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 2026–2027 school year for all grade levels. Whether it’s the 100th Day of School, Earth Day, or even Halloween, these opportunities can become memorable teaching and learning moments.
AUGUST THEMES
First Day of School
- 3 First-Day-Jitters Activities for Back-to-School
- 12 Back-to-School Icebreakers for Elementary Students
- 5 First-Day-of-School Icebreaker Activities for Middle School Students
- 7 High-School Icebreakers for the First Day of School
- All About Me Activities: Celebrate What Makes You ‘Different’
- 29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Middle and High School
- 9 Back-to-School Getting-to-Know-You Activities for Students
- 4 Welcome-Back-to-School Activities and Ideas for Students
- 7 Back-to-School Science Activities for Elementary Students
- 7 Back-to-School Activities for Middle School Science
National Navajo Code Talkers Day (August 14)
SEPTEMBER THEMES
International Literacy Day (September 8)
Grandparents’ Day (September 13, 2026)
9/11 Remembrance
- 9/11 Activities for Elementary Students
- 11 Essential 9/11 Activities & Lesson Plans for the Classroom
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15)
Constitution Day (September 17)
First Day of Fall (September 22)
OCTOBER THEMES
Dyslexia Awareness Month
- National Dyslexia Awareness Month
- Dyslexia Articles and Resources for Teachers
- Evidence-Based Dyslexia Intervention Strategies to Support Striving Readers
- Reading Teaching Strategies for Students with Dyslexia
- How Do You Screen for Dyslexia in Schools?
World Teachers’ Day (October 5)
National Instructional Coaches Appreciation Day (October 6)
Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 12, 2026)
Diwali (November 8, 2026)
Halloween (October 31)
NOVEMBER THEMES
Native American Heritage Month
National Novel Writing Month
Día de los Muertos (November 1)
National STEM/STEAM Day (November 8)
Veterans Day (November 11)
- 8 Free Veterans Day Activities for Elementary Students
- 8 High School Veterans Day Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas
- Honoring Lives of Service and Sacrifice on Veterans Day
World Kindness Day (November 13)
Thanksgiving (November 26, 2026)
DECEMBER THEMES
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (December 7)
Hanukkah (December 4-12)
Bill of Rights Day (December 15)
First Day of Winter (December 21)
- 6 Fun Winter Solstice Classroom Activities & Lesson Plans
- 10 Fun Winter Classroom Activities & Lesson Plans
- 8 Fun Winter Science Experiments and Activities
Christmas (December 25)
Kwanzaa (December 26–January 1)
All Winter Holidays
JANUARY THEMES
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 18)
- 8 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities for the Classroom
- Martin Luther King Jr. Discussion Questions: Reflecting on His Legacy
Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27)
100th Day of School
- 100th Day of School Activities
- 100th Day of School Math Activities: Challenge Your Students
- 100th Day of School Dress-Up and Costume Ideas
- 100 Days of School: Poster Ideas for Teachers
- 100th Day of School Gumball Machine Template and Math Activities
- 100th Day of School Snack Ideas
- 100th Day of School Trail Mix Recipe Ideas
FEBRUARY THEMES
Black History Month
- Honoring Famous African American Scientists
- 13 Fun Black History Month Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students
- Inspiring Black History Month Bulletin Board Ideas for the Classroom
- Inspiring Black History Month Classroom Door Decoration Ideas
- 6 Black History Month Quotes for Students, Plus Activities
- 9 Black History Month Science Activities & Experiments
Groundhog Day (February 2)
National School Counseling Week (February 1–5)
Winter Olympics
Valentine’s Day (February 14)
- 10 Valentine’s Day Classroom Activities
- 22 Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts and Ideas
- 12 Valentine’s Day Activities for Middle and High School Students
Presidents’ Day (February 15)
Chinese New Year (February 6–20)
MARCH THEMES
Women’s History Month
- 10 Women’s History Month Activities for Students
- 10 Women’s History Month Activities for Elementary Students
- 11 Women’s History Month Books for Elementary Students
- 7 Women’s History Month Bulletin Board Ideas: Celebrating Herstory
- Women’s History Month: Belonging at the Table
National Nutrition Month
- 7 Nutrition Lesson Plans and Activities for High School Students
- 8 Nutrition Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students
Pi Day (March 14)
- What Is Pi Day and Why Do We Celebrate It?
- 14 Fun Pi Day Activities for High School Students
- Pi Day Scavenger Hunt for Middle School Students
- A History of Pi: Global Calculations
St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
- 5 St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students
- 22 St. Patrick’s Day Writing Prompts and Activities
First Day of Spring (March 20)
AI Literacy Day (March 27)
- A Quick Guide to AI Literacy Day for K-12 Educators
- AI Best Practices: Developing AI Literacy in the Classroom
Easter (March 28)
APRIL THEMES
National Arab American Heritage Month
National Poetry Month
Financial Literacy Month
Autism Acceptance Month
Earth Day (April 22)
MAY THEMES
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
End-of-School Year
- 5 End-of-the-Year Celebration Ideas
- 8 Fun Last-Day-of-School Activities for Elementary School
- 7 End-of-Year Science Activities to Celebrate the Start of Summer
- 12 Fun Ideas for Cheap End-of-Year Gifts for Students from Teachers
- Free Printable End-of-Year Gift Tags for Students
Teacher Appreciation Week (May 3–May 7)
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas
- What Do Teachers Want for Teacher Appreciation Week?
- Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas from Principals and Administrators
- Celebrate Educators with These Teacher Appreciation Week Posters and Cards
Mother’s Day (May 9)
Memorial Day (May 31)
JUNE THEMES
Pride Month
Flag Day (June 14)
Juneteenth (June 19)
Father’s Day (June 20)
First Day of Summer (June 21)
JULY THEMES
Independence Day (July 4)
- Patriotic Poems From HMH Poets for the Fourth of July
- 10 Fun Declaration of Independence Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas
This blog post, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2026.
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If you have any more ideas for monthly themes for school, reach out to us on Instagram or via email at shaped@hmhco.com.
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