Presidents' Day—which honors the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln—was implemented in 1879 for government offices in Washington, D.C. The first federal holiday to honor an American president, it was once celebrated on Washington's actual birthday (February 22), but was shifted to the third Monday in Februar in 1971.
The third Monday of the month is fast approaching, so we've put together a list of great teacher and parent resources, including recommended books, activities, and crafts. How are you observing Presidents' Day? We'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!
- What is Presidents' Day? Scholastic News explores.
- Our top book picks for Presidents' Day, broken down by age.
- Check out our George Washington hub! Teachers can use it to help students research, critique, and apply the work of America's first president. (Plus, these 7 fun facts are super interesting!)
- The Scholastic Teachers channel has several great Presidents' Day activities, including a history mystery, a Listen and Read book about the responsibilities of the president, a play about George Washington, and a math hunt!
- Speaking of teaching resources, Instructor magazine offers 11 fun Presidents' Day activities for students. They also suggest using spare change and dollar bills to learn more about Washington and Lincoln.
- Have kids take this quiz to learn about the important decisions the president has to make.
- Looking for some fun crafts? Why not make a Washington or Lincoln mask?
- Make flashcards out of these presidential portraits! Have kids draw their own and then match them, or use the ones provided.
Image via OZinOH on Flickr
