Veteran's Day Podcast Activity

I love for my students to see Veteran's Day as not a simple "day off", but as a day of remembrance and respect. I like to not only introduce my students to the history/background of the day, but also to the real, true-life stories of veterans who have so sacrificially served our country. This product pushes students to think critically and to practice those increasingly important listening skills. Students will think about what they already know about war, veterans, fear, etc. and use what they learn in the podcasts to create meaning, analyze the speeches, and think closely about the stories of others/how they can apply it to their own lives. 

The following activity covers the following podcasts:

1. "The Boundless Sky"

2. "A Sort of Homecoming" 

Please note that "A Sort of Homecoming" deals with suicide. The speaker DOES NOT choose it, talks about how it is a poor choice, AND details ways that he combated these negative feelings. However, he does talk about how these "dark feelings" made him contemplate suicide. PLEASE Listen to the Podcasts before purchasing this product to ensure that the material would be suitable for YOUR students. 

Product includes:

- Brief history/background of Veteran's Day

- 3 Critical thinking/discussion questions to utilize before listening to Podcasts

- Links to the Podcasts

- Analysis questions for each Podcast (pushes student thinking rather than simple recall questions)

- Answer Keys