The Poppy's Red Story

Learning Guide

A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.

Mai’s Tips

1. Abstract Concept: Remembrance is a complex idea for children. Connect it to personal experiences of remembering loved ones or special events. The poppy helps make this abstract concept tangible.
2. Process over Product: Focus on the child's engagement with the story and the crafting process, rather than the perfection of the poppy itself. The act of making it is part of the remembrance.
3. Simplifying History: The history of WWI can be too much. Simplify it to 'a very big war long ago where many brave people served' and emphasize the impact of the poem and Moina Michael's actions, rather than detailed timelines.
4. Connecting Past to Present: Ensure the conversation bridges the historical origin of the poppy (WWI) to its meaning for Veterans Day today, honoring all veterans who have served.

For The Grown-Up

• Watch out: Glue can be messy, especially with younger children. Have a damp cloth ready and cover the work surface with newspaper or a placemat to prevent stickiness on furniture.
• Explain it like this: A symbol is like a special key that unlocks a big memory or important idea. The poppy is a key that unlocks our memory of brave soldiers.
• A big question to ask: If the fields of Flanders had been full of bright yellow sunflowers after the war instead of red poppies, would sunflowers be our symbol of remembrance for veterans today?

Photo by SERHAT TUĞ on Pexels

1Symbols of Remembrance 5 min

• Start by pointing out something red near you at the breakfast table, like a piece of fruit or a jam jar. Discuss what you notice about its color. Then, introduce the idea of a 'symbol' – something that stands for or represents a bigger idea or feeling. Encourage them to share symbols they already know, such as a heart for love or a green light for 'go'.

  • What do you notice about this [red object]?
  • What other things do you know that are red?
  • Have you ever seen a picture or object that stands for something else? Like a heart stands for love?
  • What are some symbols you know, and what do you think they mean?

  Done when they've shared an example of a symbol and its meaning.

Done when: The child can identify a red object and offer an example of a symbol and what it represents.

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2Explore & Plan: The Poppy's Place 8 min

• Introduce the red poppy as a symbol for Veterans Day. Ask if they've seen one and what they think it might mean. Then, guide them to plan how to make a paper poppy using the provided materials. Have them gather the red paper, green paper, scissors, and glue.

  • Have you ever seen a red poppy? What did it look like?
  • What do you think this poppy might symbolize for Veterans Day?
  • If we were going to make a paper poppy, what materials would we need?
  • What do you think would be the first step in making it?

  Done when they have gathered materials and can describe a basic plan for making a paper poppy.

Done when: The child has identified the poppy as a symbol, brainstormed how to make a paper poppy, and gathered the materials.

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3Decoding the Red Poppy 6 min

• The poppy is a symbol of remembrance, meaning we use it to remember and honor people who served our country in wars, especially those who died. During World War I, soldiers noticed red poppies growing on the battlefields. This inspired a poem called 'In Flanders Fields'. An American woman named Moina Michael was inspired by the poem and started wearing poppies to honor soldiers, which began the tradition.

  • What does it mean to 'remember' someone, especially people who helped our country?
  • Why do you think the poem about poppies on battlefields became so important?
  • Moina Michael saw the poem and thought, 'I want to remember these soldiers.' How did her idea spread?
  • What is the most important idea the poppy helps us remember?

  Done when they can explain the poppy as a symbol of remembrance and link it to its origins.

Done when: The child can explain that the poppy is a symbol of remembrance, linking it to the historical context of World War I and the poem 'In Flanders Fields'.

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4Crafting Our Poppies 9 min

• Guide them as they use the red paper for petals, cutting or tearing out several shapes. They can crumple or ruffle the paper to give the petals texture. Use glue to attach the petals together, forming a flower shape. Then, use green paper to add a small stem or a leaf. Encourage younger children to create simpler shapes, while older children can try more complex layering or detailing.

  • How can we make these red pieces look like flower petals?
  • What's a good way to attach the petals so they stay together?
  • How can we add a stem or a leaf to make it look like a real poppy?

  Done when they have finished crafting their paper poppy.

Done when: The child has completed making at least one paper poppy.

Photo by Елена Климович on Pexels

5Wearing Our Remembrance 2 min

• Have them hold up their finished poppy. Ask them how it feels to have created something with such a special meaning. Discuss how they might use their poppy for Veterans Day tomorrow – perhaps wearing it, giving it to a veteran, or simply displaying it.

  • How does your poppy help us remember?
  • What did you learn today about the poppy that you didn't know before?
  • How might you use your poppy tomorrow for Veterans Day?

  Done when they've reflected on their creation and shared a plan for their poppy.

Done when: The child can articulate what the poppy symbolizes and expresses a plan for their poppy for Veterans Day.

Your Notes