Looking for a Remembrance Day poppy craft that brings reading, writing and art together? These interactive poppies open to reveal students’ learning about Indigenous Veterans.
As a First Nations educator and artist, I created two versions so teachers can choose the reading and writing activities that suit their students. Both begin with learning about Indigenous Veterans, giving students a person’s story to reflect on as they create.
Here’s how the primary and intermediate options compare.
Primary Poppy Craft: Open, Write and Share
My primary poppy writing craft flips open like a book, revealing a simpler writing prompt on the bottom layer. It gives younger students an approachable way to share their learning.
The resource includes a primary Indigenous Veterans Day lesson, four Indigenous Canadian Veteran biographies, four writing prompts and bulletin board materials.
Begin by reading a biography together. Give students time to talk about the person they are learning about before moving into the writing activity. Saying an idea aloud first can help younger writers decide what they want to share.
Once completed, the poppies open to show the thinking behind each student’s artwork.
👉 Explore the Primary Poppy Writing Craft
Intermediate Poppy Craft: Lift Each Section to Reveal the Learning
The intermediate version has individual sections that flip up, with more advanced writing prompts that encourage students to develop their responses.
This resource includes ten Indigenous Canadian Veteran biographies, an Indigenous Veterans Day lesson, reflection questions, bulletin board pieces and a bonus “Recognize an Indigenous Veteran” project.
Students can explore a Veteran’s story and use their writing to reflect on that person’s service, experiences and contributions. Encourage them to include specific details from their reading as they explain their ideas.
The separate sections give students an interactive way to organize and share their learning. Readers can lift each part of the finished poppy to discover what the student has written.
👉 Explore the Intermediate Poppy Writing Craft
Which Poppy Writing Activity Fits Your Class?
Choose the primary version for its simpler writing prompts, four biographies and book-style opening.
Choose the intermediate version for its ten biographies, more advanced reflection and individually lifting sections.
Let your students’ reading and writing needs guide your choice. You can also support the writing process with partner conversations, shared reading or oral rehearsal before students begin.
Create a Remembrance Day Bulletin Board That Shares Their Learning
Both resources include bulletin board materials for displaying the finished poppies. Arrange them so the opening sections remain accessible and students can share the writing inside.
Before displaying their work, invite students to introduce the Veteran they learned about and share one detail that stayed with them.
Use these activities for Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8 and Remembrance Day on November 11, keeping Indigenous Veterans’ stories connected to your classroom’s broader learning.
For more ways to begin those conversations, read my Remembrance Day lessons for including Indigenous Veterans.
