Integrated Lesson Plan

Paige Aubry
Grade: 3
1. Title of Lesson: Veterans Day Thank-You Letters
2. Description of Topic to be Addressed: This lesson aims to increase
knowledge and appreciation towards citizens who serve our country.
This newly found appreciation towards citizens, Veterans in particular,
will be shown through a thank you letter written by each student.
3. Objectives:
Strand: Writing
Topic: Text types and purposes
Content Statement: Use narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive
details, and clear event sequences
The big idea is to create a thank you letter addressed to Veterans, using descriptive
language and is written using a well thought out, heartfelt manner. Students will
take away the idea of putting thoughts into words, to thank those who have change
and shaped our community for the better. Students are able to represent saying
thank you in multiple ways within the letter they are able to write a poem, draw a
picture, write a song, or whatever best fits their way of expression.

Strand: Government
Topic: Civic Participation and Skills
Content Statement: Members of local communities have social
and political responsibilities

The overarching idea that students should take away from this experience is to
appreciate the community and people within the community who participate in
making the world a better place. The students need to thank and appreciate these
people, including Veterans, in order to obtain civic action and responsibility for their
own community Students will obtain autonomy and became aware that people have
specific responsibilities, and children within their own classroom have
responsibilities.

4. Step-by-Step Procedure:
Step 1: The teacher will begin the lesson by asking students what important holidays are
approaching quickly. If Veterans Day is not mentioned, teachers will inform students that

Veterans Day is on November 11th. The teacher points to the calendar to show the actual
day. (Students have an understanding on when the Holiday is visually.)
Step 2: The students will then complete a KWL chart. The teacher at first asks the students
what they know about Veterans Day. The students write on note cards what they already
know about the holiday. Each student comes up to the board and places their notecard on the
board. The teacher goes over what the children already know about Veterans Day.(Students
are beginning to create personal connection with themselves and Veterans Day by seeing
what they already know about Veterans Day.)
Step 3: The teacher asks the students the question, What do you want to learn? The
students write on their sticky notes writing down what they want to learn. (Students are
creating a personal connection with the lesson, asking questions they would like to learn
about the subject, students are building background knowledge and creating a preassessment that will engage the children for the rest of the lesson.)
Step 4: The class watches a video on Veterans Day that introduces ideas that are not
commonly known about this holiday. The students learn about the different types of Veterans
and begin to see how many of them have sacrificed their lives to protect our country. Here is
a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWD4Oy6fKlo (Students are
creating a personal connection with the lesson, thinking about family members or friends
that have served. If a were the student, after watching the lesson I would want to have
feelings of what I just watched. I would want to think to myself that I want to thank these
veterans and help make a difference.)
Step 5: The students as a class have a discussion on what they have learned in the video and
relating the video to their own lives. Students go around and say family members of friends
they know that have served. (Students are creating a personal connection by connecting
people they know in their lives that have served. Students express knowledge, expression and
their ideas to the subject being able to say whatever they want to say pertaining to the topic.)
Step 6: After the students watch the video, students break into pairs and read a short article
that summarizes Veterans Day. Students take turns reading the article. (Students are further
creating a personal connection with the lesson, learning about Veterans day and creating
autonomy with the lesson. The article talks about people who have served, and students
relate what Veterans do in their lives.)
Step 7: The students get back together and have a whole class discussion about the article As
well as a discussion on the main purpose, reinforcing that we have members in our society
that makes a difference and reasons why we need to show respect towards these individuals.
The teacher asks what they veterans have sacrificed and asks the students if they have ever
sacrificed anything in their life. This is an open floor to any students who would like to talk.
Teacher also emphasizes the idea of how their are other people in our community that do
something to make a difference, this can include firefighters, teachers, etc. Teacher asks
questions to students such as how in our personal classroom, we have duties, responsibilities
and sacrifices we need to make in order for our classroom to run smoothly. (Class discussion
creates personal connection to the subject, and expresses children ideas, thoughts and
feelings. Students are able to talk about something that they have sacrificed in their lives,

how it made them feel, etc. The class discussion emphasizes the lesson by making the
children feel something. If I were a student in this lesson, I would want to talk about my
Grandpa who served in WW11. Children can talk about people they have loved who have
made a difference. This is the children's time to shine. Students are also developing self
autonomy, and thinking of ways why its important to be responsible in the student's personal
life and classroom environment). During this discussion, the teacher will create a list on the
board that summarizes the ideas that were talked about. Teacher asks students why it is
important to show our thanks to the veterans that have served. Students respond back to the
question.
Step 8: Once the teachers feel that the students have an understanding on this concept,
(Students have developed a sense of personal connection, autonomy, and have expressed
their thoughts and ideas in a meaningful way) they will review with the students how to
address a letter, what to write in a thank-you note, and how to close the letter. The teacher
will emphasize to students that by writing thank you letters to Veterans, we are showing
thanks and appreciation for the men and women that have served, and that is the purpose of
Veterans Day. Teacher tells students to make these letters meaningful, using with a lot of
thought and writing their feelings down on paper. The students can express their thank you in
multiple ways, including writing a poem or song, drawing pictures, etc. (If I were a student in
the classroom, I would want to put my heart and soul into this letter showing my
appreciation to my family member who has served. This is the time for students to express
their appreciation in multiple different ways. Students are able to write a thank you letter, but
also create a poem, or draw a picture. The students are making a personal connection to the
lesson by writing a thank you letter to a loved one. The thank you letter brings all of the
qualities of experienced together; students are able to express themselves in meaningful
ways, create autonomy, and have a personal connection to the subject matter.) Students will
than write a thank you letter to a veteran they may know in their writer's journal. If they do
not personally know a veteran, they will be reassured that their letter will be sent to an
organization dedicated to celebrating to veterans. A big focus will be made clear on how
these letters will be personally read by those who serve our country.