American Holidays Teaching Resources

Explore the American holidays that shape US society with printable worksheets, bulletin board sets, digital centers, crafts and more elementary teaching resources created by teachers for teachers just like you!

This social studies teaching collection is curriculum-aligned and features resources that have been carefully reviewed and selected by the Teach Starter teacher team members for inclusion. That means that every resource is ready for your lesson planning, your classroom and your students!

New to teaching this section of social studies? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!

Why Is It Important for Kids to Learn About Holidays?

Ever wondered why we include holidays in the long list of social studies standards? Visiting the days that we, as Americans, set aside to celebrate is an important way to help our students understand the shared experiences and traditions that unite communities.

As we help shape the nation's future citizenry, looking at the historical context of celebrations from Presidents' Day to Memorial Day to Labor Day offers kids an opportunity to explore significant moments and figures that have shaped the United States while approaching the topics from a different — and often more approachable — angle. After all, many of our students have marked these holidays since before they even entered school, providing them with a familiarity that can spark enhanced interest in learning about the what, when and why of these important days.

U.S. Patriotic Holidays

American holidays are an integral part of the country's culture and heritage, so what are some of the holidays that you might broach in your social studies classes? Here are a few that would fall under the patriotic holiday umbrella.

• Independence Day (Fourth of July) — Steeped in history, July 4th celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.
• Memorial Day — This May date honors and remembers the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
• Veterans Day — This November patriotic holiday honors all military veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
• Flag Day — Celebrated in June, Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777.
• Presidents' Day — Celebrating the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, Presidents' Day honors all past and present U.S. presidents.
• Constitution Day — This September holiday recognizes the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787.
• Patriot Day — This solemn patriotic holiday commemorates the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and honors the victims and heroes of that day. It's often marked as a national day of service.
• Armed Forces Day — This date in May (celebrated just before Memorial Day) recognizes and honors the men and women currently serving in the United States Armed Forces.
• Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day — Another day with deep history, this date observes the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and pays tribute to the lives lost.
• D-Day — An important day in both American and world history, D-Day commemorates the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, during World War II. It honors the bravery and sacrifice of the troops involved in the operation.