Incorporating Presidents’ Day into your Social Studies Class
As we approach Presidents’ Day it’s worthwhile to consider the content you will teach on the subject. I really enjoy incorporating Presidents’ Day activities into my middle and high school Social Studies lessons. As a teacher of special education students, as well as English Language Learners, I plan the activities with my students in mind to make sure that learning is accessible for all my students.
I would love to share with you my ideas for Presidents’ Day Activities that I do with my students. But first, let’s take a brief look at what this federal holiday is all about.
When is Presidents’ Day and how did it come to be?
Presidents’ Day became a national holiday in 1879. It was President Rutherford B. Hayes that wanted George Washington’s birthday, February 22nd, to be a federal holiday. Originally, the day was often referred to as Washington’s Birthday. To begin with, the day was primarily about celebrating Washington’s contributions as President. As time went on, Abraham Lincoln was also included in the day.
Eventually, it became a federal holiday to celebrate and acknowledge all of the Presidents of the United States of America. Today, we now celebrate Presidents’ Day on the third Monday in February.
A great place to start when teaching about this day is to make sure your students have a basic understanding of the history of the day. Even just sharing the information above is a good start. You may also like to share some information specifically about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Here’s a brief summary of the information that I share with my students in my Social Studies class.
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
George Washington was the first President of the United States. He was born in Virginia on February 22nd, 1732. He became a major general and was vital in defeating the British army during the Revolutionary War. Washington helped organize the federal government under the U.S. Constitution and served as President from 1789 to 1797. Washington was known for his leadership skills, devotion to duty, honesty, integrity, and his ability to inspire others.
Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky on February 12th, 1809. Lincoln led the nation through its greatest internal crisis, the Civil War. He was known for preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, strengthening the federal government, and modernizing the economy. As the 16th President of the United States, Lincoln is remembered for his great speeches and leadership skills.
Here’s how you can incorporate Presidents’ Day activities into your classroom
Here’s a Presidents’ Day project I created that I love to use with my students each year. My students complete a president profile on one of the US Presidents. They research a President and then present the information they have gathered to the class.
The task – President Profile Project and Presentation
This is my favorite among my Presidents’ Day activities, and here’s how I carry out the learning in my own classroom. I give my students a president number and they must research that president. I’ve created two rubrics. One is if you only want students to make the project and the second rubric is if you would like the students to make the project and present it to their classmates.
I’ve created two sign up sheets for presidents. One has the president numbers randomly written in case I want to assign students to a president or I can have them sign up themselves. The second sign up sheet is blank so that students can choose their own president to research.
Especially for middle and high school students, I find it really valuable to give them a checklist with the requirements for the project. I allow my students to choose how they put together their research. They can create a PowerPoint, a poster, or make a digital presentation.
Click here to see this project.
Making this project accessible for all
As a Special Education teacher, I understand the importance of making learning meaningful and accessible for all my students. It doesn’t need to be complicated when deciding how to scaffold tasks.
Whether it be for students receiving special education services or English Language Learners, make sure you consider their individual needs.
Depending on your student’s needs, you could give them more time to complete the project or remove the oral presentation requirement. The great thing about allowing student choice with the project is that students can choose the format that best fits their strengths. They may prefer to record themselves presenting their President or make a poster with all the required information.
Keep in mind, especially when working with middle and high school aged students, it’s often helpful to include them in planning accommodations to tasks. With my special education students or English Language Learners I want their feedback so they can get the most out of our Social Studies class.
Looking for Quick or Day-Of Presidents’ Day Activities?
If you need a quick or last minute activity for Presidents’ Day, you can grab my color-by-number activities for George Washington and James Madison! My students love this engaging activity and it’s a great review for early American History!
Get ready for Presidents’ Day Activities
Presidents’ Day is always the third Monday in February. In 2023, Presidents’ Day will fall on Monday, February 20th. Personally, I like to organize my lessons so that my students have completed their projects and are ready to present them that day (or the day afterwards if there is no school for the holiday).
Feel free to reach out and let me know how this project works for you and your students. I enjoy hearing from you on my social media and email.
Need Help Planning Your US History Class?
Check out my 3 tips for planning your US History curriculum to best support special education and ELL students.
