​​​​​​​​​​​Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation
The Alabama Veterans Memorial Park
Education
The Alabama Veterans Memorial Foundation believes that students need to know the details of the major conflicts and also to understand what motivated our veterans to serve and what they believed they were defending. This requires not only knowing the details of the conflict but also knowledge of the value and benefits of our system of government and civics as well as the rights and obligations of citizenship. (Go to the Civics link for more information)
These eight lesson plans are listed below. Click Here to see plans for Hoover City Schools.
​​​​​​​​​Lesson Plan One: What is an Alabama Veteran?
This lesson plan contains activities for upper Elementary School students to discuss and discover more about veterans. It includes information about Alabama’s Role in World War One, Alabama’s 167th Infantry Regiment, and the Alabama Veterans Memorial Park in Birmingham as well as activities to learn more about the Star Spangled Banner and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Lesson Plan Two: World War Two: Alabama Veterans
This lesson plan contains activities for upper Elementary School students to discover more about World War Two, the branches and flags of the military, and three Alabama veterans. It also includes information about the United States after World War One, the factors leading to World War Two, Alabama during the World War Two and the famous Tuskegee Airmen.
Lesson Plan Three: Rosie the Riveter and Beyond: Alabama Women's Contributions during WWII
This lesson plan contains activities for upper elementary school students to discuss and discover more about the role of women in World War Two.
Lesson Plan Four: Medal of Honor Recipients
This lesson plans contains activities for students in upper elementary schools to discuss poems about veterans, to research Alabama Medal of Honor recipients, and to write a biographical poem about a recipient.
Lesson Plan Five: Korea and the Korean War
This lesson plan contains activities for upper Elementary School students to discover more about Korea and the Korean War by researching, analyzing pictures and writing.
Lesson Plan Six: the Vietnam War
Part A: The Impact of the Vietnam War on Alabama and the United States
This lesson plan contains an activity for upper elementary grades 4-6 to learn about the impact of the Vietnam War on Americans. Students will analyze opinions facing the Vietnam War as well as memorials honoring veterans who served during this time in history.
Part B: The History of Vietnam and the United States Involvement
This lesson plan is designed for middle school students or older studying the Vietnam War. This lesson contains an interactive slideshow with fill-in-the-blank guided notes to ensure active participation by all students. In addition, a gallery walk activity containing twelve diverse images from the Vietnam War (provided by the National Archives) has been included to allow students to apply what they have learned via an image analysis activity. QR codes have also been provided for each image in case teachers would prefer students to use technology to view the images.
Lesson Plan Seven: The Persian Gulf War
Part A: An Introduction to the Persian Gulf War, Geography and Key Vocabulary
This lesson plan contains activities for upper elementary grades 4-6 to become acquainted with the key events leading up to the Persian Gulf War, to learn pertinent vocabulary, and to identify countries of the Middle East on a map.
Part B: Key Events of the Persian Gulf War
This lesson plan uses illustrations for upper elementary school students to identify key events and elements in Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Red Stone Arsenal. It also contains activities to process this lesson as well as learn about an Alabama soldier.
Lesson Plan Eight: War on Terror
This lesson plan contains activities for grades 4-8 to become acquainted with the key terms found in readings to define terrorism and will learn to use the definition of terrorism to evaluate the rationale for the 9/11 targets.
Part B: Alabama and the War on Terror
This lesson plan contains activities for fourth – eighth grade students to learn about Alabamians who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Students will create a poster and give a presentation commemorating the life of their assigned Alabamian.
​​​Part C: The President Addresses the Nation
This lesson plan contains activities for fourth-eighth grade students to identify text information, use inferencing skills, and use supporting text evidence to answer questions about President George W. Bush’s “War on Terror” speech to Congress and the Nation on September 20, 2001.
This Lesson Plan contains activities for students grades 4-8 to learn about the role of first responders after the 9/11/2001 attacks as well as how Saint Paul’s Chapel became a source of comfort for first responders.
Part E: The War on Terror from 9/11/2001 to 9/11/2021 Twenty Years
This lesson plan contains activities for fourth-eighth grade students to learn about the US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq; they will also learn about the Alabamians who lost their lives during this twenty-year period.
​New Lesson Plans will be added in the near future. Please check back periodically to see what's been added.
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Five Day Series of 20 minute mini lesson plans leading up to Veterans Day
Series One grades K-2: (K-2 Lessons - Wendy Goodwin)
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Series Two grades 3-5: (3-5 Lessons - Shaina Crimes)
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Series Three grades 6-8: (6-8 Lessons - Haley Ward / Logan Greene)​​