Presidents’ Day is approaching and I want to help you get a jump on your Presidents’ Day Unit Study planning! I’ve gathered up some great activities and resources that focus on the two American presidents we’re celebrating – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In fact, the combination of materials in this post is enough to put together a comprehensive Presidents’ Day unit study.
This collection of Presidents Day resources has a special emphasis on activities that engage children who need more than only paper and pencil activities. You will find some more traditional learning activities here, but my focus is on highly-engaging learning for active kids who learn differently. I hope you enjoy this Presidents’ Day Unit Study!
Unit Study Planner
If unit studies are new to you, check out my post on How to Create a Unit Study. To make your planning even easier, I created this Unit Study Planner and Printables – 21 Print-and-Go Pages. It contains 21 pages of unit study printables and worksheets that can be used with virtually any learning theme.
All of the single page unit study printables shown on this page are included as well as many others. I show a number of ways to use the pack with the topic of Presidents’ Day, but there are many more in the pack you could use as well. It is available for purchase in my shop for a very reasonable price, especially since you will be able to use the printables over and over again with various learning topics and unit studies on my site.
Presidents’ Day Unit Study Planning
Print off the unit study planning page in the pack. You can use it to begin making your plans as you read through the suggestions in this post.
Presidents’ Day KWL
Start your Presidents’ Day unit study off with a KWL. KWL stands for:
- Know
- Want to know
- Learned
Your learner lets you know what she already knows about the topic, what she wants to know, and (at the end) what she has learned. KWLs are a great way to document your child’s learning, especially if you use a more relaxed approach to homeschooling. This gives some structure to your learning without being a slave to a curriculum.
Depending on the age of your child, you may want to record her answers on this sheet yourself rather than asking her to do it. The important thing is the content of what she’s saying, not whether or not she can write it down. If your learner prefers something with a bit more color, there is a Presidents’ Day KWL is available in my shop.
History of Presidents’ Day
Do you know how we came to have a Presidents’ Day? The Wikipedia entry has a brief history that includes the different names the holiday is given in different states.
This is a good introductory video for younger children.
Presidents’ Day Picture Books
Here are a few books for children specifically about Presidents’ Day. You can see more book suggestions in my Amazon Presidents’ Day shop section.
Your child can use this page in the unit study pack to keep track of facts her favorite facts she learns about Presidents’ Day. Young children or children who struggle with writing can draw pictures in each shape to represent the facts.
Spelling and Vocabulary Words
Choose several spelling words that are appropriate for your child’s ability. If you don’t do formal spelling, you can use this list for vocabulary discussion.
- Abraham Lincoln
- George Washington
- inauguration
- slavery
- president
- American Revolution
- Civil War
- Delaware River
- Mount Vernon
- Ford’s Theater
- Martha Washington
- Mary Todd Lincoln
- Illinois
- Virginia
- senator
Presidents’ Day Word Search Puzzle
Use the words in the list above to create a word search. You can make it for your child or your child can make it for you!
Presidents’ Day Geography
Use the United States map in the unit study packet to mark all of the important places in the life of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln as you learn about them.
Presidents’ Day Lapbook
This Presidents’ Day Lapbook is a great way to learn about the holiday as well as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. It is especially designed to work well with reluctant writers or children who struggle with writing so it is focused more on content than writing. This is an easy to assemble lapbook and it looks great when it is done.
The Presidents Day Lapbook or Interactive Notebook is available here.
Presidents’ Day Recipes
What are some of the favorite foods of President Washington and President Lincoln? Here are some that your child can make and try!
George Washington’s Favorite Foods
- Information on Dining at Mount Vermon
- Hoe Cake
- George Washington Great Cake, 1780 recipe
- Mary Ball Washington Gingerbread
Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Foods
Cooking is a great way to add math and science to your relaxed homeschooling unit study.
Write a Biography
Write a short biography about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln using this page from the unit study pack. Illustrate with a drawing or print a picture from online.
Creative Ideas for Presidents’ Day
Design a postage stamp to celebrate either Washington, Lincoln, or both using the printable in the unity study pack.
Using the videos in this post as a guide, create a diorama of one of their homes.
Create a travel brochure for Mount Vernon or Lincoln’s Illinois home.
Pretend you could interview either Washington or Lincoln. Which would you choose? Write down 3-5 questions you would ask. Then write a newspaper article with what you think their answers would be using this page in the unity study pack.
Write a timeline of the most important events in Washington’s life or Lincoln’s life.
Write a letter to Washington or Lincoln at a specific time in their life about something important.
If you have a creative child, then role playing can be one of the most effective ways to learn. Check out the fantastic children’s costumes for George Washington, Martha Washington, Abraham Lincoln, colonial girls, Civil War soldiers, Civil War nurses, southern belles, and other relevant people during these historical periods.
Word searches, coloring pages, and other pencil activities are all great ways for children to learn! See lots of them in my Presidents’ Day Amazon Shop.
How many Presidents’ Day words can you come up with? Keep a list as you are studying or use this printable from the unit study pack as a final activity to review everything you’ve learned!
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
The next section of this unit study focuses more specifically on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. There are many fun videos, books, and activities below. We’ll start with George Washington and then look at Abraham Lincoln. After that are a number of activities that include both of them.
As you are learning about these important presidents, have your child look for ways they are similar and different. You can add those facts to this Venn Diagram from the unit study pack.
George Washington
Mini Biography
Here is a short biography about Washington.
Mount Vernon Online Tour
The official Mount Vernon website is excellent and has many wonderful resources for those of us who don’t live close enough to see the estate in person. It includes videos, pictures and educational materials.
Picture Books about George Washington
Learn more about George Washington from his boyhood through his presidency with these picture books. There are many more recommendations and ideas in my Presidents’ Day Amazon shop.
George Washington and the American Revolution
Learn more about Washington and the American Revolution.
Abraham Lincoln
Mini Biography
This is a mini biography in the same series about Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln Picture Books
Read all about this remarkable man in a variety of picture books.
Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War
A few books to explore both Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. See my Presidents’ Day Amazon shop for more book ideas.
Virtual Tour of Abraham Lincoln’s Illinois Home
See Lincoln’s home with this virtual tour.
What Was in Lincoln’s Pockets?
See the contents of President Lincoln’s pockets in this short video filmed at the Library of Congress.
Ford’s Theater Museum
Take an online tour and see the highlights of the museum at Ford’s Theater.
Abraham Lincoln in The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has an online collection of materials about Abraham Lincoln that you can peruse with your children. There is lots there to provoke discussions about all aspects of Lincoln’s life.
U. S. Presidents and America Themed Printables and Activities
U. S. Presidents Fun Fact Cards
If you and your children want to learn about many of the presidents this month, check out my U.S. Presidents Fun Fact Cards. This is a collection of fascinating facts that you won’t find everywhere. I guarantee you will learn some fun things along with your children while using these! (Click the cover for more details.)
U.S. Presidents Copywork
Your learners can also enjoy practicing their handwriting with the fun facts in copywork form. The copywork is available in print, cursive, and a print/cursive bundle. (Click a cover for more details.)
Presidents’ Day Writing and Notebooking Pages
Do some creative writing for Presidents’ Day! This Presidents’ Day Notebooking Pages includes both standard and primary lines in each design. (Click the cover for more details.)
America Notebooking Pages, Literacy and Math Activities
If you want to go beyond Presidents’ Day materials this month and focus on America in multiple areas, here are four more products with activities to last for weeks. (Click on any cover for more details.)
Moving On from Christmas
