What is the Fourth of July in the US?

Independence Day, also referred to as the Fourth of July or July Fourth, is an American federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. On this day, the Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. The Fourth of July is commonly associated with parades, fireworks, barbecues, concerts, and ceremonies all celebrating the history and independence of America.

How Do Students Benefit from Studying the Fourth of July?

The Fourth of July is America’s birthday. Learning about the birth and history of our country helps students gain a better understanding of what it means to be an American. In America, people have freedom because on Independence Day our country’s founders signed an agreement that meant we no longer had to follow the rules of the King of England and Scotland. Honoring and studying this national holiday will help kids understand and feel more connected to their country.

Educational Activities to Celebrate the Fourth of July

Celebrate Independence Day in your classroom, virtually, or at-home with these educational activities.

Fourth of July Births and Deaths (Grades 6-8)

As we celebrate the birth of America on the Fourth of July, this date also coincides with the death of three Founding Father Presidents, as well as the birth of the 30^th President of the United States. For this activity, kids will use their research skills to figure out which U.S. Presidents died on Independence Day and which one was born. Here is an example of a writing prompt.

• Three of the five Founding Father Presidents died on the Independence Day anniversary. Use your research skills to figure out who these Presidents are. Then write a paragraph explaining if you think this was a coincidence.
• Which United States President was born on the Fourth of July? Name that President and write a few facts about him.

Fourth of July Online Scavenger Hunt (Grades 3-12)

Kids of all ages can become super sleuths in a patriotic, online Forth of July scavenger hunt. To begin, split them into small teams and have them work together in breakout rooms to scour the internet for answers to the scavenger hunt. Be sure to set a specific time limit, and once the time is up, everyone must all meet back as a class to reveal their answers. Here are a few ideas for questions.

• Which President of the United Sates of America was born on the Fourth of July?
• Many towns and cities set these off on the Fourth of July; what are they?
• Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?
• Which President of the United States of America died on July 4, 1981?

Assign a “What If” Presentation (Grades 6-12)

What if the Declaration of Independence was never signed? How would America be different today? Challenge students to write an essay answering these questions. Students should use historical facts from research and get creative when writing their essay. Once they have written their essay, they are to create a short Flipgrid presentation stating their reasons how America would be different today if the Declaration of Independence was never signed. This activity is especially useful for virtual learning.

Visit Philadelphia’s Virtual Online Tour (Grades K-12)

Help kids remember the history behind the Fourth of July by virtually checking out ionic sites on Philadelphia’s virtual tour. Make sure to highlight important places such as Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed, as well as other important landmarks, such as the Liberty Bell and the Betsy Ross house.

Watch the Declaration of Independence (Grades K-5)

Young children can learn about the Declaration of Independence by watching a short video that announces the beginning of the United States of America. Remote kids can then go off into breakout rooms to discuss what they learned in the video, or in-class students can get into small groups or discuss with a shoulder partner. Then, students can come back together as a class to talk about what they discussed in the groups. After the class discussion, assign students to fill in a graphic organizer that shows four facts they learned from the video.

Show a Music Video (Grades 6-12)

Another exciting way to learn about the Fourth of July is to show children a music video. Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration is a song parody of Thomas Jefferson singing about the Declaration of Independence and why he wrote it. If showing in the classroom, make sure you stop at several points in the video to explain things and ask students to guess who they think the people are portraying. After the video, divide kids into small groups and give each group a handout of the song lyrics. Instruct students to work in their groups to answer the following questions about the video and lyrics.

• List specific laws and events that the lyrics “There’s no fair trials, no trade, no liberties, no tea,” are referring to.
• What is your favorite line from the lyrics?
• Name all of the historical figures that are being represented in the video.
• List all of the symbols of the American Revolution.

Learn the Science behind Fireworks (3-12)

The Fourth of July is known for celebrating and honoring America with fireworks. But do you know how they work? For this activity, kids will learn how fireworks work by going to the website Wonderopolis to read about them and watch a short video. Then, kids can take the wonder word challenge as well as test their knowledge to see how much they learned about the science behind fireworks. This activity is perfect for all grade levels and ages and can be completed through virtual instruction.

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Activities to Celebrate Mother’s Day

All About My Super Mom

If you want to create a unique keepsake while giving moms a good laugh, then have your students fill out the all about my super mom worksheet. Students will fill in the blank for statements like, “My mom always says,” and “My mom looks the prettiest when…” As you know, kids say the darndest things, and this fun worksheet is sure to bring every mom a smile on her special day, while letting students practice vocabulary and writing skills.

Recycled Bouquet

If you do not live in a warm climate and cannot get to your local florist, having students create a bouquet of flowers out of recycled paper is your next best bet. Not only will moms love all the hard work their child put in, but these flowers are made of paper that is laying around the house; so it is also earth-friendly and teaches students how to be resourceful and think creatively. Not to mention, students will learn that you can upcycle trash to create a beautiful gift.

To begin this craft, all students have to do is collect paper scraps from their homes. This can be old newspapers, paper bags, magazines, cereal boxes — whatever they have. Then, print out a free flower template to either use as a pattern or to use as a template to glue their recycled paper on to. Next, instruct students to use a ruler to draw the stem. Once they have made a few flowers out of their recycled paper, they can glue them all onto a sheet of construction paper and give their moms their Mother’s Day bouquets.

History of Mother’s Day

Learning the history of Mother’s Day is an excellent way for students to develop a deeper understanding of the holiday they are celebrating with their loved ones. Encourage students to watch this video from the History channel about the history of Mother’s Day. Then, they can take the information they learned in the video and create a dramatic play for their mom or mother-like figure.

Mother’s Day Cookbook

Create a cookbook for moms by having students each choose one of their favorite recipes. Students can email you a picture of their mom and themselves along with the recipe. Then, you can compile the shared photos and recipes into a downloadable cookbook where students who are quarantined at home can download for their moms as a gift for Mother’s Day.

Fun Facts

Fun fact, did you know that Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914? Did you also know that Woodrow Wilson officially established Mother’s Day as the second Sunday in May? These are just a few fun facts about the history of Mother’s Day. While students are social distancing and learning from home, a great way for students to learn about Mother’s Day from the comfort of their computers is to practice their research skills. Once students have learned at least three fun facts about Mother’s Day, have students share them via zoom, on your classroom blog, or with their families.

Mother’s Day Traditions

Mother’s Day is observed not only on different days in other countries but also in a variety of unique and different ways. Students can research how other cultures celebrate this holiday and choose their favorite way to celebrate with their mom. For example, children in Japan give their living mother a red carnation and display a white carnation if their mother has died. In contrast, children in the United Kingdom bake their mother a fruitcake, while children in Mexico sing the traditional song “Las Mañanitas.”

Mother’s Day Math Craftivities

Students in grades 1-5 can partake in a math percentage poem where they identify five things/qualities/characteristics that they think make up their mother and assign each of these things a percentage. They can also fill out a mom fraction worksheet where students identify four things that make up quarters of their mom.

These are just a few of the many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day and make it an educational experience for kids. Whether you choose a craft, math worksheet, fun facts about the history, or a traditional Mother’s Day activity, every mother will be grateful their child took the time to honor them in some way.

Remote and Virtual Activities for Celebrating Mother’s Day

A typical Mother’s Day celebration where students create a special craft then bring it home may not be a viable option for some classrooms this year. However, it is possible to virtually plan and/or put together something special for Mother’s Day. Here are a few Mother’s Day ideas that teachers can help their students pull off virtually.

Mother’s Day Slideshow

Ask each student to think of something special about their Mother, then use whatever art supplies they have at home to draw it. Next, instruct students to either take a snapshot of the drawing and email it to you, or have students hold it up next to their face during a Google Meet and take a screenshot of it.  Assemble each of the photos into a slideshow and email it to all of the moms on Mother’s Day.

Hold a Virtual Mother’s Day Tea

Many elementary classrooms hold an in-person Mother’s Day tea to celebrate moms on Mother’s Day. However, many students are remote learning so that is impossible. This year, invite all of the moms to a virtual luncheon where moms and students eat lunch together over a Google Meet and watch the students take turns singing songs, reciting Mother’s Day poems, and reading personal stories about their special moms.

Create a Mother’s Day Video on Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a popular platform that allows students to create short videos in response to a teacher’s question. Instruct students to create a Flipgrid video about their mom in response to a Mother’s Day prompt, such as “Mom’s Funniest Moments”, “Why I Love My Mom”, “My Mom’s Favorite Things Are…” Then, on Mother’s Day have students share the videos with their moms.

Moms of the Future

Ask students to think about the role that moms have played in the past and present. Show students videos of mothers in the past, then ask students to think about what they think mothers will be like in the future. Challenge students to write a few paragraphs of what they imagine mothers to be like in the future, then have students create a Flipgrid video of their responses. Next, share these videos with students’ moms on Mother’s Day.

Memories of Mom

Invite students to think about their favorite memories of their mom. Have students choose three writing prompts out the list below to help them create a “Memories of Mom” memento they can print out and give to their moms on Mother’s Day.

• A funny moment with mom
• I lesson I learned from mom
• A memorable moment with mom
• A fib I told my mom
• What I admire the most about mom
• The happiest time I spent with mom

A Mother’s Day Message

Ask students to think about ten things they love about their mom. Next, have students create a top ten list of their favorite things. Ask students to write them on chart paper in a list format and to be sure to leave the best “thing” for last because they will be covering up each statement and reading the list on a Flipgrid video to their mothers.

*Updated April 2021

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