3 Differences Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day

Your students (deep down inside) are wondering what the difference is between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. And those truly inquisitive students are wondering why Veterans Day doesn't have an apostrophe. And you teachers want them to do some interesting informational text reading that compares and contrasts.

3 Diffferences:

1. The main difference is that Memorial Day is a holiday honoring men and women who have died while serving in the military whereas Veterans Day honors all American veterans, living or dead, who have honorably served in the military. 
2. Both Memorial Day and Veterans Day evolved from different days of observance. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day which originated in the years following the Civil War. The term “Decoration Day” has to do with the fact that after the Civil War, which had ended in 1865 and had claimed more lives than any other conflict in U.S. history up until that point, Americans were decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and other items of tribute.
3. Whereas Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May, Veterans Day is observed on November 11 each year, even if that happens to be midweek. 

P.S. Veterans Day does NOT have an apostrophe because the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website states that the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling “because it is not a day that ‘belongs’ to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.” Alrighty then!

Check Out The 1-Page High-Interest Text and Writing Connections That Explains The Differences to Students To Get Them Reading & Writing. NOW WITH A DISTANCE LEARNING VERSION (Google Slides) YET STILL FREE! 

WANT MORE ENGAGING READING FOR YOUR STUDENTS? WANT TO HAVE THEM PRACTICE ALL 10 READING INFORMATIONAL TEXT STANDARDS SKILLS? STUDENTS KEEP REPORTING HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THE TEXTS!!! TRY BOTH VOLUMES:

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