Written by Mason Farr, Education and Outreach Manager
With the end of summer fast approaching and educators planning for the upcoming school year, we are pleased to share new and existing resources for those teaching grades K-12 throughout Ohio and nationwide.
As we fulfill our mission to honor all Veterans, elevate their stories, and amplify the power of service for everyone, everywhere, our Education Team brings the veteran and military family experience into the classroom through engaging, meaningful learning opportunities. Among those opportunities are field trips, classroom ready resources, and our latest initiative – the NVMM Story Collection. Read on for more details about each of these programs!
At the beginning of every field trip to NVMM, we ask everyone in the group to raise their hand if:
- They are a veteran or actively serving in the U.S. military.
- Someone in their family is a veteran or actively serving.
- Someone they know is a veteran or actively serving.
Once we ask those three questions, nearly every hand is up (I bet your hand is, too!). This is a simple way to remind students of all ages that everyone knows a veteran. They may be our teachers, school administrators, parents or grandparents, or a friendly face in our neighborhood. Making this personal connection to veterans helps students develop empathy, consider other perspectives, and better understand why we honor veterans and their families in our country.
All field trips include a guided tour of the permanent and rotating exhibits led by a museum educator who brings stories to life for learners of all ages, along with the chance for students to touch and try on military gear and uniforms, and engage in hands-on activities that connect history, teamwork, and service in age-appropriate ways. We work with teachers ahead of time to prepare for the field trip and ensure the students receive an educational and rewarding experience.
Not able to make the trip to Columbus? No problem! We offer virtual field trips that take place during a class period in which a museum educator leads a live, walking tour of the museum’s permanent exhibits using a 360-degree camera. The educator will take your students through the museum as if they are on an in-person tour with built-in pause points to answer student questions. This allows for more questions and dialogue throughout the visit, while also sharing many of the videos that highlight the veteran journey within our walls.
Hybrid Field Trips
If you’re a school within 45 miles of NVMM, we’ll bring the field trip experience to you! A museum educator can visit your classroom to lead a virtual tour, complete with interactive activities and artifacts that foster conversation and reflection.
Classroom-Ready Resources and Lesson Plans
We have a variety of free, digital resources that emphasize service, sacrifice, leadership, and civic engagement. Each lesson plan we develop is aligned to CCSS and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce learning standards.
Veterans Day Program with the NVMM Story Collection
Looking for a way to incorporate veteran stories into your Veterans Day programming? Consider having your students contribute to the NVMM Story Collection. Through a partnership with StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative, we created a digital archive of veteran stories that encourages students to:
- Connect with veterans in their families and communities.
- Help veterans feel that the value of their service resonates with the younger generation.
- Shape history by contributing to the digital collection of a national museum.
We worked closely with teachers from a local high school and middle school to create an Educator Toolkit that provides teachers with a step-by-step plan for how to incorporate student conversations with veterans into the classroom. We encourage you to customize the toolkit to fit the needs and interests of your students.
As part of this program, you can even request that an educator come to your class (in-person or virtually) to help prepare the students for their conversation. We can go over how to create a StoryCorps account, discuss potential questions to ask, and ensure everyone is comfortable with the recording process. This could be a great addition to your Veterans Day programming or heritage projects your students may work on throughout the school year.
Partnership with Wreaths Across America TEACH Program
Interested in seeing what a virtual tour really looks like and learning more about how NVMM can support your classroom learning objectives? Join us on August 12 at 4:00pm as part of Wreaths Across America’s free TEACH Webinar Series. Led by NVMM’s Education Manager, this 360-degree tour gives you an inside look at our exhibits, with time for questions and discussion.
Register free: https://learn.wreathsacrossamerica.org/teach-q3-2025-webinar
Can’t join live? Register anyway to get the recording!
To learn more about NVMM’s educational resources, email us at education@nationalvmm.org or visit https://nationalvmm.org/education/.
