Free Classroom Resources for Celebrating May Holidays
May kicks off the winding down of another school year and the start of summer break, which means there is so much to celebrate and yet still so much to learn. Our fun classroom resource packets are stuffed with fun lessons and activities your elementary students will love, and our downloadable K-12 worksheet bundles and printable Edmentum Brain game are perfect for students at every grade-level. Check out these fun printable and downloadable resources we’ve assembled just for you and your students.
Edmentum 30 Day Summer Challenge
This 30 Day Summer Challenge flyer includes creative ideas designed to keep students engaged in their learning. With 30 days’ worth of fun activities, facts, and resources, learners are bound to learn something new each day and make the most out of summer break.
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month – The Month of May
A healthy lifestyle is important every day of the year, but sometimes it’s helpful to take the time to reflect and learn about the different ways we can get active and get moving in ways that make our bodies and our minds strong and well. Each year, the month of May helps educate young Americans on the benefits of living a healthy and active lifestyle, as well as encourages them to get up and play for at least an hour each day.
Celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month in your pre-k to 6th grade classroom with these activity ideas and a free downloadable resource packet from Edmentum. In this packet, you’ll find fact sheets, critical thinking questions, and activities to help get your students up and moving all May long.
Space Day – First Friday of May
Take the time to explore the universe with your students to discover the importance of space and space exploration, and to learn how science, math, technology, and engineering help us explore infinity and beyond.
Edmentum has assembled a packet of awesome free Space Day resources to share with your Pre-K to 6 grade students. Use this Space Day Classroom Resources pack to start a classroom discussion about our large and mystical universe. Inside you’ll find critical thinking activities to spur classroom discussion, a International Space Station fact sheet, a lesson plan, and a colorful poster.
Edmentum Printable Bookmarks
Summer reading season is about to kick off, and we wanted to create a fun and meaningful way to help you encourage your students to stay on top of their literacy gains. These exciting new bookmarks come in three different tracking styles, designed to suit a variety of reading levels. Find which one works best for you and your students.
K-12 Worksheet Bundles
All of our Edmentum programs include printable items to help you out, but we also rounded up some fun and free options you can download and print right away. Download our grade-specific worksheet bundles for your students to work on at home over summer break or to check on their knowledge before school is out.
These bundles include K-12 math, language arts, science, reading and literacy activities from a variety of our online programs.
The Edmentum Brain Game
The Edmentum Brain Game is a fun, descriptive game that puts an interactive twist on flashcard review by challenging players to describe terms with a partner or group. There are multiple ways to play the game, so your imagination is the limit! Plus, the cards are easy to download and print, so your students can play wherever they are.
We’ve assembled a variety of decks for all grade levels in subjects like: Authors (middle/high school), animals (elementary), math terms (elementary), U.S. state capitals, U.S. presidents, ACT/SAT vocabulary (middle/high school) and more. Download The Edmentum Brain Game.
Teacher Appreciation Month
May is also Teacher Appreciation Month. Encourage your students to show their favorite educators some extra love this month with these free Educator Appreciation Notecards—the perfect way to end the year on a positive note.
If you're an administrator looking for more ways to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Month and show your educators some love, don't miss our article, Creative Ways to Show Educator Appreciation for Your Staff. Whether it's surprising them with a themed staff lunch or implementing a 'Star of the Week' recognition program, there are countless ways to make your teachers feel valued and appreciated.
If you’re an educator, we also have resources for you. Read up on our ideas of how educators can participate in self-care, in addition to our Edmentum Teacher Resources page which includes interactive toolkits, downloadables and more.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. During this month, we honor the historical and cultural contributions of individuals and communities from Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds to the United States. In honor of this month, we've curated resources and activities to help educators incorporate cultural appreciation into their classrooms. Explore our article for creative ways to engage students and foster a deeper understanding of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage.
Memorial Day
More than just marking the unofficial start to summer, Memorial Day honors men and women who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military. Check out our Memorial Day free classroom resources packet for informative resources from Edmentum in your next social studies lesson. Our toolkit includes fact sheets, activity sheets, critical thinking questions and a classroom poster to help you and your students reflect on what this day means to them and to the people of our country.
How did Memorial Day become what it is today?
Following the Civil War, the United States established the first national cemetery to recognize those who lost their lives on the battlefield. By the late 1860s, Americans began decorating graves with flowers and honoring lost soldiers as a springtime tribute. In 1868, May 30th was designated as Decoration Day for the purpose of spreading flowers on the graves of lost comrades. Since then, the day has evolved to honor lost soldiers from other U.S. and world wars, and officially became a federal holiday known as Memorial Day in 1971, to be celebrated on the last Monday in May.
As you share the rich history of this holiday with your students, take the opportunity to discuss other traditions that they may engage in such as remembering loved ones or attending local parades. No matter how students choose to celebrate, use this opportunity to guide class discussion and share in learning more about a special day in history.
This post was originally published May 2020 and has been updated.