Parent Guide > Ode for Memorial Day
Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.
This week in class, we’re reading "Ode for Memorial Day" by Paul Laurence Dunbar.
In "Ode for Memorial Day," a speaker celebrates the hard-won peace following the Civil War and considers the eternal gratitude and respect expressed toward the soldiers on Memorial Day.
As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death, Honor & Courage, Prejudice & Discrimination, and War & Peace as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :
"How do people face death?", "What makes a hero?", "What are the effects of prejudice?", and "How are we changed by war?"
Ways to support your child:
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Ask your child about this poem at home:
- What was "Ode for Memorial Day" about?
- What did you learn about Death?
- What did you learn about Honor & Courage?
- What did you learn about Prejudice & Discrimination?
- What did you learn about War & Peace?
- Watch the following clips with your child at home: