Teaching in May: End of School Year Ideas for Elementary Teachers

The secret to teaching in May and keeping students engaged and learning is integrating holidays and special days into your instruction. There are so many holidays and special days in May to celebrate with your elementary students. Some of the more popular ones are Asian Pacific Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Teacher Appreciation Week, Eid at-Fitr, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. You’ll find the full list of May events, holidays, and special days teachers can celebrate and use as teaching topics, themes, and ideas for the end of the school year below!

May Holidays and Special Days

As you starting brainstorming May and end of school year teaching ideas, add these May holidays and special days to your teacher planner.

Month-Long May Events

Below are month-long May events you can use as topics, themes, and ideas for teaching in May and the end of the school year.

Asian Pacific Heritage Month Activities

Asian Pacific Heritage Month is during the month of May every year in the United States. This is a time of recognition towards the achievements of Asian Americans and the Pacific Islanders and everything they did in American history. This is the perfect day to discuss the historical impacts specific individuals have made in our country.

Mental Health Awareness Month Activities

Mental Health Awareness Month is during the month of May every year in the United States. This month is a reminder for how important mental health is, and to always check in on people because you never know what’s going on behind the scenes. This is the perfect time to promote good mental health in your classroom through videos, read alouds, and even crafts.

Week-Long May Events

Below are week-long May events you can use as topics, themes, and ideas for teaching in May and the end of the school year.

Teacher Appreciation Week Activities

Teacher Appreciation Week is during the first week of May in the United States every year! This is a time to celebrate and appreciate our incredible teachers and all the hard work they do. This is the perfect time to make little appreciation cards or gift bags for all your teacher friends. You can also have your students create cards for teachers they want to thank.

May Holidays

Below are May holidays you can use as topics, themes, and ideas for teaching in May and the end of the school year.

Eid al-Fitr Activities

Eid al-Fitr’s dates vary, but is celebrated every year normally in May or April. This is an holiday celebrated by people who follow the religion, Islam. It is celebrated because it marks the end of Ramadan fasting which is a month long event. This is the perfect time to educate your students on different religions and holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr through video’s and read alouds.

Cinco de Mayo Activities

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5th in Mexico every year! This holiday celebrates Mexico’s victory against the Second French Empire at the 1862 battle of Puebla along with being a celebration of Mexican heritage. This is the perfect day to explore this fun colorful holiday in your classroom by watching parade videos, and having your students complete activities and crafts to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Check out the activities below for Cinco de Mayo!

Mother’s Day Activities

We celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May. The exact date changes every year. On this day, we honor and express appreciation and gratitude to mothers. Consider having your students create a mothers day gift for their mothers or other motherly figures in their life! Check out the activities below for Mother’s Day!

Memorial Day Activities

Memorial Day is the last Monday in May in the United States every year. The exact date changes annually. This holiday mourns and remembers our soldiers who passed away fighting in battle, so we can have the freedom we take for granted every single day. This is the perfect time to discuss the importance of this holiday and the reason why they have no school. Check out the activities below for Memorial Day!

Authors’ and Book Characters’ May Birthdays

Below are a list of authors with birthdays in May. Share their children’s books when teaching in May.

Leo Lionni’s Birthday (5/5) Activities

Leo Lionni is an Italian-American author and illustrator of children’s books. He was born on May 5, 1910. You may know Leo Lionni for his children’s books like A color of his own, Swimmy, Frederick and Inch by Inch. Check out the activities below!

Audrey Penn’s Birthday (5/4) Activities

Audrey Penn is an American children’s book author born on May 4, 1947. Audrey Penn is known for her Raccoon book collection including books like The Kissing Hand and Chester the Brave. Check out the related resources below!

Deborah Freedman’s Birthday (5/6) Activities

Deborah Freedman is a children’s book author born on May 6, 1960. She is known for her colorful children’s picture books such as Blue Chicken, Shy, Tiny Dino, The Story of Fish and Snail, Carl and the Meaning of Life, Welcome to the Wonder House and It Was. The Story of Fish and Snail is our favorite! Check out the related resources below!

Rescue from Rescue and Jessica’s Birthday (5/13) Activities

Rescue’s birthday, the dog from the book Rescue and Jessica, is May 13th. This book is by Patrick Downers and Jessica Kensky. It is about the adorable relationship of a girl named Jessica and her service dog named Rescue. Check out the activities below!

Adam Rex’s Birthday (5/16) Activities

Adam Rex is an American author and illustrator of children’s books born on May 16, 1973. You may know Adam Rex for his children’s books Frankenstein makes a sandwich, Smek for President!, Nothing Rhymes with Orange, and The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors. Check out the activities below!

Arnold Lobel’s Birthday (5/22) Activities

Arnold Lobel is an American children’s book author born on May 22, 1933. He is best known for his Frog and Toad series including the books: Frog and Toad are Together, Days with Frog and Toad, Frog and Toad all Year and Frog and Toad are Friends. Consider reading aloud one of the books from this classic series to your students on this day.

Margaret Wise Brown’s Birthday (5/23) Activities

Margaret Wise Brown is an American author of children’s books, born on May 23, 1910. You may know Margaret Wise Brown for her classic children’s books including Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, My World, The Little Scarecrow Boy, and Big Red Barn.

Candace Fleming’s Birthday (5/24) Activities

Candace Fleming is an American children’s book author born on May 24, 1962. Candace Fleming is known for her fiction and nonfiction picture books such as The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia, Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, and Giant Squid. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! is our favorite! Check out the related resources below!

Diane De Groat’s Birthday (5/24) Activities

Diane De Groat is a children’s book author and illustrator born on May 24, 1947. You may know Diana De Groat for her children’s books such as Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink, Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Goodnight, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite, and Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books. Check out the activities below!

Maria Dismondys’ Birthday (5/27) Activities

Maria Dismondy is an American children’s book author born on March 27th! Maria Dismondy is best known for her popular picture books such as Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, Chocolate Milk Por Favor, The Jelly Donut Difference and The Juice Box Bully. Check out the related resources and Maria Dismondy’s popular children’s books below!

Will Hillenbrand’s Birthday (5/31) Activities

Will Hillenbrand is an award winning author and illustrator of children’s books born on May 31, 1960. Will Hillenbrand is known for his adorable picture books such as Spring is Here, Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story, Down by the Station, Snowman’s Story, and I’m a Duck along with many other interesting holiday and animal picture books! Spring is Here is our favorite! Check out the related resources below!

May Special Days

Below are special days in May that you can use as topics, themes, and ideas for teaching in May and the end of the school year.

May Day (5/1) Activities

May Day, also known as Workers’ Day, is celebrated on May 1st every year internationally. This is a day that commemorates the struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement, meant to celebrate all the hard working people in the world! This is the perfect day to educate your students about this holiday through videos and activities.

School Principals Day (5/1) Activities

School Principals Day occurs on May 1st every year in the United States. This day recognizes and celebrates the elementary, middle school and high school principals who have a very important role in education and each school system! Principals are leaders who organize and direct so many important events and meetings all to make schools a positive and friendly environment for the students and teachers. This is the perfect day to show appreciation and love towards your school principal by having your class write thank you notes and then deliver them to him/her as a class!

Teacher Appreciation Day (5/3) Activities

We celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day on the Tuesday of the first full week in May. The exact date changes every year. This is a day dedicated to celebrating, thanking and appreciating our incredible teachers and everything they do! This is the perfect day to make little appreciation cards or gift bags for all your teacher friends to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day! Check out the activities below for Teacher Appreciation Day!

Bike to School Day (5/3) Activities

Bike to School Day is on May 3rd and is a day to encourage students and even teachers to ride their bike to school! This is a day to appreciate the two wheeled invention which acts as forms of exercise and transportation! This is the perfect day to ride your bike to school, encourage your students to ride their bike, and share read alouds about bikes! Check out the related resources below!

Bird Day (5/4) Activities

Bird Day occurs every year on May 4th to celebrate the beautiful, colorful little birds that fly around and chirp on a warm spring day. There are so many different types of birds such as blue birds, cardinals, blue jays, finches, hummingbirds, owls, and parrots. This is the perfect day to create a bird themed learning day where the classroom is filled with bird decorations and the day consists of bird worksheets, videos, read alouds, and activities to celebrate Bird Day. Check out the related resources below!

Star Wars Day (5/4) Activities

Star Wars Day is a special day that takes place on May 4th every year! This is a day to acknowledge and celebrate the very popular franchise that was created by George Lucas. The iconic Star Wars phrase “May the force be with you” inspired the saying “May the 4th be with you” causing Star Wars Day to be celebrated on the 4th of May. Star Wars was and still is one of the most financially successful films of all time and has created a family of fans who obsess over the space themed movie.

National Astronaut Day (5/5) Activities

In the United States, we celebrate National Astronaut Day on May 5th every year. This day celebrates and remembers the first ever human to go into space on May 5, 1961. This is the perfect day to learn about the first ever spaceflight with your students by watching videos to celebrate National Astronaut Day! Check out the activities below for National Astronaut Day!

The Kentucky Derby Activities

The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race that takes place on the first Saturday in May every year in Louisville, Kentucky, United States! This is a very popular race where people watch on television or attend the big event wearing a fun, colorful tea hat! This is the perfect day to introduce or explore the history of this popular horse race in your classroom and have your students make fun colorful feather hats to wear at home when they watch the big race! This will be a fun memory for your students and will be a fun way to celebrate the Kentucky Derby in your classroom!

National Space Day (5/6) Activities

In the United States, we celebrate National Space Day on the first Friday in May. The exact date changes every year. This is a day dedicated to celebrating space and the incredible discoveries found through exploring space. This is the perfect day to learn about space with your students through videos, read alouds and fun activities to celebrate National Space Day! Check out the activities above for National Space Day!

National Nurses Day (5/6) Activities

National Nurses Day is observed on May 6th every year and is a day dedicated to appreciating and acknowledging the importance of nurses! This is the perfect time to have your students write thank you cards to local nurses to show appreciation and to celebrate them on National Nurses Day!

National Lemonade Day (5/7) Activities

National Lemonade Day is celebrated on May 7th and is a day dedicated to the yummy, sweet and sour summer drink known as lemonade! Lemonade is made out of lemons, water and sugar and is the perfect refreshing drink to sip on a warm summer day! This is the perfect day to bring lemonade to your classroom so your students can celebrate National Lemonade Day! Check out the activities below for National Lemonade Day!

National Sleepover Day (5/9) Activities

In the U.S., we celebrate National Sleepover Day on May 9th every year! This national day is dedicated to the friendship activity of hanging out all day and night by watching movies, talking and enjoying friendship! This is the perfect day to encourage your students to have a sleepover and maybe have them do a writing activity explaining their favorite sleepover activities to celebrate National Sleepover Day!

National 3rd Shift Workers Day (5/10) Activities

National 3rd Shift Workers Day is celebrated on May 10th every year! This day recognizes all the individuals who work during the late hours of the night. These individuals earn a higher salary but put their bodies through a tough sleeping schedule where they have to sleep during the day and work during the night! Nurses, doctors, and blue collar workers often work night shifts and are known as 3rd shift workers. These hard working individuals deserve a day of recognition and today is the perfect day to celebrate them!

School Nurse Day (5/10) Activities

School Nurse Day is celebrated on May 10th every year! This is a day to appreciate and celebrate the kind and patient nurses who work in elementary, middle, and high schools to care for students if they get sick or injured during their school day. This is the perfect day to have your students write thank you cards for the school nurse to show appreciation and celebrate him or her on School Nurse Day!

National Clean Your Room Day (5/10) Activities

National Clean Your Room Day is celebrated on May 10th every year! This is a national day dedicated to cleaning your room and is meant to encourage people to tidy up and organize their room! This is the perfect day to explore this national day with your class and encourage them to all go home after school and clean their room to celebrate National Clean Your Room Day! Check out the activities below for National Clean Your Room Day!

Frog Jumping Day (5/13) Activities

Frog Jumping Day is celebrated on May 13th every year in the United States. This day started because of Mark Twain’s short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and is a day dedicated to acknowledge and appreciate all the frogs in the world. This is the perfect day to read The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County to your class, as well as some other frog activities. Check out the related resources below!

International Day of Families (5/15) Activities

On May 15th, we celebrate International Day of Families on May 15th every year. This day is all about celebrating and understanding the importance of families! This is the perfect day to have your students share why they are appreciative of their families and have them go home and thank each family member to celebrate International Day of Families.

National Biographers Day (5/16) Activities

National Biographers Day is celebrated on May 16th every year and is a day that commemorates the making of the first biography which was about the life of Samuel Johnson. This national day also celebrates the first time Samuel Johnson who was an English writer and James Boswell who was his biographer met! This is the perfect day to explore this special day in history with your students through videos, stories and worksheets and also teach them the importance of a biography to celebrate National Biographers Day! Check out the related resources below!

National Love a Tree Day (5/16) Activities

National Love a Tree Day is celebrated on May 16th every year! This is a national day dedicated to appreciating and loving Earth’s beautiful tree’s! This is the perfect day to have your students appreciate the beauty of trees and have them read under a tree, plant a tree, or even just encourage them to recycle and keep the Earth the home for our trees, a safe and happy place to celebrate National Love a Tree Day! Check out the activities below for National Love a Tree Day!

Packrat Day (5/17) Activities

Packrat Day is celebrated on May 17th every year! Being a “pack rat” means that you collect or hoard items that are taking up space in your home that are unneeded! This is a day dedicated to taking the time to look through your belongings and see if you have items you can donate or throw out so you can declutter your space! Today in class you can educate your students on the importance of cleaning and understanding what to keep and what you can donate or throw away! Check out the related resources below!

International Museum Day (5/18) Activities

International Museum Day is celebrated annually on May 18th every year and is a day dedicated to appreciating the importance of all the incredible museums around the world! This is the perfect day to take your class on a field trip to a museum to help them gain an appreciation for the buildings that hold incredible collections of history! This is the perfect way to excite your students to want to learn and gain a better understanding of different topics learned in the classroom! Check out the related resources below!

Bike to Work Day (5/19) Activities

Bike to Work Day is celebrated on May 19th every year and is a day to encourage people to ride their bike to work! This is a day to appreciate the two wheeled invention which acts as a form of exercise and a form of transportation! This is the perfect day to ride your bike to work (if you live biking distance) or just go for a bike ride after your work day is over to get some exercise and celebrate Bike to work Day! Check out the related resources below!

Endangered Species Day Activities

Endangered Species Day is celebrated on the third Friday in May. This is a day dedicated to spreading awareness for the many animals that are endangered with the risk of becoming extinct. This is the perfect time to educate your students about these species and what we can do to help them not go extinct!

Armed Forces Day Activities

Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of May. This is not a federal holiday like Veterans Day and Memorial Day but this national day still celebrates and acknowledges all the men and women who are currently serving the United States and risking their lives for the freedom of the American people. This is the perfect day to learn about our armed forces and show appreciation towards our veterans and armed force workers by writing thank you cards or recording thank you videos.

National Rescue Dog Day (5/20) Activities

In the United States, we celebrate National Rescue Dog Day on May 20th every year. On this day, people are encouraged to rescue a dog from a shelter and give him or her a safe and happy home with a new family. This is the perfect day to educate your students on the importance of rescuing dogs and to take a moment to just appreciate the adorable animal to celebrate National Rescue Dog Day. Check out the activities below for National Rescue Dog Day!

World Meditation Day (5/21) Activities

World Meditation Day is celebrated on May 21th every year. This is a day dedicated to celebrating the benefits of meditation and appreciating the calming physical activity that helps clear our minds and relax! This is the perfect day to have a class mediation break and have your students sit on the carpet and take deep breaths as you play calming music in the background! This is the perfect way to reset your students so they can calm their nervous system and prepare to learn.

National Bike to Work Day Activities

National Bike to Work Day is celebrated on the third Friday in May, meaning the exact date changes every year. This is a national day dedicated to encouraging people to ride their bike instead of commuting their normal way, specifically directed towards people riding their bike to their workplace! This is the perfect day to celebrate National Bike to Work Day by biking to school and educating your students on the national day by explaining to them that you biked to school instead of drove! Check out the activities below for National Bike to Work Day!

National Learn to Swim Day (5/21) Activities

National Learn to Swim Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May, meaning the exact date changes every year. This national day is dedicated to encouraging all people to learn how to swim and acknowledges how water safety skills are extremely important! This is the perfect day to present a swimming video on the board during class time and pass out swim lesson flyers to encourage your students to learn how to swim! Check out the activities below for National Learn to Swim Day!

Being You Day (5/22) Activities

Being You Day is celebrated on May 22th every year and is a day dedicated to encouraging people to just be themselves! Explain to students that individuality and being unique is what makes you special and all your talents, capabilities, and one-of-a-kind personality is something worth sharing with the world and celebrating! Teach your students that they’re all incredibly special and should express their interests and talents and to not be afraid to be their true self! This is the perfect day to express yourself and explore what it truly means to be YOU! Check out the related resources below!

Harvey Milk Day (5/22) Activities

In the United States, many people celebrate Harvey Milk Day on May 22nd every year. This day was created in memory of Harvey Milk who was an important gay rights activist and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. Harvey Milk was also the first openly gay politician in California. He was assassinated in 1978. Harvey Milk did not deserve this ending, and so this day is so important because he was an incredible man who made a difference in civil rights and sexual understanding and acceptance for people all around the world, and he 100% deserved to be acknowledged and appreciated for his dedication. Check out the activities below for Harvey Milk Day!

World Turtle Day (5/23) Activities

World Turtle Day is celebrated on May 23rd and is a national day celebrated every year! This day is dedicated to celebrating and bringing awareness to the adorable shelled creature found on land or water all over the world! This is the perfect day to educate your class about the life of a turtle through videos, movies, books, worksheets, or activities to celebrate World Turtle Day! Check out the activities below for World Turtle Day!

Brother’s Day (5/24) Activities

Brother’s Day is celebrated on May 24th every year! This is a day dedicated to the annoying built-in best friends who may drive you crazy sometimes but want to protect and love you deep down. Brothers can be crazy but are such an amazing relationship that you have to appreciate and so, on Brother’s Day encourage everyone to show affection or gratitude real quick to their brother because they will appreciate it deep down I promise! Check out the activities below for Brother’s Day!

National Brown-Bag It Day (5/25) Activities

National Brown-Bag It Day is celebrated on May 25th every year. This is a day dedicated to appreciating the benefits of the classic brown paper bags which are better for the environment compared to plastic bags and can withstand more pressure and weight! Brown paper bags are also used as a classic school or work lunch box and are very useful!

National Sorry Day (5/26) Activities

In Australia, they celebrate National Sorry Day on May 26th every year. It stated in 1998. This is a day of healing and encouraging people to be the bigger person, to not hold grudges, and to say sorry because it will heal your own heart and make the tension and anxiety of conflict finally go away! This is the perfect day to teach your students a lesson on why saying sorry and apologizing is such an important action and can make a big difference!

Road Trip Day (5/26) Activities

Road Trip Day is celebrated on May 26th every year and is a day dedicated to appreciating the fun of road trips and declaring the kick off of summer and the time for warm weather road trips with family and friends! This is the perfect day to share the read aloud, The Relatives Came! Check out the related resources below!

National Grape Popsicle Day (5/27) Activities

National Grape Popsicle Day is celebrated on May 27th. This is a day dedicated to celebrating the discovery of the frozen juice treat that’s perfect for a warm summer day to cool you off and satisfy your sweet tooth! This is also a day to celebrate the purple popsicle flavor known as grape. This is the perfect day to bring in popsicles for your students or even bring in popsicle molds and grape juice to make the yummy treats with your students at the beginning of the day and celebrate National Grape Popsicle Day by enjoying the frozen treats together as a class!

National Paperclip Day (5/29) Activities

National Paperclip Day is celebrated on May 29th every year internationally. This national day is dedicated to the useful, paper holding invention known as the paperclip which helps us stay organized and put together at work, school and even home life! This is the perfect day to appreciate the helpful little tools in your classroom by giving each student a colorful paperclip to use for their work, while also watching a quick video explaining who invented it to celebrate National Paperclip Day.

World Hunger Day (5/28) Activities

World Hunger Day occurs on May 28th every year and is a day to raise awareness for a significant problem that harshly affects a large population of people all around the world. Hunger affects more than 820 million people who struggle to afford food to feed themselves and their families. This is the perfect day to discuss food insecurity, collect food donations, or volunteer at a local non-profit! Check out the related resources below!

National Creativity Day (5/30) Activities

In the U.S., we celebrate National Creativity Day on May 30th every year! This national day is dedicated to bringing awareness, celebrating and spreading how important it is to be creative and to use those skills in life to problem solve and be innovative! This is the perfect day to encourage students to be creative by providing hands-on activities and art projects to celebrate National Creativity Day! Check out the activities below for National Creativity Day!

National Smile Day (5/31) Activities

In the United States, we celebrate National Smile Day on May 31st every year. This national day is dedicated towards encouraging everyone to show off their smile because it’s contagious and will cause others to smile too! Smiling is so powerful and today is the perfect day to teach your students how much of an impact it has on not only their own day, but their friends and family’s day too! Check out the related resources below!

Popular Topics in May

Bees, flowers, and the end of the year are all great topics and teaching ideas for May and the end of the school year.

Bees

Flowers

End of the School Year

We hope you found this post with information, resources, and ideas for teaching in May and the end of the school year helpful! If you enjoyed this post, you may be interested in these other posts related to teaching ideas for May and the end of the school year:

• May Activities for Elementary Students
• Mother’s Day Picture Books for Kids
• How to Pack Up Your Classroom at the End of the Year