A Poppy Is To Remember

     Patterson, Heather and Lightburn, Ron (2004).  A Poppy Is to Remember.  Ontario:  North Wind Press

      ISBN # 0-439-96786-4

“A Poppy Is to Remember” is a book that helps introduce Remembrance Day to children.  The book helps children understand some basic ideas about war and the hardships families have to face as a result of war.  The book helps children understand why we honor those who served in the war, and why a poppy is a significant symbol of peace. 

This book is simple yet straight to the point.  War is a complicated subject.  This book provides a basic understanding about war and uses simple words that are easy for children to comprehend.

“A Poppy Is to Remember” has some colorful aspects to the illustrations, but is shadowed by a dull glow that helps convey the mood of sadness.  The facial features of the characters give awareness that the idea of war is sad and dramatic.

To help children understand the Remembrance Day holiday and the book, I would start by enlarging a photo of a soldier and place it in the classroom.  I would encourage questions from the children like what is this man wearing?  Why is the photo in black and white?  Why does the man in this photo look so serious? 

Another way I would help provoke questions around Remembrance Day would be to make giant poppies and place them all around the classroom leading up to the book.  I would later connect the poppies in the book to the poppies in the classroom.

   3 ways to present the story

Story masks:  I would construct sad and happy masks made from paper plates.  I would give them to the children when I was about to read the story.  The idea here is that when they thought the story was sad they could put on the sad masks and when the story was happy they could put on the happy masks. 

Story sticks:  I would photocopy pictures of the characters in the book, and laminate them.  I would then place them on sticks.  Then, as I read the story to the children they could tape a poppy on their character that coordinates with the character in the book. 

Felt poppy wreath:  When presenting the story this way, I would use a felt board and felt poppies.  I would then cut out a large piece of green felt into the shape of a wreath.  I would place the wreath on the felt board.  As I read the story, I would explain to the children that they would be invited to place the poppies on the wreath at particular times when the story signified peace.  This concept will help the children understand that a poppy is for peace and the significance related to the poppy.

    3 possible extensions

Art project:  I would put out supplies to make poppies such as red tissue paper, glue, and a small black button for the center of the poppy.  After the children finished making their poppies, I would have them glue them on a laminated copy of the poem “In Falnders Fields”.  (This poem can be found in the book).

Guest Speaker:  In this extension for the book, I would phone ahead of time the Royal Canadian Legion and get a veteran dressed in uniform to come and talk with the children about some basic concepts about war and what it was like during that time.

In class march:  In this extension I would help the children connect back to the book.  We would then review the idea behind The Royal Canadian March.  Then I would give the children a poppy to wear and a small Canadian flag (this could be constructed out of construction paper and wooden sticks) to hold.  We could then have a mini march around the classroom which would represent The Royal Canadian March on Remembrance Day.  If weather was nice we could even do the march outside.  I would end the march with two minutes of silence for the children.