“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, December 8, 1915
Upper ES / Social Studies
Courage, Freedom, Legacy, Life/Death, War/Peace
Brainstorm in small groups on chart paper the following prompt:
We live in a time that our country is engaged in conflict around the world. What words,
phrases or graphic representations describe your current thoughts, feelings and ideas
about war? Use colored markers as you see appropriate.
Distribute the text and ask participants to anticipate what they expect this reading to be
like. What do they notice about it? Label the stanzas 1-3.
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"In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First
World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to
write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend and fellow soldier
Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres. According to legend, fellow
soldiers retrieved the poem after McCrae, initially dissatisfied with his work, discarded it.
"In Flanders Fields" was first published on December 8 of that year in the London-based
magazine Punch.
Read the text the first time aloud. Discuss unfamiliar vocabulary. (Flanders Fields,
poppies, lark, scarce, ye, poetry elements: tone and contrast)
Have students reread this poem with a peer. After each stanza, they should write a brief
sentence or phrase that describes what they are thinking after reading it. For example:
What is it about? What do you visualize?
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 Based on the poem, what is one adjective you would use to describe war?
(round-robin response)
 Why? (spontaneous discussion)
 Throughout the poem, the author uses the term “our” and “we”. Why
might he do this?
 In stanzas one and three, why does the poet mention “poppies”? What is
their significance?
 In stanza three, what does the author mean by, “Take up our quarrel with
the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it
high.”
 How does the poet use contrast in the poem?
 How does the tone change from the first stanza to the third?
 Based on your interpretation of this poem, would you want someone you
know to go to war for country? Why or why not?
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With partners, students discuss what was said, heard or read in the discussion that best
described the emotions and conflict of the poem. Ask them to write down the three
ideas that the partner pairs believe were key in understanding the experience and
feelings of the author. Partners report out to the class.
After reading and discussing “In Flanders Fields”, write a letter to a veteran sharing your
understanding and questions about the experience of conflict, war and taking up the
fight for others. Thank the veterans for their service.
These letters will be shared with the local VFW (Veteran’s of Foreign Wars).
(LDC Task#:
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Brainstorm as a class what veterans from war may feel about the experience and what
would be important to say or ask a veteran if there was a chance to do so.
Work together to write a model letter as a class. The teacher should “think aloud” with
the class about what the letter is conveying. In addition, anticipate and discuss how
someone who served in our armed forces might respond to the letter.
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Ask students to write a first draft of their letter.
With a partner, students read their letters aloud. The reader should read slowly and
speak clearly so that the listener can understand the tone of the letter. The listener will
respond by telling which parts of the letter he/she felt were positive and why, as well as
what was unclear and needed to be revised. Then the reader and the listener switch
roles.
Using a checklist, have the students collaboratively edit the two letters for spelling,
language, and punctuation. Provide spelling and grammar resources as needed.
Mail copies of the letters to the local VFW or a VFW in a military town. Ask veterans for
feedback and thank them for their service.
Jennifer Mangrum
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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