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As an art teacher, we’re always thinking about ways to celebrate and honour various traditions through art.
Each year, as Halloween draws to a close and we approach November, I begin to think about what art activities to do in honour of Remembrance Day.
The kids have spent the last few weeks preparing for the Remembrance Day assembly where all the parents and guardians come along to see their little ones on stage after practicing their lines on repeat at home.
It’s only natural for the hallways and stage to be decorated in a sea of Red Poppies to mark the occasion. Here’s where I come in.
This year I got the whole school to take part in creating a Red Poppy Remembrance Day art project display. It was touching to see all these uniquely decorated poppies, individual to each child and teacher lining the halls of the school.
What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day is a memorial day to honour to the soldiers who died in the line of duty during the First World War (WWI).
Remembrance Day also known as Poppy Day is observed by states of the Commonwealth, and owns the tradition of wearing a Red Poppy (or Remembrance Poppy).
To recall the end of First World War hostilities, Remembrance Day is observed on November 11th. WWI hostilities formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”.
Each year the day is honoured by a moment of silence at 11:00am. The First World War officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.
Why Poppies for Remembrance Day?
Poppies are worn to show support for the Armed Forces, their lives, and community. During WWI the grounds they fought on were bombed, blasted and bleak. What once were beautiful landscapes became muddy, barren ruins where barely anything could grow.
The red poppy became the chosen symbol of Remembrance and hope for the future.
The exception to these ruins were this bright red Flanders poppy flower. Despite so much chaos these flowers flourished and grew thousands upon thousands.
In the spring of 1915, a Canadian doctor named Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was so moved by the sight of these red poppies that it inspired him to write the now famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’
Remembrance Day Poem
In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
In Flanders’ fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders’ fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe;
by John McCrae
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high,
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders’ Fields.
Remembrance Day Red Poppy Art Craft for Kids
I asked my students what Remembrance Day was for, and one little girl said “It’s to remember to the people that stood up for us back in the olden days.”
This comment lingered with me for the rest of the day, as I pictured all my guardians, saviours and angels disguised as friends, family, and even complete strangers. Anyone who had ever stepped out of their own pathway to protect my own… even for a brief moment.
I love moments when I can feel tremendously, genuinely thankful for something. All those close calls that may have changed the course of my life forever. How does one repay that sort of debt? Just say “Thanks”? I really don’t know the full answer, but I’m sure it can’t hurt to start with a “Thanks”.
I always try to remind my students of their manners when I hand them something good to receive “Magic word?” I say, before they quip back with a “thank you!”
What You’ll Need:
- Remembrance Day Poppy Template
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Red things – red paint, red paper, red glitter, red tissue… you get the idea
- Gratitude
- Remembrance Day Word Search (Just for fun!)
What To Do:
Each student was handed a paper poppy flower template and they were to decorate it using red materials. It turned out wonderfully. Afterwards they stayed engaged while doing this Remembrance Day Word Search.
When they got their poppy template, they were to simply decorate it using red materials. I split some classes to do collaged poppies while I let others do painted ones, and I pushed it a step further and let some classes use glitter
Here are a few examples of how this project turned out when on display in our school:
I have a love/hate relationship with glitter, it’s so lovely, light and who doesn’t love a little sparkle in their life? But really that mess gets EVERY-FRICKEN-WHERE. There’s no doubt that you’ll be able to find individual specks of glitter in random places for many days after. The end of a sock, bottom of your handbag, your forehead – everything is at risk of getting glitter specked. Maybe that’s why they basically make Christmas a perma-glitter season. To embrace the sparkle that is inevitably unavoidable with Christmas Art Projects.
To all of those people doing awesome selfless things as part of your day, you are acknowledged for your true bravery, compassion and stubborn connection with your intuition. We need more of you to have any semblance of hope for our future generations.
Why not exercise a Random Act of Kindness today? Why not every day? Your world will thank you for it.
