Memorial Day, 2011

Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, the long Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer. In 2011, Memorial Day is observed on Monday, May 30.

They fought that we might live in freedom.
Thank you.

 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Look through this photo album for more Memorial Day images.

May 20 - Day of Historic Transatlantic Flights

On May 20, 1927, twenty-five year old American aviator Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field (near New York City) in the Spirit of St. Louis, a plane he helped design. Thirty-three and a half hours later he landed in Paris a hero. Although other pilots had crossed the Atlantic before him, Lindbergh was the first to do it nonstop. His achievement brought him international fame, and $25,000 in prize money.
Find information on Lindbergh at

• PBS - Lindbergh
• Charles Lindbergh
• PBS - Chasing the Sun
• Time

On May 20, 1932, just 5 years after Lindbergh,  Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She broke several records on this flight: the first woman to fly across the Atlantic solo and the only person to fly it twice...the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman...and a record for crossing in the shortest time. Read more about Amelia Earhart at

• Ellen's Place
• The Official Amelia Earhart site
• Infoplease

Lewis and Clark

On May 14th 1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on an amazing expedition across the Louisiana Territory. The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) was the first United States expedition to the Pacific Coast. Commissioned by PresidentThomas Jefferson, the expedition had several goals. Their objects were both scientific and commercial - to study the area's plants, animal life, and geography, and to the discover how the region could be exploited economically. According to Jefferson himself, one goal was to find a "direct & practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce with Asia" (the Northwest Passage).

Although Lewis and Clark failed to find a commercial route to Asia, they demonstrated the possibility of overland travel to the Pacific coast. They found Indians in the trans-Mississippi West accustomed to dealing with European traders and already connected to global markets. The success of their journey helped to strengthen the idea that American territory was destined to reach all the way to the Pacific

Take part in the expedition via National Geographic and the interactive
Go West with Lewis and Clark

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end.

Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo for this list of best sites to learn about Memorial Day -

EL Civics has a good Memorial Day Lesson

Here’s a Memorial Day Quiz designed for English Language Learners.

The History Channel has a great Memorial Day site.

Social Studies For Kids has a good description of the day called Memorial Day: A Time For Reflection.

Arlington National Cemetery has a large collection of images in their photo galleries

Here’s a cloze (fill-in-the-blank) exercise from Glencoe about the day.

The Orange County Register has an accessible interactive graphic about Memorial Day.

ESL Holiday Lessons is a good resource that provides audio support for the text.

Memorial Day Across America is an online video from MSNBC.

Paying Tribute is a slideshow about Memorial Day from MSNBC.

Honoring The Fallen is a similar slideshow from CBS News.

Mementos Adorn ‘Saddest Acre’ is a slideshow from CNN.

Honoring Those Who Served Us is a slideshow from MSNBC.

Here’s a list of interesting facts about Memorial Day that wouldn’t be accessible to ELL’s, but teachers could certainly modify them.

The Military Times has an amazing presentation honoring those who have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Military Times also offers a panoramic tour of Arlington National Cemetery.

CBS News has an online video of President Obama visiting Arlington National Cemetery. The Associated Press has a similar video

CNN has a slideshow of the same visit.

Take a Memorial Day Quiz for ELL’s

Memorial Day 2009 is a series of photos from the Big Picture.

Voice of America Special English has an accessible explanation of the holiday and provides audio support for the text.

Memorial Day Observations is a slideshow from The New York Times.

Here’s an audio slideshow of Memorial Day in Washington, D.C.

Flags in remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery is a Washington Post slideshow.

Honoring The Fallen is a CNN video on the same activity at Arlington.

“Iraq & Afghanistan War Casualties” is a pretty amazing interactive graphic from CNN showing all U.S. casualties from both wars.

Cartoonists Honor Heroes is a collection of editorial cartoons related to Memorial Day.

Women In Uniform is a slideshow from MSNBC

ABC News has several related videos:

Remembering Those Who Died, 2010

Celebrating Memorial Day In Iraq

War Vets Rev Up Washington

Memorial Day Messages

Try-out this Pre-Intermediate English Lesson – Memorial Day from ESOL Courses

How We Bury The War Dead is a slideshow from The Wall Street Journal.

Honoring America’s Fallen Heroes is a slideshow from MSNBC.

Honoring The Fallen is a Fox News slideshow.

CNN has several related videos on this page.

Faces Of The Dead is a New York Times interactive

The Great Unknowns is a New York Times graphic

Silence, ceremonies mark sacrifice of military is a CNN video.

Memorial Day is a slideshow from The Wall Street Journal.