be printed from the internet. The timeline should also illustrate the evolution of the U.S. flag. Show how the flag looked during the conflict. Also include names and/or images of some of the key players in the wars.

Culminating project: The Shoebox Parade

Students will use a shoebox, turned upside down, as their float surface. They will decorate with soldiers dressed appropriately for battle. The floats may also include other items that are indicative of the year.

n EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT Students present their posters and

shoebox floats to their classmates. They explain how their posters and floats reflect the battle and the time period.

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n SUBJECTS COVEREDWriting

n GRADESK - 5

n OBJECTIVE • To be able to write to an expository

prompt of why veterans are important to us.

n SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS

LA.B.1.2.1.4.2

Establishes a purpose for writing

LA.B.1.2.2.4.1

Focuses on a central idea or topic

LA.B.1.2.2.4.2

Uses an organizational pattern appropr iate to purpose and audience

n MATERIALS• Pencil

• Paper

n DIRECTIONS Read Veterans Day by Jacqueline S. Cotton

Students brainstorm on a planner of why veterans are important to us.

Write a sloppy copy of a 4 paragraph essay.

Edit – check for capitals, punctuation spelling, use varied sentence structure, Wow words.

Have a partner edit and sign their name with a comment.

Complete final copy.

“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyLesson Plan No 2: Essay About Veterans

n EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT Grade according to FCAT writes

rubric and have students read aloud to class. Pick 4 student s to read their essay for the Veteran’s Day Breakfast.

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“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyLesson Plan No 3: Patriotic Musical

n MATERIALS• Sheet music

• CD player

• Piano / keyboard if available

n DIRECTIONS Read/learn songs by implementing

cur rent knowledge of p i tch, musicianship, music vocabulary and theory.

Use the patriotic music to connect music to history and creative thinking.

Learn new musical concepts as applied to these pieces.

n EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT The assessment will be the ability

to perform these songs successfully in front of an audience.

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n SUBJECTS COVEREDMusic

n GRADESK - 5

n OBJECTIVES and SUNSHINE STATE

STANDARDS • Enduring Understanding 1: Through

study in the arts, we learn about and honor others and the worlds in which they live. (MU.4.H.1)

• Enduring Understanding 2: The arts reflect and document cultural trends and historical events.

• Identify and describe basic music performance techniques to provide a foundation for critiquing one’s self and others. (MU.4.C.2.1)

• Critique specific techniques in one’s own and others’ performances using teacher-established criteria. (MU.4.C.2.2)


“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyAdditional Information - Veterans Invitation

Materials Budget SuPPLIEr ItEM DEScrIPtIoN coSt QuANtIty totAL coSt

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Teacher__________________________________________

School:__________________________________________ _

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Subtotal

Tax_if_applicable

Shipping_if_applicable

TOTALBUDGETAMOUNT

“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyLesson_Plans_Materials_Budget

Sam’s Club breakfast foods $400.00

JWpepper sheet music $1.80 60 $108.00

JWpepper performance track $24.95 1 $24.95

Oriental Trading small American flags $8.50 6 dz. $8.50

Oriental Trading table cloth rolls $15.00 6 $90.00

Oriental Trading patriotic tableware $20.00 8 $160.00

Jill Whitley O’LearyBerkley Charter

$791.45

8.55

$800.00



“Honoring Our Veterans” Jill Whitley O’LearyRubric

0 1 2 Score

Participation in Class

Discussion

Participation in shoebox

activity

Participation in Poster activity

Essay

Participation in Patriotic

Musical

Did not Participate

Did not Participate

Did not Participate

0 - 1

Did not Participate

PartialParticipation



2 - 3


FullParticipation

FullParticipation

FullParticipation

4 - 5 - 6

FullParticipation

OverallTotal

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