Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8 is an important opportunity to help students learn about the service, sacrifices and experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Veterans in Canada.
While Remembrance Day is widely recognized in Canadian schools, the stories of Indigenous Veterans have not always been given the same attention. Meaningful Indigenous Veterans Day activities can help students understand both the contributions Indigenous Peoples have made through military service and the discrimination many Veterans faced during and after their service.
As a First Nations educator, I’ve created several Indigenous Veterans Day resources for different ages and learning styles. Some are focused on history and biographies, while others combine learning with writing or art.
Here are four Indigenous Veterans Day activities for students that you can use leading up to November 8 or as part of your broader Remembrance Day learning.
Here are three of my favourite classroom activities for Indigenous Veterans Day:
1. Learn About Indigenous Veterans Through an Interactive Poppy
Best for: Grades 4+
If you want students to spend more time learning about the people behind Indigenous Veterans Day, this is the resource I would start with.
My Indigenous Veterans Day Interactive Poppy Craft introduces students to 10 Indigenous Canadian Veterans through biographies, reflection and writing.
Students choose an Indigenous Veteran to learn about and use what they discover to complete an interactive poppy. Rather than completing a poppy craft on its own, the art becomes a way for students to share their learning.
The resource includes:
- An Indigenous Veterans Day lesson
- Biographies of 10 Indigenous Canadian Veterans
- An interactive poppy writing craft
- Reflection questions
- A bonus Indigenous Veteran recognition project
- Bulletin board pieces for a classroom or hallway display
This makes it an easy Indigenous Veterans Day lesson to connect with Canadian history, social studies, writing or Remembrance Day learning.
Explore the Interactive Indigenous Veterans Day Poppy Craft
2. Indigenous Veterans Day Activities for Primary Students
Best for: K–Grade 4
Younger students can learn about Indigenous Veterans Day too, but the content needs to be introduced in a way that is understandable and age appropriate.
My Primary Indigenous Veterans Day Poppy Activity introduces students to four Indigenous Canadian Veterans and explains why November 8 is an important day of remembrance.
After learning together, students complete a poppy writing craft using prompts that allow them to respond at their own level.
The resource includes:
- A primary Indigenous Veterans Day lesson
- Four Indigenous Veteran biographies
- Four writing prompts
- A poppy writing craft
- Indigenous Veterans Day bulletin board pieces
For very young students, responses can also be completed through discussion or drawing.
This is a simple way to include Indigenous Veterans Day activities for students without trying to fit an upper-elementary history lesson into a primary classroom.
Explore the Primary Indigenous Veterans Day Activity
3. Create a Métis Dot Art Poppy Wreath
Best for: Elementary and intermediate classrooms
Art can be a meaningful part of remembrance when students understand the learning and cultural context behind what they are creating.
In my Métis Dot Art Poppy Wreath Activity, students first learn about Métis floral beadwork and its connections to Métis identity, family and community.
Students then use a dot-painting technique inspired by the visual appearance of beadwork to create poppies.
You can use the finished pieces in two different ways. Students can create individual wreaths, or everyone can contribute to one large collaborative class wreath.
The final display works beautifully for a classroom, hallway or school Remembrance Day display, but the learning comes first.
This activity can be used for Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8 or alongside other Remembrance Day activities in Canada.
Explore the Métis Dot Art Poppy Wreath
4. Make a Northwest Coast Art Poppy Wreath
Another option is my Northwest Coast Art Poppy Wreath Craft.
Before creating their wreaths, students are introduced to shapes and design elements found in Northwest Coast art. They then use that learning to create individual poppies or contribute to a collaborative classroom wreath.
The resource includes:
- A Northwest Coast art lesson
- Art shape tracing practice
- Multiple poppy wreath templates
- An individual wreath activity
- A collaborative class wreath
- Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day learning connections
I especially like this option for teachers looking for an art-based Indigenous Veterans Day classroom activity that still includes cultural learning before students begin creating.
Explore the Northwest Coast Art Poppy Wreath
Choosing an Indigenous Veterans Day Activity for Your Classroom
You do not need to complete all four activities.
For primary students, start with the simplified lesson and writing poppy. Older students can explore individual Indigenous Veterans through the biography activity. If you are looking for a collaborative art project, choose one of the wreath activities and make the cultural learning part of the lesson rather than jumping straight to the craft.
Whatever you choose, the goal is the same: helping students recognize Indigenous Veterans as part of Canada’s past and present.
Indigenous Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to make sure those stories are included.
Explore Indigenous Veterans Day Resources
Looking for something ready to use?
You can find all of my Indigenous Veterans Day activities in the West Coast Indigenous Teacher shop, including:
- Interactive Indigenous Veterans Day Poppy Craft
- Primary Indigenous Veterans Day Poppy Activity
- Métis Dot Art Poppy Wreath
- Northwest Coast Art Poppy Wreath
Each resource was created to help educators approach Indigenous Veterans Day with meaningful learning, reflection and original artwork.
