Recognition cards - Teacher's Guide

Learning outcomes

• To help youth understand the significance of the sacrifices and achievements of Canada's Veterans or Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.
• To link youth and Veterans or Canadian Armed Forces members in a personal way.

Recognition cards

It’s always the right time to say thank you! Recognition cards are messages of appreciation students write and give to Veterans or Canadian Armed Forces members. Veterans have served our country in the past. Canadian Armed Forces members serve Canada now and will become Veterans when they leave the military.

We are encouraging teachers and students to give Recognition cards to Veterans or Canadian Armed Forces members they know or who live in their communities. A personal touch makes this activity even more meaningful.

What do I do with Recognition cards?

Have students write a personalized Recognition card and give it to a Veteran or military member. Hand-deliver Recognition cards at a Remembrance ceremony at your school or in your community.

If you can’t find a Veteran in your community, check our list of Military Family Resource Centres or long-term care facilities with Veteran residents. Please keep in mind that postage is at the sender’s expense.

Please select from the list below.

• The card is intended for a Second World War or a Korean War Veteran:
  • older Veterans in long-term care facilities
• The card is intended for a Veteran who served after the Korean War:
  • younger Veterans and their families

Instructions

1. Explain what a Veteran is and what Canadian Armed Forces members do.
2. Discuss the kinds of tasks they have been involved in over the years. This includes service on land, at sea and in the air. Many service members have deployed to countries around the world, but keep in mind that a large number serve right here in Canada. They have helped with many natural disasters and emergency situations. There are dozens of trades in the military as well and they are all important. Our past and present military members deserve recognition!
3. Encourage youth to write messages of appreciation or have them write how they will remember the sacrifices and achievements of Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members.
4. Collect and read the Recognition cards to ensure the messages are appropriate before you give or send them to a Veteran.

Other Recognition cards activities

There are many creative ways to say thank you with Recognition cards. Use your imagination or try one of these alternative activities:

Arrange distribution to a local Veteran or invite a Veteran to your classroom to receive your cards by contacting a Veterans organization active in your community. Many organizations also have speakers programs.

Distribute the cards to Veterans during a remembrance ceremony.

Create a "Peace Tree" in your school and decorate it with messages of thanks written on cards and other artistic symbols of remembrance, like poppies. Tie these decorations to an artificial or real tree.

Use cards in a display at your school. Place the cards on a billboard, make a mobile or glue the cards on a popsicle stick to plant a “peace garden” in your school.

Contact a local long-term care facility and ask if there are Veterans who would like to receive the cards in person and make a video!

Be creative and share images on social media with #CanadaRemembers!

Important

• Please do not send completed cards to Veterans Affairs Canada. We encourage you to distribute the cards to Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members in your community.
• To respect students’ privacy, do not include any personal contact information, such as addresses and phone numbers.
• If you mail your completed cards, please keep in mind that postage is at the sender’s expense.
• Please complete our evaluation form to help us improve this activity.

Thank you for honouring Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members.