As a teacher, you may want to celebrate holidays and other milestones with your students year-round with all sorts of classroom activities. Whether it's the 100th Day of School, Earth Day, Halloween, or even International Podcast Day, these opportunities can become memorable teaching and learning moments.
Themes for Each Month of the Year
Check out the following monthly calendar theme ideas, complete with teaching and learning resources for holidays and other days of significance in 2021 for all grade levels.
JANUARY
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 18 in 2021)
- 5 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities for the Classroom
- Martin Luther King Jr. Discussion Questions: Reflecting on His Legacy
100th Day of School
FEBRUARY
Chinese New Year (February 12 in 2021)
Valentine's Day (February 14)
Presidents' Day (February 15 in 2021)
Black History Month
MARCH
Women's History Month
- 6 Women's History Month Activities for Students
- They Persisted: Celebrate Women Authors of the 19th Century
- Celebrating Herstory: Women's History Month Bulletin Board Ideas
- Where Are the Women? Finding Stories in History Beyond State Standards
National Grammar Day (March 4)
Pi Day (March 14)
St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
National Nutrition Month
APRIL
Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 8-9 in 2021)
Earth Day (April 22)
MAY
Mother's Day (May 9 in 2021)
Memorial Day (May 31 in 2021)
JUNE
Juneteenth (June 19)
Father's Day (June 20 in 2021)
First Day of Summer (June 21)
JULY
Independence Day (July 4)
Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18)
AUGUST
First Day of School
- Back-to-School 2020 Articles for Teachers and Educators
- 6 Back-to-School Icebreakers for Elementary Students
- 5 First-Day-of-School High School Icebreaker Activities
- 7 Strategies to Start the New School Year Right
- 3 First-Day-of-School Icebreaker Activities for Middle School Students
National Navajo Code Talkers Day (August 14)
SEPTEMBER
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
- A Celebration of Culture: National Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Students
- Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With These HMH Books
Constitution Day (September 17)
International Podcast Day (September 30)
OCTOBER
Indigenous Peoples' Day (October 11 in 2021)
Halloween (October 31)
NOVEMBER
National STEM/STEAM Day (November 8)
Veterans Day (November 11)
World Kindness Day (November 13 in 2021)
Thanksgiving (November 25 in 2021)
- 9 Thanksgiving Classroom Activities, Games, and Crafts
- 7 Fun Thanksgiving Activities for Elementary Students
- Try Some Mofongo With Your Turkey This Year
Black Friday (November 26 in 2021)
Hanukkah (November 28-December 6 in 2021)
DECEMBER
Christmas (December 25)
Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1 in 2021/2022)
All Winter Holidays
- 12 Winter Holiday Classroom Activities, Games, and Craft Ideas
- The Best Holiday Books for Kids to Celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah
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If you have any more ideas for monthly themes for school, email us at Shaped@hmhco.com or reach out on Twitter (@TheTeacherRoom) or Facebook.
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