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Observing Presidents' Day in Your Homeschool

There are so many different holidays; some we celebrate, some we simply acknowledge, and some lend themselves to including in our homeschool.

Why Should We Incorporate Presidents’ Day in our Homeschool?

Presidents Day is a great one to incorporate into the lesson plans. It has the obvious tie-ins to history, but you can also include literature, music, art, and even food.

Incorporating Presidents Day activities into your day is a great way to make learning a little more interesting while covering some significant parts of our American history.

Observing Presidents' Day in Your Homeschool

What Exactly is Presidents’ Day?

Most people agree that we celebrate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on Presidents’ Day. Other folks like to incorporate other presidents into the celebration. I had always believed that it was officially the celebration of both Washington and Lincoln.

However, a little research shows that on a federal level, the holiday is officially a celebration of George Washington. The holiday was initially established on his birthday but was moved to the third Monday of February when several other federal holidays were changed to always fall on a Monday.

There was a push to include Lincoln (whose birthday is also in February), but it did not have enough support and was dropped. Since then, it has become popular to celebrate both presidents and call it Presidents Day, but it is still officially Washington’s birthday.

How Do I Incorporate Presidents’ Day in my Homeschool?

 While there are many ways to incorporate Presidents’ day into our homeschools, our favorite is reading.

Good books are an easy way to encourage our children to learn about any topic, and they are readily available. You can read aloud during your morning time, assign a biography to your older students, or even have them on display for students to pick up and read as they have time.

Books for Presidents' Day

Having a display of books can entice children to learn more about a particular subject.

Picture Books for Presidents’ Day

I have divided the book list into picture books and chapter books for ease and convenience. However, please note that picture books are not just for younger children, and many of these would be great for various ages. 

A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln and A Picture Book of George Washington are older books that do a great job giving a short picture book style biography of the presidents. 

When Washington Crossed the Delaware is specifically about how General Washington led his troops across the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War. This book has stunning illustrations. 

We the People: The Story of the Constitution focuses on the writing of the constitution but includes Washington’s role. It also has excellent illustrations. 

Everybody’s Revolution looks at various people that play a role in the revolution, including Washington. It also makes a point to discuss lesser-known people, including women and those of African American descent. 

George Washington’s Teeth is a rather comical story that tells how George Washington lost his teeth and had to use dentures. Throughout that story, it includes important historical facts and an excellent timeline that gives more information. This book would be great for a reluctant reader who needs to engage through comedy and rhyme.

Vinnie and Abraham is a beautifully illustrated picture book about the young woman who sculpted the statue of Abraham Lincoln that stands in the Capitol rotunda. It tells of how she met him and sculpted him before his death and then how she had to fight to get the commission because many people did not believe that a woman could create the sculpture.

The House That George Built is a cute story about the White House and George Washington’s role in having it built. The story has a sing-songy rhyming style that will keep young children engaged and provides pages with lots of historical information.


Chapter Books for Presidents’ Day

These chapter books would work well for a read-aloud to older children or as independent reading for upper elementary and middle-grade children. Our family has also enjoyed listening to the YWAM biographies on audiobook.

George Washington: True Patriot and Abraham Lincoln: A New Birth of Freedom are biographies in the Heroes of History series by YWAM. They are excellent chapter books that are well suited for anyone from upper elementary to adults. These would be perfect as a family read-aloud or the basis of a unit study. 

Who Was Abraham Lincoln?  and Who Was George Washington?  are shorter biographies that are a part of the Who Was series. These books are suitable for elementary-aged students or a quicker family read-aloud. 

George Washington, Our First Leader is a good chapter book biography that includes some lovely black and white illustrations. 

In Their Own Words: Abraham Lincoln is a shorter chapter book that uses many of Lincoln’s own words to tell his story. It is a great book to use to teach children about first-person sources. 


Activity Books for Presidents’ Day

In addition to the picture books and chapter books included in the lists above, some families may want to incorporate some hands-on activities. 

 Abraham Lincoln for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities and George Washington for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities are great books to help with that. The books each contain 21 different activities to help your children learn more about each person and the times in which they lived. The books also include timelines and other resources to help you dig deeper. 

And don’t forget the Lincoln Logs!

The Birth of Lincoln Logs is a fun story to share with your children - and February is a PERFECT time to drag out your logs for free play!


Music Appreciation and Presidents Day

In the SQUILT LIVE! Plus curriculum we will be enjoying a special event to learn even more about Presidents Day.

Matthew Sabatella, of Ballad of America, will perform and teach our children about the songs that were popular during Washington and Lincoln’s time. Mr. Sabatella has a passion for American history and music, and his programs are always excellent!

Membership is always open, so become a SQUILT LIVE! Plus member to enjoy this event - and over 105 recorded lessons in the archives, along with two new live lesson each month!

Reading, creating, playing, and incorporating music are great ways to build relationships and learn about history.

I hope you find something I’ve suggested to focus on and enhance your study of Presidents Day in your homeschool!

Dawn is a passionate follower of Jesus, wife to Chris, and homeschool mom of four. In her spare time she loves to read, hike, and write on her blog Schoolin’ Swag. She enjoys reviewing curriculum and helping moms find the right fit for their family. Some of her favorite parts of homeschooling are hymn studies, living history, and read alouds. She and her children also enjoy incorporating food into their studies as often as possible.

You might also like:

Children’s Literature for February

The Joys of Homeschooling Older Children

21 Activities to Celebrate Flag Day

Flag Day - that American holiday that goes largely unnoticed - the step-child of the patriotic holidays, if you will. 

It's not a popular notion today to honor the American flag is it?

And this is another reason I love homeschooling... we don't have to go along with popular notions about anything. We choose to honor our flag and honor our country and can incorporate that liberally into our children's home education!

After taking our children to visit Washington, DC, it lit a fire in us to incorporate more patriotism into our homeschool. We do this through books, music, and now activities surrounding patriotic days such as Flag Day.

21 Activities to Celebrate Flag Day

The History of the American Flag

Just as our Nation has a fascinating and embattled history, so does her flag. Most of us have heard of the seamstress of our first flag, Betsy Ross. We've seen the flag fly on the moon. And we've recognized its importance of a symbol of unity when we see it at half mast.

Here are some additional interesting facts about the history of our flag:

  • The colors of our flag were designated with the Flag Resolution of 1777.
  • The color red in our flag symbolizes hardiness and valor.
  • The white of the flag symbolizes purity and innocence.
  • The color blue represents vigilance, justice, and perseverance. 
  • Old Glory was the actual name given to an actual single (and very large) flag, last displayed in 2006. 
  • The Star Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key, was actually inspired by a real flag. This flag was flown over Fort McHenry in Baltimore in 1814 during 25 hours of British bombardment. 

 

The History of Flag Day

In 1777, a Flag Resolution was passed that gave us the American flag we recognize today, with the alternating red and white stripes. Of course, we would grow the number of starts represented as new states were born. 

Several individuals claim first rights regarding the celebration of Flag Day, but the first official Flag Day was established by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. June 14th, 1949,  President Truman, via an Act of Congress, declared an annual National Flag Day.


21-Days from Flag Day to Independence Day

Flag Day itself actually falls as a single day within National Flag Week. From Flag Day, there are twenty-one days until Independence Day. This period of time is called Honor America Days.

This period of time makes a perfect summer homeschooling activity with a done-for-you theme! Following are 21 Flag Day and Honor America Days activities that you can use with your children. 

No planning in advance is really necessary, you can pick and choose which ones work best for you. However, if you choose to do something every day, your children (and you!) will develop a deeper respect for our nation's heritage and arrive at a new appreciation for Independence Day.

Flag Day Activities

These Flag Day and Honor America Days activities cover a wide range of ages and skill levels. You're the mom- you can choose which ones will work for you, and how to alter them for your own use.

  1. Start an Honor America's Days notebook and add a new fact, drawing, quote, or insight every day. (Use the FREE Flag Day Notebooking Pages!)
  2. Learn how to correctly display the Flag.
  3. Learn how to fold the Flag.
  4. Research to find out the name of the type of study that is used to research flags. Do a word study on it.
  5. Make a Flag Day cake out of cupcakes or another trusted recipe.
  6. With parental guidance, research the internet to discover locations where the American Flag is flown 24 hours per day. Plot these on a map. Record any insights from your research in your notebook.
  7. Color a picture of our Flag. You can choose from many variations during its development. 
  8. Watch Red Skeleton's meaning of the American Flag on video.
  9. Memorize the Preamble to the Constitution.
  10. Research the preambles to the constitutions of each of the fifty states. (This free ebook requires an email opt-in.)
  11. Make a patriotic pin wheel.
  12. Make a tissue paper flag.
  13. Choose a word search or vocabulary printable on Flag Day.
  14. Enjoy some red, white, and blue popcorn.
  15. Research and plan a visit to a parade honoring the Flag or our Nation.
  16. Enjoy an outdoor BBQ with patriotic decorations.
  17. Interview a veteran and ask them about a memory they have about the flag.
  18. Plan to attend a fireworks celebration.
  19. Visit the National Museum of American History's website for a fun quiz on the Flag. How many stars can you collect?
  20. Create your own glossary of flag terms.
  21. Enjoy honoring America with the SQUILT Summer Music Appreciation series! 

 

However your family decides to celebrate Flag Day, it can be a fun and enjoyable kick-off to summertime!

 

Resources to Help You Learn About Flag Day