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 the 2021–2022 school year for all grade levels.
AUGUST
First Day of School
- Back-to-School 2021 Articles for Teachers and Educators
- 6 Back-to-School Icebreakers for Elementary Students
- 3 First-Day-of-School Icebreaker Activities for Middle School Students
- 5 First-Day-of-School High School Icebreaker Activities
- 7 Strategies to Start the New School Year Right
- 29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Middle and High School
- Classroom Community-Building Activities for Elementary Students
National Navajo Code Talkers Day (August 14)
SEPTEMBER
9/11 Remembrance
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)
First Day of Fall (September 22)
International Podcast Day (September 30)
OCTOBER
Indigenous Peoples' Day (October 11 in 2021)
Halloween (October 31)
NOVEMBER
National Novel Writing Month
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
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)
Christmas (December 25)
Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1 in 2021/2022)
All Winter Holidays
JANUARY
New Year
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 17 in 2022)
- 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
Black History Month
- 9 Fun Black History Month Activities for School
- 8 Black History Month Writing Prompts
- Inspiring Black History Month Bulletin Board Ideas for the Classroom
- 5 Teaching Tools to Honor Black History Month in the Classroom
- Inspiring Black History Month Classroom Door Decoration Ideas
Chinese New Year (February 1 in 2022)
Valentine's Day (February 14)
Presidents' Day (February 21 in 2022)
MARCH
Women's History Month
- 6 Women's History Month Activities for Students
- 8 Women's History Month Activities for Elementary 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 Nutrition Month
- 7 Nutrition Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students
- 7 Nutrition Lesson Plans and Activities for High School Students
National Grammar Day (March 4)
Pi Day (March 14)
St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
First Day of Spring (March 20)
APRIL
Financial Literacy Month
- How to Teach Financial Literacy to Kids in Uncertain Economic Times
- Financial Literacy Lesson Plans and Activities for Middle School Students
Easter (April 17 in 2022)
Earth Day (April 22)
- 4 Fun Earth Day Activities for Schools
- 8 Earth Day Activities and Games for Elementary Students
- Earth Day Lesson Plans: Teaching About the Environment
- How John Muir and Rachel Carson Planted the Seeds for Earth Day
Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 27 in 2022)
MAY
Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2–May 6 in 2022)
- Virtual Teacher Appreciation Week: How to Celebrate Remotely
- Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas from Principals and Administrators
- Celebrate Educators With These Teacher Appreciation Week Posters and Cards
Mother's Day (May 8 in 2022)
Memorial Day (May 30 in 2022)
JUNE
Juneteenth (June 19)
Father's Day (June 19 in 2022)
First Day of Summer (June 21)
JULY
Independence Day (July 4)
Nelson Mandela International Day (July 18)
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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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