When I began substitute teaching many years ago, one of the first things I noticed was that many, if not most, students were sadly lacking in what I call "common knowledge." This is not to be confused with what I call "popular culture." I am fairly conversant with the former; I am sadly lacking in the latter. (However, I'm not sure that's really a flaw!)
Once I started teaching and getting a credential in Special Education, I discovered that awareness of "common knowledge" is actually one of the markers that is tested in establishing intelligence and ability levels. (This is the arena where much controversy occurs - and it's fodder for many another post - but suffice it to say, someone who can't recognize the Parthenon or the Lincoln Memorial is at a distinct disadvantage on certain tests.)
Joseph Ambrose, an 86-year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who had been killed in the Korean War.This apparent lack manifested itself especially on the recognition of significant days in history - and not just U.S. History. For awhile, everyone knew about December 7th being Pearl Harbor Day because a movie of the same day came out and was quite popular for a time. Ditto for the Titanic. However, even those days produce "duh?" responses from students now!
So I began using holidays as ways to introduce some elements of common knowledge. There is a plethora of material out there to use with students - and most of it can be integrated nicely into the California State Standards governing language arts. This year I decided to use poetry to help them understand more about Veterans Day. (A note here, the U.S. has adopted the attributive case - no apostrophe - rather than the possessive case - lest you think I'd forgotten the apostrophe - since it is the day of the veterans!)
Another note: Most of my students were truly perplexed as to why we were having a holiday in the middle of the week. Veterans Day has been celebrated since 1921 - although then it was called Armistice Day - but in 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed it to the 4th Monday in October. Veterans protested that the holiday was losing its true meaning, so in 1978, Congress established it once again as being observed on November 11th (if it's a Sunday, we do get Monday off though!!)
The poem I used this year is "In Flanders Fields" by Lt.Col. John McCrae. He wrote it after watching a colleague die in battle. He wasn't satisfied with it though and tore the page out of his notebook and tossed it in the trash. A fellow soldier retrieved it and sent it to the British magazine Punch, where it was published to great acclaim. McCrae died within the year - ironically from complications of the Great Influenza epidemic.
It is not only recognized as being significant and well-written, it is also now imbedded in "popular culture." Wikipedia noted its inclusion in The Simpsons, Charlie Brown, the song "Marieke" by Jacques Brel, the film Mr. Holland's Opus and the Herman Wouk novel City Boy, to name just a few.
And the line "To you from falling hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high" is written on the wall of the Montreal Canadiens' dressing room!
Here it is, for your reading pleasure. Please note the use of alliteration, personification, symbolism,metaphor, and imagery.
In Flanders Fields
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:
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.
On a proud note, I must be succeeding, since many of my students could indeed find those literary devices.
Final side note: Disabled veterans used to make and sell paper poppies near and on Veterans Day - I remember having them to pin on our clothes. There was no mention of this in the sources I checked - but I still remember it!
And thank you to all veterans everywhere for your service to God and country!
