This Memorial Day, I would like to dedicate the post and my
Memorial Day Tribute Literary Bundle for Grades 4-7, to a former
student, Capt. Andrew Pedersen-Keel who gave his life for our
freedom. He and Staff Sargeant Rex L. Shad were killed in March of
2013, when an Afghan policeman opened fire on US and Afghan
forces inside police headquarters in eastern Afghanistan. He was
attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special
Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was deployed
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
I cannot speak highly enough of Andrew, PK as many called him.
I remember with fondness that day, years ago, when he first walked
into my classroom. He was a charmer with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and I
knew right away that I liked this kid. He was smart, in our top group, with such
kindness, human warmth, and sincerity that made him unforgettable. The
other kids in the class respected and liked him. Due to heart problems,
a young girl in my class struggled to carry her books, so Andrew volunteered to
tote them for her. This selfless act meant so much to her that years later, at his wake,
she shared it with his mom.
We have lost a true hero, struck down at the young age of 28, who made the ultimate sacrifice
to make the world a better place. I know that I am a better person for having known him.
The solace that we have is that he was a part of our life and he will live in our hearts forever.
I salute you Capt. Andrew Pedersen-Keel.
If you would like to know more about Andrew, please visit this website.
http://www.soc.mil/Memorial%20Wall/Bios/Pedersen-Keel_Andrew.pdf
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Included in this literacy bundle is a timeline of the history of Memorial Day. There are
comprehension questions to be answered as well as writing prompts, plaques and pictures to
color I hope that you and your students enjoy using this.
For Teachers:……………………………….Page 4
Dedication to Capt. Andrew Pedersen-Keel..Page 5
Memorial Day Historic Timeline...Page 6
Comprehension Questions…Pages 7-8
Writing Prompts
Paragraph about Memorial Day History..Pages 9-10
Memorial for a fallen soldier………….Pages 11-12
Write a letter to a soldier……………..Pages 13-14
Memorial Day Speech by President….. Pages 15-16
Design a Plaque& Pictures to Color
Design a Plaque Honoring a Soldier……….Page 17
Animals are Heroes Too Make a Plaque……Page 18
Our Heroes, Pictures to Color………….Pages 19-20
Grading Rubrics………………………Pages 21-22
Answer Sheets……………………….. Pages 23-24
Resources…………………………….Page 25
Contact Page…………………………...Page 26
Please visit Socrates Lantern’s Social Media Sites
