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"Remembrance Bingo" Activity

Remembrance Bingo is a fun way to introduce your students to remembrance-related vocabulary. The sequence of this activity may vary. Once you have completed the fun Bingo game, you could:

  • Use words from the bingo list for a spelling bee contest;
  • Insert these words in sentences or stories about remembrance;
  • Use words to create a picture-dictionary with students' own definitions that they could share with the class;
  • Create crossword puzzles using the words and the definitions.

How to play Remembrance Bingo

Teacher's steps

  1. Copy the Remembrance Bingo card and image card and give both to each student. You may wish to laminate the blank Remembrance Bingo card so they could be reused in the future.
  2. Cut the 25 pieces of your image card and put them all into a container.
  3. You may wish to offer a small prize or reward to Remembrance Bingo winners.

Students' steps

  1. Cut out the 25 playing pieces and select 16 of them. The remaining nine pieces can be set aside and used later.
  2. Tape the 16 pieces on the blank card. This way, each student should have a unique bingo card.
  3. Use real bingo chips (or have students make their own using scrap paper) to mark the cards.

When everybody is ready, announce the type of bingo you'll play for the round. One line (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), four corners, two lines, full card or a cross. Start calling the words and get ready to hear ‘Remembrance Bingo'! Once the Bingo game is over, you can then begin a class discussion about the meaning of Remembrance. Information about the words can be found below.

List of words

Bonfire Jr.
- Fictional character created to remember the horse Bonfire who served with Canadian doctor and poet John McCrae in France and Belgium during the First World War.
Ellie
- Fictional character created to remember the elephant Bandoola who served during the Second World War in Asia.
Gandy
- Fictional character created to remember the dog Gander who served with the Royal Rifles of Canada in Hong Kong during the Second World War
Simone
- Fictional character created to remember the cat Simon who served on a British ship in China in 1949.
Squeaker
- Fictional character created to remember the pigeon Beachcomber who served in the Dieppe Raid during the Second World War.
Win
- Fictional character created to remember the bear Winnie who served as a mascot with the Fort Garry Horse, a Canadian cavalry regiment during the First World War.
Canada
- Country located in North America, consisting of ten provinces and three territories.
Izzy Doll
- Crocheted or knitted doll made to bring comfort to children in war-torn countries. Created by Carol Isfeld, mother of Master Corporal Mark Isfeld, of the Royal Canadian Engineers. Izzy was the nickname of Mark Isfeld who died in a peace support operation in 1994.
Vimy
- Village located in northern France which was the scene of a large battle during the First World War. Vimy Ridge is home to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
Poppy
- A flower used to remember those who died in wartime. During the First World War, it was often the only flower that grew in the battlefields. It is one of the main symbols of remembrance and is the subject of the famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields' by Canadian Dr. John McCrae.
Monument
- A structure built to commemorate a person or important event.
Tulip
- Tulips are flowers that symbolize the friendship between Canada and the Netherlands. In the Second World War, Canada helped liberate the Dutch people. To say thank you, the Netherlands sent Canada 100,000 tulip bulbs after the war.
Remember
- To keep in mind. To recall someone or something from the past. To think of someone or something with emotion as when we remember those who served Canada in military conflicts at home or in other countries.
Peace
- The absence of dispute, conflict or war. It is also a state of mind when feeling secure and calm.
Veteran
- Person who served in uniform for his or her country in times of military conflict, war or peace.
Soldier
- Person serving in an army.
Medal
- A flat piece of metal with an image or inscription to commemorate an event or a person and given as an award. Animals can also receive a medal for bravery called the Dickin Medal.
War
- Armed conflict between nations or states. Canada has participated in different wars since 1867, such as the South African War, the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War.
November 11
- Also known as Remembrance Day in Canada and other Commonwealth countries. The date was chosen to commemorate the end of the First World War, which happened on November 11, 1918.
Wreath
- Ring-shaped object made of plants or flowers. Wreaths are laid during remembrance ceremonies to honour Canadians who died in service.
Tomb
- Final resting place of a dead person.
Trench
- Long ditch dug into the ground to protect soldiers on a battlefield.
Cemetery
- A place to bury the dead. More than 100,000 Canadians died in service and many are buried in war cemeteries overseas.
Maple leaf
- The red maple leaf is a symbol of our country and appears on the Canadian flag.
Peace crane
- Paper peace cranes are a symbol of peace. Every year thousands of people around the world fold paper cranes as an expression of hope for a world at peace.

Blank Remembrance Bingo Card Grid

This publication is available upon request in alternate formats.
PDF Version

bing card

Remembrance Bingo Image Card

This publication is available upon request in alternate formats.
PDF Version

Cut out the pieces. Select 16 of them and glue them in the "Remembrance BINGO" play grid.

Remembrance BINGO
B I N G O
Squeaker
Win
Ellie
Bonfire Jr.
Gandy
Simone
Poppy
Monument
Tulip
Canada
Remember
Veteran
Peace
Soldier
Medal
Vimy
War
November 11
Wreath
Tomb
Trench
Cemetery
Izzy Doll
Maple Leaf
Peace Crane
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