February Holidays & Celebrations: Lesson Plans and Fun for the Classroom

The February calendar is of course home to Valentine's Day but there are many more holidays and celebrations to love and learn about.

Month long celebrations in February include:

Black History Month

American Heart Month

National Bird Feeding Month

Canned Food Month

National Cherry Month

National Grapefruit Month

National Dental Month

National Chocolate Lovers Month

Don't you find it ironic that chocolate lovers month and dental health month are both in February?

Celebrating Black History Month in the Classroom

Dizzy Gillespie Lesson Plans

Ella Fitzgerald Lesson Plans

20 Interesting Facts about George Washington Carver

Black History Month Cereal Box Crafts for the Classroom

Celebrating Foods in the Classroom

Since February is Cherry Month, Grapefruit Month and Canned Food Month there's plenty of taste testing to do that doesn't revolve around chocolate.

Math:

Create math graphs comparing how many kids like cherries and how many kids like grapefruit.

Celebrating Canned Foods Month in the Classroom

Discussion:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of canned foods?

Tasting:

In honor of Canned Foods month it could also be interesting for students to have a blind taste testing comparing fresh foods to canned foods.

Investigation:

Does the cafeteria serve any food from cans? Do these cans look the same as the ones used by families? How could the large cans be reused?

February 1^st is National Freedom Day.

Phonics:

In the kindergarten and first grade classrooms, February first is a fine day for focusing on the letter "F" for February and Freedom.

Discussion:

For the older students, it is a great opportunity to discuss freedom.

What does freedom mean?

What freedoms do we enjoy?

What freedoms have not always been a given?

What patriotic songs mention freedom?

Writing activity:

This is also a good opportunity to participate in programs that send letters and cards to soldiers fighting for our freedoms around the world.

February 2^nd is Groundhog's Day.

Preschool & Kindergarten Groundhog Day Lesson Plans

Elementary & Homeschool Groundhog Day Lesson Plans

More Groundhog Day Fun & Activities

February 4^th is Mail Carrier Day and February 5^th is National Weatherman Day.

Writing:

These holidays offer another opportunity for writing letters to say thank you or ask questions about careers.

February 12^th is Lincoln's birthday.

February 14^th is Valentine's Day.

7 Valentine's Day Crafts Ideas Using Pipe Cleaners

February 21^st is President's Day. George Washington's birthday (February 22^nd) is also observed on President's Day.

February 23^rd is Tennis Day.

Vocabulary:

Even if the whole class can't play this is a great day to build vocabulary centered on the game of tennis. Let kids brainstorm. Here's a few appropriate vocabulary words for tennis day: racquet, net, singles, doubles, love (zero score), match, serve.

February 26^th is tell a Fairy Tale day.

Reading and Language:

This a fun day for reading fairy tales, creating fairy tale plays and fairy tale puppet shows.

February 27^th is Polar Bear Day so stock up on polar bear books from the library.

Sources:

Personal teaching experience

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/february.htm