The Maine Department of Education does not endorse any particular organization or resource. The information provided is intended to be for consideration; educators make implementation decisions at the local level. Below are links to resources for some of the commemorative days relating to social studies. For a complete list of commemorative days and weeks, visit the Maine Revised Statutes on the Maine State Legislature’s website.
- Maine Week of Heroes and September 11
- Constitution Day (Sept. 17)
- Prisoner of War – Missing in Action Recognition Day (third Friday of September)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
Maine Week of Heroes & September 11
- Maine Week of Heroes. This is an opportunity to highlight the heroic people who live and work in our communities and to emphasize the importance of being active and engaged citizens. Title 1 §146 Maine Week of Heroes reads, “Each political subdivision and school administrative unit is encouraged to observe a Maine Week of Heroes during the week, commencing on a Sunday and ending on the next following Saturday, within which September 11th occurs. The observance may include public proclamations, appropriate ceremonies and the introduction of curricula in school systems recognizing the efforts of heroic people in Maine communities, such as active duty military personnel, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, law enforcement officers, members of the National Guard, members of the United States Coast Guard, United States military veterans and all other heroes who have given their courageous service without regard for their own lives or personal safety to benefit the people of this great land and to serve the needs of the citizens of the State.”
- Patriot Day & National Day of Service and Remembrance. September 11: Patriot Day was designated by joint resolution of the U.S. Congress (PL 107-89) on Dec. 18, 2001, to honor those who perished in the events of September 11, 2001. By Public Law (111-13), adopted April 21, 2009, Congress has requested September 11 also be recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Resources for consideration:
- 9/11 Tribute Center. A Teaching 9/11 Toolkit is available for educators.
- The National History Education Clearinghouse. Typing "September 11" into this site's search bar will produce a list of resources, including a lesson on utilizing September 11 as a lens to introduce students to the study of history.
- September 11: Teaching Contemporary History. Recordings from an online conference regarding available resources and strategies for teaching; hosted by the National Museum of American History, National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Pentagon Memorial Fund and Flight 93 National Memorial.
- The September 11 Digital Archive. A resource of digital primary sources and a guide to other September 11 websites.
- Teaching About September 11 Using Primary Sources from Library of Congress. A collection of primary source materials and teaching ideas for consideration.
Constitution Day
The U.S. Congress established Constitution Day in 2004 to recognize the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Under the law, all educational institutions receiving federal funding must observe Constitution Day with an “educational program on the United States Constitution.”
Resources for consideration:
- Address from Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, addressed to Maine’s social studies teachers, regarding the importance and value of civics education.
- Bill of Rights Institute. The Bill of Rights Institute offers some interactive experiences such as the “Constitution Duel” quiz and a “Madison’s Notes are Missing” game.
- Center for Civic Education. Lesson plans available for grades K-12.
- Center for the Study of the American Constitution . The Center for the Study of the American Constitution (CSAC) is a non-profit, non-partisan center dedicated to serving scholars, educators, and students who are interested in the American Constitution in its historical context. The Center is home to The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, an NHPRC- and NEH-sponsored project.
- Civics Renewal Network. A repository of multiple K-12 classroom resources.
- Comparative Constitutions Project. Constitute offers access to the world’s constitutions. Tools on the site allow for topical viewing and comparative analysis.
- Constitutional Rights Foundation. Lesson plans available for grades K-12.
- Dirksen Congressional Center. The Constitution for Kids pages is suitable for elementary grades.
- Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Constitutional resources are available for middle and high school students.
- iCivics. Several lesson plans, web quests and games; the site was initiated by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
- Library of Congress. A repository of Constitution Day resources.
- National Archives. A list of activities and lesson plans from the National Archives, ranging from a one-class-period activity designed to simulate how the Constitutional Convention delegates grappled with their task to an online version of a U.S. Constitution Workshop that includes analysis of primary source documents.
- National Constitution Center. The National Constitution Center provides free resources for educators and students, including lesson plans and a series of 20-minute interactive webcasts.
- National Council for the Social Studies. A list of several resources and activities.
- National Education Association . The NEA has compiled lessons, activities, and other resources that will help your students understand the men and the ideas that created the Constitution of the United States.
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Constitution Day page of NEH's EDSITEment! site provides lessons, interactive modules and educational games.
- National History Education Clearinghouse. The Constitution Day Spotlight page on TeachingHistory.org includes lesson plans, resources, videos and quizzes.
- The United States Senate. The history of Constitution Day and an overview of the U.S. Constitution are available.
- U.S. Department of Education. Links to resources and activities.
Children’s books for consideration:
- If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution by Elizabeth Levy, Joan Holub, 1992: Scholastic
- Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz, Tomie dePaola, 1998: Putnam Publishing Group
- We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States by David Catrow, 2002: Dial Books
Prisoner of War – Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Recognition Day
Title 1 §136 designates the third Friday in September as POW/MIA Recognition Day. The day encourages “remembrance of the courage and plight of American prisoners of war and those missing in action.”
Resources for consideration:
- American Experience. The MIA Issue and POW Code of Conduct from the American Experience series.
- U.S. Department of Defense. The U.S. Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Office has information about POW/MIA Recognition Day including posters available for download.
Veterans Day
A Congressional Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made Nov. 11 of each year a legal holiday—"a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has since been known as Veterans Day.
Resources for consideration:
- National History Education Clearinghouse Veterans Day Resources
- Take a Vet to School Day. Access the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Teacher Guide and information on Take a Vet to School Day.
- Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center. The center collects and makes available personal accounts of American war veterans in the “Experiencing War” section of its website. The “Students” section provides students and educators with information and resources for conducting interviews with veterans.