The secret to teaching in August and keeping students engaged and learning is integrating holidays and special days into your instruction. There are so many holidays and special days in August to celebrate with your elementary students. They are great inspiration for August lesson plan ideas! Some of the more popular ones are National Inventors Month, National Friendship Day, and National Book Lovers Day. You’ll find the full list of August events, holidays, and special days teachers can celebrate and use as teaching topics and lesson plan ideas below!
August Holidays & Special Days for Lesson Plan Ideas
As you starting brainstorming August lesson plan ideas, add these August holidays and special days to your teacher planner.
Special Days
- 8/1 National Respect for Parents Day
- 8/1 National Alpaca Day
- 8/2 National Coloring Book Day
- 8/3 National Watermelon Day
- 8/4 National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
- First Sunday of August, National Sisters Day
- 8/7 National Friendship Day
- 8/7 National Lighthouse Day
- 8/8 National Dollar Day
- 8/9 National Book Lovers Day
- 8/10 National Lazy Day
- 8/12 National Middle Child Day
- 8/13 International Left Handers Day
- 8/16 National Roller Coaster Day
- 8/17 National Thrift Shop Day
- 8/18 Never Give Up Day
- 8/19 National Potato Day
- 3rd Sunday in August, World Honeybee Day
- 8/22 National Bao Day
- 8/26 National Dog Day
- 8/30 National Beach Day
Month-Long Events
Week-Long Events
Author’s Birthdays
- 8/1 Gail Gibbons’s Birthday
- 8/2 Christian Robinson’s Birthday
- 8/6 Frank Asch’s Birthday
- 8/6 Barbara Cooney’s Birthday
- 8/8 Rafael Lopez’s Birthday
- 8/9 Seymour Simon’s Birthday
- 8/11 Joanna Cole’s Birthday
- 8/11 Don Freeman’s Birthday
- 8/11 Steven Kroll’s Birthday
- 8/16 Eileen Spinelli’s Birthday
- 8/16 Eric Litwins’ Birthday
- 8/20 Melanie Watt’s Birthday
- 8/21 Kwame Alexander’s Birthday
- 8/25 Ian Falconer’s Birthday
- 8/27 Sarah Stewart’s Birthday
- 8/30 Donald Crews’s Birthday
- 8/30 Virginia Lee Burton’s Birthday
- Pat Zietlow Miller’s Birthday
Month-Long August Events
Below are month-long August events you can use as topics and themes for teaching in August. They are great inspiration for your August lesson plans!
National Inventors Month Activities
National Inventors Month is celebrated during the month of August every year! This month is dedicated to inventing and creating while acknowledging and recognizing all the incredible inventors who have created incredible things throughout history! This is the perfect time to explore specific inventions in your classroom like the pencil, eraser, or paperclip and learn more about the history of the invention and inventor behind the useful school tool to celebrate National Inventors Month! Check out the related activities below!
Week-Long August Events
Below are week-long August events you can use as topics and themes for teaching in August. They are great ideas and sources of inspiration for your August lesson plans!
World Water Week Activities
World Water Week is celebrated during the last week of August normally 8/23-9/1 but the date changes every year. This week is dedicated towards the many challenges our world faces and tackles the global water issue and focuses on transforming global water challenges as a team. This is the perfect week to appreciate water and explore these global water issues to better understand what’s going on in the world and how you can help! Check out the related activities below!
Authors with Birthdays in August
Below are authors with August birthdays you can use as topics and themes for teaching in August. They are great inspiration for your August lesson plan ideas!
Gail Gibbons’s Birthday (8/1) Activities
Gail Gibbons is an American children’s book writer and illustrator born on August 1, 1944. She is known for her incredible children’s picture books such as The Moon Book, From Seed to Plant, The Pumpkin Book, Ladybugs, and The Reasons for Seasons! Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Christian Robinson’s Birthday (8/2) Activities
Christian Robinson is an American children’s illustrator and artist born on August 2, 1986. You may know him for his illustrations in books like Gaston, You Matter, The Worst Teddy Ever, Last Stop On Market Street, and Another. Check out the related activities below!
Frank Asch’s Birthday (8/6) Activities
Frank Asch is an American children’s book writer born on August 6, 1946! He is best known for his Moon Bear book collection which includes the books: Moon Bear, Happy Birthday, Moon, Popcorn, and Mooncake, along with many other adorable picture books! Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Barbara Cooney’s Birthday (8/6) Activities
Barbara Cooney is an American author and illustrator born on August 6, 1917. You may know her for her children’s books such as Miss Rumphius, Island Boy, Eleanor, and Letting Swift River Go. Check out the related activities below!
Rafael Lopez’s Birthday (8/8) Activities
Rafael Lopez is an American-Mexican illustrator and artist born on August 8, 1961. You may know his illustrations in books like Book Fiesta!, Just Ask Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, The Year We Learned to Fly, and The Day You Begin. Check out the related activities below!
Seymour Simon’s Birthday (8/9) Activities
Seymour Simon is an American children’s book author born on August 9, 1931. He is known for his educational science picture books such as Our Solar System, Super Storms, Mountains, Animals Nobody Loves, Earthquakes, Sharks, and Super Storms along with many other informative science books. Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Joanna Cole’s Birthday (8/11) Activities
Joanna Cole is an American children’s book author born on August 11, 1944! She is famously known for her classic Magic School Bus Series including: The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor, The Magic School Bus inside the human body, and The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks! Besides the popular Magic School Bus series Joanna Cole also wrote educational books about life topics such as I’m a Big Sister, I’m a Big Brother, and The Missing Tooth! Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Don Freeman’s Birthday (8/11) Activities
Don Freeman is an American children’s book author and illustrator born on August 11, 1908. He was best known for his classic Corduroy picture book series which includes books like A pocket for Corduroy, Corduroy Lost and found, and Corduroy goes Shopping, along with many other adorable books in the collection! Check out the related resources below!
Steven Kroll’s Birthday (8/11) Activities
Steven Kroll’s is an American children’s book author born on August 11, 1941. He is well known for his holiday book collection including some of our favorites: The Biggest Pumpkin Ever, The Biggest Snowman Ever, and The Biggest Valentine Ever, along with many other festive books to get your students excited for the holiday seasons! Check out the related resources below!
Eileen Spinelli’s Birthday (8/16) Activities
Eileen Spinelli is an American children’s book author born on August 16, 1942! She is known for her popular picture books including: The Best Story, Thankful, Sophie’s Masterpiece, We’re Better Together, Silly Tilly, Someday, and some of our favorites… Somebody Loves You Mr Hatch and Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’! Check out the related resources below!
Eric Litwins’ Birthday (8/16) Activities
Eric Litwin is an American storyteller and children’s book author born on August 16, 1966. He is most well known for his popular children’s book collection, Pete the Cat! There are many books included in this collection such as Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, Pete the Cat and his four Groovy Buttons, Pete the Cat Rocking in my School Shoes, and Pete the Cat I love My White Shoes. Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Melanie Watt’s Birthday (8/20) Activities
Melanie Watt is a Canadian children’s book author and illustrator born on August 20, 1975. She is known for her popular Scaredy Squirrel book collection including the books Scaredy Squirrel, Scaredy Squirrel at Night, Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend, Scaredy Squirrel has a Birthday Party, and Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell! Along with the Scaredy Squirrel collection Melanie Watt also has another adorable collection called Chester including Chester’s Masterpiece and Chester’s Back! One of our favorite’s by her is You’re Finally Here. Check out the related resources below!
Kwame Alexander’s Birthday (8/21) Activities
Kwame Alexander is an American writer and children’s book author born on August 21, 1968. Some of his inspirational books include The Crossover, Booked, Rebound, Solo, Swing, Out of Wonder and The Undefeated. Check out the related resources below!
Ian Falconer’s Birthday (8/25) Activities
Ian Falconer was an American children’s book author and illustrator born on August 25, 1959. He is best known for his popular Olivia collection. This book collection includes many adorable themed books such as Olivia Saves the Circus, Olivia and the Fairy Princess, Olivia and the Missing Toy, Olivia the Spy and Olivia Counts, along with many other entertaining books in the collection! Check out the related resources below!
Sarah Stewart’s Birthday (8/27) Activities
Sarah Stewart is an American author of children’s books born on August 27, 1939. She is known for her children’s literature such as The Gardener, The Library, The Quiet Place, The Friend, This Book of Mine, along with many other books. Check out the related resources below!
Donald Crews’ Birthday (8/30) Activities
Donald Crews is an American children’s book author and illustrator born on August 30, 1938. He is known for his colorful illustrations and adorable stories such as Freight Train, Ten Black Dots, Bigmamas’s, Shortcut, School Bus, Truck, Flying, and Night at the Fair, along with many other incredible stories. Consider reading aloud one of these stories to your class.
Virginia Lee Burton’s Birthday (8/30) Activities
Virginia Lee Burton was an American children’s book author and illustrator born on August 30, 1909. She created many amazing stories such as The Little House, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Steam Shovel, Katy and the Big Snow, Choo choo, Maybelle the Cable Car and Life Story! Check out the related resources below!
Pat Zietlow Miller’s Birthday Activities
Pat Zietlow Miller is an American children’s book author born during the sunny month of August! She is known for her inspiring and kind children’s picture books teaching students valuable lessons to make them the best and kindest versions of themselves! Some of her adorable books include: Be Kind, Sophie’s Squash, Wherever You Go, Be Strong, When You Are Brave and Not So Small! Check out the related resources below!
August Special Days
Below are special days in August that you can use as topics and themes for teaching in August. They are great August lesson plan ideas!
National Respect for Parents Day Activities
National Respect for Parents Day is August 1st every year! This day is dedicated to celebrating and appreciating all the hard work parents do and promoting respect towards them! This is the perfect day to teach your students how important it is to respect everyone they interact with, especially their parents because they do so much for them! Check out the related activities below!
National Alpaca Day Activities
National Alpaca Day is on August 1st every year in the United States. This day is dedicated to celebrating and bringing awareness to the adorable fuzzy animals known as Alphas. This is the perfect day to explore the life of an alpaca and educate your students on these animals through videos and books to celebrate National Alpaca Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Coloring Book Day Activities
National Coloring Book Day is on August 2nd every year! This day appreciates the calming activity of the coloring book, which people of all ages, specifically children love to do! This is the perfect day to take a moment and color in a coloring book during your free time to celebrate National Coloring Book Day! Check out the related activities below!
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National Watermelon Day (8/3) Activities
National Watermelon Day takes place on August 3rd every year. This is a day to celebrate the refreshing summer time treat! Watermelon is the classic summer fruit associated with its refreshing taste and iconic pink color, with little black seeds and a green rind! This is the perfect day to appreciate this delicious fruit and learn about the history of this melon! A fun way to celebrate this national day in your classroom is to have a watermelon party including a pink and green classroom transformation, a watermelon snack, and other watermelon decor.
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (8/4) Activities
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is August 4th every year! This is a day dedicated to the classic cookie made crispy or soft filled with yummy chocolate chunks… the chocolate chip cookie! This is the perfect day to eat a chocolate chip cookie and maybe bring in some homemade chocolate chip cookies for your students so you can celebrate National Chocolate chip Cookie Day as a class! Check out the related activities below!
National Sisters Day Activities
National Sisters Day is on the first Sunday of August every year! This is a day dedicated to showing appreciation and love towards your built in best friends and a celebration of the incredible thing being and having a sister is! This is the perfect day to express your appreciation by making your sister’s bed, giving her a compliment, or just saying I love you to celebrate National Sisters Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Friendship Day Activities
National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday of August every year! This is a day to appreciate all of our amazing friendships and a day to celebrate these special connections. This is the perfect day to spread kindness and appreciation through compliments and acts of kindness to express love and gratitude towards your friends to celebrate National Friendship Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Lighthouse Day (8/7) Activities
National Lighthouse Day is on August 7. This day is observed to honor the houses that shine out light towards the ocean to ensure safety to the boats on the water. This is the perfect day to explore the history of lighthouses and educate your students on the importance and functions of a lighthouse. A fun way to celebrate National Lighthouse Day with your students is to take a class field trip to a local lighthouse and take an educational tour.
National Dollar Day (8/8) Activities
U.S. National Dollar Day takes place on August 8th every year in the United States. This national day celebrates the important day in history when the monetary system was established. This is the perfect day for a math lesson about money, while also incorporating the history and the importance of money in your classroom. You can also read aloud the story Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. Check out the related resources below!
National Book Lovers Day (8/9) Activities
National Book Lovers Day is on August 9th every year internationally! This is a day filled with books, love and celebrates the incredible stories and information found in pages and pages of paper protected by a cover and a back. This is the perfect day to encourage your students to go to their local library and find a new book to read during independent summer reading time to promote a love for reading and to celebrate National Book Lovers Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Lazy Day (8/10) Activities
National Lazy Day is on August 10th every year. This day encourages everyone to have a restful day. Considering reading aloud Jory John’s popular book, The Couch Potato. It’s about a potato that spends all day on the couch, and doesn’t have to get up for anything. The Couch Potato loves his comfortable couch and is happy that he never has to leave. He has gadgets and devices that can do everything for him and he doesn’t have to meet up with friends in person. He can see them through the screens. The Couch Potato thought that this was the perfect life, but learns the importance of spending time outside after the power goes out. Check out the related resources below!
National Middle Child Day (8/12) Activities
National Middle Child Day takes place on August 12th every year. This is a day dedicated to the child that often gets overlooked! Consider asking your students if they’re the middle, oldest, or youngest child and discussing their experiences about their birth order.
International Left Handers Day (8/13) Activities
International Left Handers Day takes place on August 13th every year to celebrate the unique individuals who are left-handed. Most people are born right handed and use their right hand to write and do everyday tasks such as eat with a fork or spoon, but some people naturally use their left hand instead. This is the perfect day to acknowledge the students in your class who are a part of the left handers community and celebrate their uniqueness!
National Roller Coaster Day (8/16) Activities
National Roller Coaster Day is celebrated on August 16th every year! This day celebrates the fun, yet scary amusement park ride that twists, turns and drops down really fast causing your stomach to jump! This is the perfect day to take a trip to the closest amusement park, face your fears and ride the scary roller coaster to celebrate National Roller Coaster Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Thrift Shop Day (8/17) Activities
National Thrift Shop Day takes place on August 17th every year. This is a day for supporting local thrift stores while also encouraging people to reduce, reuse, and donate to help prevent waste. Today is the perfect day to talk about what a thrift store is and why they are important with your students. You can show your students videos and encourage them to visit a local thrift store to search for a new treasure to celebrate National Thrift Shop Day. Check out the related resources below!
Never Give Up Day (8/18) Activities
Never Give Up Day takes place on August 18th every year. This is a day to remind people that hard work pays off and to never give up! A great way to remind your learners to never give up (especially in the classroom) is through motivational videos, read alouds, and lessons surrounding perseverance. Check out the related resources below!
National Potato Day (8/19) Activities
National Potato Day takes place on August 19th every year! This is the perfect day for a classroom potato party, where students can bring in some of their favorite potato items such as baked potatoes, french fries, potato chips, potato skins, and mashed potatoes! Read your class a fun and entertaining read aloud about potatoes while they enjoy their yummy snacks and meals to celebrate National Potato Day! Check out the related resources below!
World Honeybee Day Activities
World Honeybee Day takes place on the third Sunday in August every year. This day celebrates the little yellow bees that provide us with sweet honey, while also appreciating the amazing bee keepers who are a big part of the honey process! This is the perfect day to have a bee-themed day with a bee classroom transformation, as well as bee read alouds, videos, and lessons. Check out the related resources below!
National Bao Day (8/22) Activities
National Bao Day takes place on August 22nd every year. This is a day dedicated to celebrating and enjoying the delicious Bao also known as the ‘baozi’ or ‘hot Asian buns’, which are just fancy names for a famed dumpling! These yummy dumplings can be filled with pork, veggies, chocolate and many other fillings of your choice! This is the perfect day to learn about different cultures and some of their favorite dishes through videos, books (like Amy Wu and The Perfect Bao), and class discussions about what their family’s favorite meal is. This could also be a fun day to try these delicious dumplings in your class to celebrate National Bao Day while letting your students try a new food item that might become a new favorite! Check out the related resources below!
National Dog Day Activities
National Dog Day is on August 26th every year! This day celebrates the adorable fluffy pets that we treat like family members known as dogs! This is the perfect day to spread a little more love towards our fluffy friends by giving them lots of belly rubs and treats to celebrate National Dog Day! Check out the related activities below!
National Beach Day (8/30) Activities
National Beach Day takes place on August 30th every year! This is the perfect day to do a beach classroom transformation and bring in beach balls and sand and water table stations using baby pools. You can also share beach-themed read alouds like There Might Be Lobsters. Check out the related resources below!
Popular Topics in August
1st Day of school, names, expectations, and recess are all great topics to teach in August. They are great August lesson plan ideas!
Back to School
Names
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Expectations
Recess
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We hope you found this post with August lesson plan ideas! If you enjoyed this post, you may be interested in these other posts related to teaching in August:
