Veterans Day Assembly Ideas

On Veterans Day, citizens across America take time out to think about those who have put their lives on the line protecting the principles of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. At many schools, this day is marked with an assembly. If planning an assembly for this remembrance day, seek something that will educate your students on the lives of veterans and leave them more appreciative of these individuals.

There is no one better to teach students about veterans than a veteran himself. In the weeks leading up to Veterans Day, seek out a local individual who served his country and ask him to come in and speak to the gathered students. In class, have students prepare lists of questions to pose to this visiting veteran. Begin the assembly allowing the veteran to speak, then moving through the lists of prepared questions, ensuring that the holiday is an educational one.

Celebrate veterans artistically by arranging a veteran-themed art show assembly. To prepare this assembly, have some particularly artistically skilled students create works of art that capture the things that veterans do for Americans. Hang these works around the school auditorium or gym. Instead of having a standard assembly, allow students to circulate around the space taking in works of art. Allow the student artists to stand next to their works and speak about them with peers.

Veterans make a difference. Make this fact clear by creating a “Make a Difference” Day assembly. For this assembly, arrange for individuals from various local volunteer organizations to come in. Ask these individuals to speak to students about what they can do to make a difference. Start the assembly by having a teacher explain to students that veterans make a difference and, while they can't make a difference in the same way, they can leave a mark. Then move through the different speakers, allowing them to present their organizations to the gathered students.

Use Veterans Day as an opportunity to teach your students some lessons in history. Contact a museum or speaker with knowledge of war history. Have this individual come in, bringing photos and artifacts from wars past. If possible, select individuals to speak about several different wars, along with current warfare, allowing students to see how things have progressed on the front lines.