Holidays and Celebrations
*Important note: If you would like to see a course or unit study with a holiday or seasonal theme that we don’t have listed here, let us know! Email SchoolhouseTeachers.com Executive Manager at stmanager@theoldschoolhouse.com. And, keep watching as we add more resources and holidays to this list.
Most of the holidays here also have background information included in History of Holidays in America. The Photography Challenge includes challenges for several holiday themes, and there are holiday-themed writing prompts in Daily Writing and Writing on This Day in History.
New Year’s Day (January 1)
- Everyday Copywork: “Ring Out, Wild Bells” (Tennyson), “To the Sun-Dial” (Adams)
- History of Holidays in America: New Year’s Day (p. 4)
- Ring in the New Year: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Click here for still more resources
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Third Monday in January)
- ABC with ME: History: M is for Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Civil Rights Movement: Numerous lessons discuss Dr. King’s life and work
- History of Holidays in America: Martin Luther King, Jr. (p. 8)
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Online Unit Study
- Click here for still more resources
Inauguration Day (January 20)
Black History Month (February)
- ABC with ME: History: L is for Louis Armstrong; M is for Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Adventures with Books: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- African American Literature: Entire class
- American History in Picture Books: Unit 8: Slavery and the Underground Railroad
- Civil Rights Movement: 18-week class
- Everyday Composers: Art Tatum; John Coltrane; Thelonious Monk
- History of Holidays in America: Black History Month (p. 69)
- Hard Times and Hope: Negro Spirituals; Harriet Tubman
- Monthly Book Lists for Families Reading List: African American History, Parts I–IV
- Scientists A–Z: Percy Lavon Julian; Lloyd Quarterman
- They Lived for God: Samuel Morris; George Washington Carver; Josiah Henson
- Click here for still more resources
Groundhog Day (February 2)
- Adventures with Books: Groundhog Day
- History of Holidays in America: Groundhog Day (p. 50)
Valentine’s Day (February 14)
- A Bouquet of Valentine’s Day Fun: A roundup of Valentine’s Day, love-themed, and heart-themed lessons (or view them and additional lessons below)
- Adventures with Books: Valentine’s Day
- Classics-Based Writing: “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” (Shakespeare)
- Everyday Copywork: “Sonnets are Full of Love” (Rossetti)
- Everyday Easels: After the Prom (Rockwell)
- Everyday Explorers: Australia & New Zealand: Cadbury Chocolate Factory: Tasmania (Day 18)
- Everyday Explorers: Canada: The Chocolate Museum: St. Stephen, New Brunswick (Day 16)
- Everyday Games: Printable heart-themed games
- History of Holidays in America: Valentine’s Day (pp. 51–53)
- Literature: All the Places to Love
- Music/Voice: “My Funny Valentine”
- Pre-K: Read and Play: Valentine
- Simply Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
- This Month’s Menu: Try some tasty Valentine’s Day recipes!
Presidents’ Day (Third Monday in February)
- ABC with ME: History: A is for Abraham Lincoln; G is for George Washington
- Adventures with Books: Presidents’ Day
- American History for Beginners: Lesson 25: George Washington
- Everyday Copywork: See section on “US Presidents”
- Everyday Easels: Mount Rushmore; Washington Crossing the Delaware (Leutze)
- History of Holidays in America: Presidents’ Day (p. 13)
- Introduction to Architecture: Mount Vernon; Washington Monument
- Presidents of the Past: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans: Lessons 11–12 George Washington
- Click here for still more resources
Women’s History Month (March)
- ABC with ME: J is for Julia Ward Howe
- Adventures with Books: Women’s History
- American History for Beginners: Lesson 11: Women in the New World: Anne Hutchinson
- Ditch the Desk: Evelyn Cameron: Frontier Photographer
- History of Holidays in America: Women’s History Month (p. 71)
- Stepping Through History: Starting with You: Lesson 22: Helen Keller
- Women Through History: Entire course
- Click here for still more resources
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- Adventures with Books: St. Patrick’s Day
- A Splash of Geography: Ireland and St. Patrick
- Everyday Easels: Book of Kells; Irish Brigade Monument at Gettysburg National Park
- Renaissance History: Irish History
- Studio Art for Teens: Illuminated Design and Graphic Design
- Click here for still more resources
Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday, and Easter (Late March–Late April)
- History of Holidays in America: Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday (pp. 54-55)
- See the entire list of our Easter-themed resources
Arbor Day (last Friday in April)
- Creation, Nature, and You: Lessons 4–7 about trees
- Everyday Games: Green Trees Subtract and Color
- Exploring God’s World with Kindergarten Science: Week 6: Ivy and Trees
- History of Holidays in America: Arbor Day & Earth Day (p. 56)
- Learning About Art: Trees in Art for Little Ones
- Nature/Outdoors: Unit 5: Trees
- Reader’s Theater: “How the Leaves Came Down”
- Studio Art for Teens: Trees; Trees in Art
- Click here for still more resources
Earth Day (April 22)
- Everyday Copywork: Literature Sections – “Before the Rain” (Aldrich), “Daffodils” (Wordsworth), “God’s Garden” (Gurney), “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary,” “Perhaps You’d Like to Buy a Flower” (Dickinson), “Rain” (Stevenson), “Spring” (Longfellow), “Suppose the Little Cowslip” (Unknown Author), “The Wind” (Stevenson), “God’s Creation”
- Everyday Games: Earth Day Add and Color and Earth Day Spell Well
- Exploring God’s World with Fifth Grade Science: Week 3: Ecosystems
- Exploring God’s World with Fourth Grade Science: Lesson 9: Conservation, Recycling, and Ecosystems
- General Biology by Core Academy: Unit 4: Ecology
- History of Holidays in America: Arbor Day & Earth Day (p. 57)
- Kindergarten Social Studies: Lesson 25: Earth’s Resources
- Reader’s Theater: “The Grass”; “It Was My Heavenly Father’s Love”
- Stewardship of God’s Earth
- Click here for still more resources
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
- Achieving Art Success with ArtAchieve: Level I: Lesson 6: The Chinese Dragon; Lesson 7: The Owl from Bali; Lesson 9: The Plate from Nepal; Lesson 12: The Umbrella from Thailand; Lesson 13: The Wooden Block Print from India; Level II: Lesson 2: The South Korean Wedding Duck; Lesson 3: The Japanese Goldfish; Lesson 7: The Sri Lankan Landscape with an Elephant; Lesson 15: The Weaving from Thailand; Level III: Lesson 1: The Hawaiian Frog; Lesson 3: The Chinese Horse’s Head; Lesson 5: The Pacific Northwest Totem Pole; Lesson 14: The Thai Green Peafowl,
- All About the World
- Asia: Its People and History
- Asia: Trade Route Safari
- Ayo’s Awesome Adventures Around the World: Lesson 1: Beijing
- Everyday Copywork: Explore Asia
- Everyday Explorers: Australia/New Zealand
- Exploring Elementary World Geography: Unit Five: Asia, Unit Six: Australia
- Geology: Unit 2 – Lesson 13: Hawaii Volcanoes
- Hands-On Notebooking: The United States: Hawaii
- Learning About World Cultures: Oceana, Asia
- Learning Across the States: Hawaii
- Learning Ladders-Famous Buildings: Unit Studies in Geography Level IV: Lesson 2: The Chinese Horse: Drawing the Entire Horse; Lesson 4: The Hawaiian Heliconia; Lesson 5: The Bangladesh Monster; Level V: Lesson 9: The Lion Print from China
- Living Geography: Chapter 8: China
- Scientists A-Z: U is for Ukichiro Nakaya
- To the End of the Age: 1040: Christianity in the New Asia, India’s Untouchables
- Travel the World: Unit Studies in Geography
- World Literature and Cultures: Week 24: Poetry by Xu Zhimo, Weeks 31-34: Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
- Adventures with Books: Cinco de Mayo
- History of Holidays in America: Cinco de Mayo (p. 59)
- Sharpen your Spanish language skills with numerous Spanish resources
- Western Hemisphere Social Studies: Lessons 7–8: Culture and Geography of Mexico
- Click here for still more resources, including the history of Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day (Second Sunday in May)
- Adventures with Books: Mother’s Day
- Everyday Copywork: “To My Mother” (Stevenson)
- History of Holidays in America: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day (p. 60-64)
Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
- Adventures with Books: Memorial Day
- History of Holidays in America: Memorial Day (p. 21)
- Memorial Day Online Unit Study
Flag Day (June 14)
- American History for Beginners: Lesson 29: History of the American Flag
- Flag Etiquette: Unit Study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- History of Holidays in America: Flag Day (p. 64)
- Click here for still more resources
Father’s Day (Third Sunday in June)
- Adventures with Books: Father’s Day
- Everyday Copywork: “What Makes a Dad?” (Unknown Author)
- History of Holidays in America: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day (pp. 61–64)
- Monthly Book List for Families: Fathers, Parts 1–5
Canada Day (July 1)
- A Splash of Geography: The Dominion of Canada
- Everyday Copywork: “O Canada”
- Everyday Explorers: Canada
- Learning About Art: Paul Peel, Frogs and the Center of Interest
- Click here for still more resources
Independence Day (July 4)
- ABC with ME: History: Various lessons on the Founding Fathers
- Adventures with Books: Independence Day
- Age of Revolution: Lessons 25-26 on the American Revolution
- American History for Beginners: Lesson 27 on the American Revolution
- American History in Picture Books: Units 4–5 Revolution, Founding Fathers, and a New Country
- American Revolution: Entire course, Lessons 1–9
- American Revolution: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Classics-Based Writing: Declaration of Independence
- Drive Thru History: American History: Numerous lessons on the American Revolution and the nation’s founding
- Early American History: Lesson 16 on the events of the American Revolution and the nation’s founding
- Everyday Copywork: Numerous lessons found under Holidays or American History, including 4th of July: A Nation Built on Freedom eBook; words related to the American Revolution, “Concord Hymn,” Preamble to the Constitution, Hundredth Anniversary of Independence (President Grant), “Paul Revere’s Ride” (Excerpt) (Longfellow)
- Everyday Easels: Nation Makers (Howard Pyle); Washington Crossing the Delaware (Leutze)
- Fourth of July Online Unit Study
- History of Holidays in America: Independence Day (p. 25)
- Lapbooking: A Hero at Valley Forge
- Let Freedom Ring: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Miracle of America: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Monthly Book Lists for Families: Patriotism
- Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans: Week 21 on “The Star-Spangled Banner”
- Writing: “Paul Revere’s Ride” (Longfellow)
- Click here for still more resources
American Patriotic Holidays (General Resources)
- ABC with ME: History: F is for Francis Scott Key
- Everyday Copywork: “God Bless America,” “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” “The New Colossus,” and numerous copywork passages from American history
- Monthly Book List for Families: Civics Parts 1 and 2; Courage; Hero Hurrah!; Patriotism
- Patriotic Timeline Craft: Hands-On Learning Activities Through Crafts
Labor Day (First Monday in September)
- ABC: What Will I Be?: 26 jobs for little ones to explore
- All About Careers: Entire series
- Everyday Copywork: “I Hear America Singing” (Whitman)
- History of Holidays in America: Labor Day (p. 32)
- Hometown Heroes: Unit study in History, Geography, and Social Studies
- Kindergarten Social Studies: Lessons 20–22 about community helpers, civic leaders, and jobs and Lesson 27 about community service
- Monthly Book List for Families: Civics Parts 1 and 2; Entrepreneurship & Work Ethic
- Who Are Community Helpers?: Entire series
- Writing: “I Hear America Singing” (Whitman)
Grandparent’s Day (Sunday after Labor Day)
Patriot Day (September 11)
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15)
- ABC with ME: Q is for Queen Isabella
- Achieving Art Success with ArtAchieve: Level I: Lesson 5: The Dragonfly from Ecuador; Level II: Lesson 11: The Mexican Mask
- Ayo’s Awesome Adventures Around the World for Kids: Buenos Aires
- Learning About World Cultures: North, Central, Latin, and South America, Southern Europe: Portugal, Spain
- Living Geography: Lesson 12: Spain
- Unit Studies in History, Geography, and Social Studies: Travel the World: South America
- Western Hemisphere Social Studies
- World Literature and Cultures: Week 35: Latin American Short Stories
Thanksgiving (Canada) (Second Monday in October)
Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day (Second Monday in October)
- ABC with ME: History: C is for Christopher Columbus
- Adventures with Books: Christopher Columbus
- American History for Beginners: Lesson 1: Christopher Columbus
- American History in Picture Books: Unit 1: Discovery and Exploration
- Bold Explorers: Christopher Columbus: New World Exploration
- History of Holidays in America: Columbus Day (p. 35)
- Introduction to Native American History: Entire course
- Renaissance History: Explorers to North and Central America
- Click here for still more resources
Reformation Day (October 31)
- This Changed Everything: Special 3-hour video documentary with extensive study guide
- Experiencing History: Creation to the Reformation: Numerous lessons
- Renaissance History: Lessons 30–35
- History of Christianity: How Should We Then Live, Episode 4 and History of Christianity, Part 3
- Miracle of America: by the American Heritage Education Foundation in our Unit Studies
- They Lived for God: Jan Hus; Martin Luther: Here I Stand; William Tyndale: Man with a Mission; William Tyndale: God’s Outlaw
- Lighting the Way: Martin Luther, William Tyndale
Veterans Day (November 11)
- Adventures with Books: Veterans Day
- Daily Writing and Writing on This Day in History: daily writing prompts
- Everyday Copywork: Special thank you card for veterans
- Exploring Poetry with Notebooking: “Decoration Day”
- History of Holidays in America: Veterans Day (p. 39)
- Click here for still more resources
Thanksgiving Day (US) (Fourth Thursday in November)
- See the complete list of our Thanksgiving-themed resources along with lessons on gratitude and thankfulness
Pearl Harbor Day (December 7)
- Monthly Book Lists for Families: WWII
- People and Places of WWII: 68-week course
- Stepping Through History Starting with You: Lesson 12
- This Day in History: Numerous WWII-related events
Christmas Day (December 25)
Seasons
The Photography Challenge includes challenges for several seasonal themes, and Wondrous Weather and the eBook Weather by World Book explore weather from all seasons.
- Adventures with Books: Welcome Spring!; Butterflies and April Showers
- Charlotte Mason Preschool: Birds; Insects; Gardening
- Classics-Based Writing: “Daffodils” (Wordsworth)
- Creation, Nature, and You: Lesson 1: Seeds
- Ditch the Desk: Birds; Spring
- Everyday Copywork: “Before the Rain” (Aldrich), “Daffodils” (Wordsworth), “God’s Garden” (Gurney), “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary,” “Perhaps You’d Like to Buy a Flower” (Dickinson), “Rain” (Stevenson), “Spring” (Longfellow), “Suppose the Little Cowslip” (Unknown Author), “To the First Robin” (Alcott), “The Wind” (Stevenson), “Written in March” (Wordsworth), “God’s Creation”
- Everyday Games: a selection of games based on Spring themes
- Exploring Poetry with Notebooking: “The Violet,” “The Bluebird”
- Homesteading: Find recipes to make your own DIY cleaners for spring cleaning
- Lapbooking: “Daffodils” (Wordsworth) and numerous studies on birds and other springtime animals
- Monthly Book List for Families: Clean Up (Spring Cleaning); Gardening
- Nature/Outdoors: Birds and Wildflowers
- Pre-K Activities: Read and Play: A Gardener’s Alphabet (Azarian); The Tiny Seed (Carle)
- Reader’s Theater: “Spring”; “How the Little Kite Learned to Fly”; “An Apple Orchard in the Spring”; and “Foolish Flowers”
- Sensory Learning for Toddlers: B is for Butterfly
- Spring Cleaning: Tips and encouragement for parents
- Studio Art for Teens: Flowers in Art Nouveau and Impressionism; Spider Webs and Butterflies
- Writing: “Written in March” (Wordsworth)
- Adventures with Books: Winter
- Charlotte Mason Preschool: Snow and Ice
- Curious Science: Unit 8: Snow Rollers
- Ditch the Desk: Cold and Insulation; Gifts and Winter
- Everyday Copywork: “Dust of Snow” (Frost), “Picture Books in Winter” (Stevenson), “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (Frost)
- Everyday Easels: Central Park in Winter (Currier and Ives)
- Everyday Games: Winter-themed games about snowmen, penguins, and more
- From the Tree to the Table: A Maple Syrup Story: eBook in Various Unit Studies
- Monthly Book List for Families: Let It Snow; Snow
- Music/Voice: Winter Stores
- Nature/Outdoors: Unit 1: Evergreens; Unit 10: Cold Weather
- Pre-K Activities: Read and Play: The Mitten (Brett)
- Reader’s Theater: “Winter Night”
- Sensory Learning for Toddlers: S is for Snow
- Simply Shakespeare: The Winter’s Tale
- Writing: “To Winter” (Blake)