As November 8 approaches, many teachers are looking for respectful, meaningful Indigenous Veterans Day activities to help students learn about and honour the contributions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit veterans in Canada. While Remembrance Day is widely recognized in schools, Indigenous Veterans Day activities are just as important—and they provide a valuable opportunity to center Indigenous voices, histories, and experiences.
As a First Nations educator, I’ve created a series of Indigenous Veterans Day activities to support teachers in bringing this important topic into their classrooms in an age-appropriate and culturally respectful way. All of the artwork included in these resources is hand-drawn by me, and each activity is designed to support student reflection, learning, and creativity.
Here are three of my favourite classroom activities for Indigenous Veterans Day:
🧡 1. Interactive Indigenous Veterans Poppy Craft (Grades 3+)
This is my most in-depth and popular resource for Indigenous Veterans Day. It begins with a lesson that introduces the significance of November 8 and explores the contributions of Indigenous veterans in Canadian history.
Students are then guided through an interactive poppy craft. They choose an Indigenous veteran to honour—using the included biographies—and complete a beautifully illustrated foldable poppy featuring information about that veteran. It’s a powerful way to combine research, writing, and art.
This resource also includes a bulletin board display set to showcase student work around the classroom or for a school-wide display. It’s perfect for leading up to Remembrance Day ceremonies or assemblies on November 8.
🧡 2. Primary Flip Poppy Craft (K–Grade 3)
For younger learners, I created a simplified version of the poppy craft. This activity focuses more on creative expression and early writing skills. Students learn about the meaning of Indigenous Veterans Day in an age-appropriate way, and then complete a flip-style poppy where they write or draw to honour veterans.
This version supports foundational learning while still engaging students in a meaningful way. It’s a great fit for classrooms focusing on themes of gratitude, courage, and community.
🧡 3. Métis Dot Art Poppy Wreath Activity (Grades 1–7)
This art-based activity brings your whole class together. Students each create their own poppy wreath, and you can combine them to form a large class wreath—perfect for display at a school-wide assembly or hallway bulletin board.
The poppy design in this activity is inspired by Métis dot art, allowing students to explore Indigenous art styles while reflecting on remembrance. It’s both beautiful and symbolic, and many teachers have shared how powerful the final class wreath is when assembled.
🌿 Why These Indigenous Veterans Day Activities Matter
As educators, it’s important that we create space to honour Indigenous voices, histories, and contributions—not just on September 30, but throughout the entire school year. Indigenous Veterans Day is a powerful opportunity to reflect with students and deepen their understanding of service, sacrifice, and identity.
For too long, Indigenous veterans in Canada have been overlooked in our history books. Despite serving with bravery and distinction in every major conflict, many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit veterans returned home to systemic discrimination. They were denied the same benefits and recognition given to non-Indigenous soldiers—losing status, land, or access to support programs they had earned.
While Remembrance Day is widely observed in schools and across the country, Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8 is often left out of the conversation. These classroom activities are a way to begin changing that. They give students a chance to learn, honour, and understand why this day matters—not just as an addition to Remembrance Day, but as a day of its own significance.
By centering Indigenous perspectives, names, and stories, we help create a more complete and honest narrative—one where all veterans are recognized, remembered, and respected.
👉 Explore My Resources:
Each of these Indigenous Veterans Day activities is available in my shop. Whether you’re teaching K–2 or Grade 7, there’s a version that will work for your learners.
♥︎ Indigenous Veterans Day – interactive poppy (grade 3+)
♥︎ Indigenous Veterans Day – Primary flip poppy (K-grade 3)
♥︎ Poppy Wreath using Metis Dot Art (K-grade7)
