Resource Spotlights

April is National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). For decades, groups and individuals across the country called for official recognition and celebration of Arab American heritage. In 2017, these efforts were formalized in a national, coordinated campaign for a federally recognized heritage month. Finally, in 2023, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation formally declaring April as NAAHM.

Join us in celebrating Arab American Heritage Month in your classrooms this year! 

March is Women’s History Month in the United States, and it’s also Arts Education Month in California. To switch it up and celebrate both, we’re highlighting teaching resources on women’s history, history and art, and women in the arts. And this month’s Kate’s Book Club picks all feature excellent picture books about women artists. 

In 1949, President Harry Truman declared February 1 as National Freedom Day, commemorating the day in 1865 that Abraham Lincoln signed a resolution proposing a Constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery in the United States — what would become the Thirteenth Amendment. National Freedom Day was a precursor to Black History Day, and in 1976, President Gerald Ford formally recognized February as Black History Month. 

It’s January, which means we’re looking forward to a new year of opportunities and committment to education.  As we begin 2026, we wanted to take a moment and reflect on the significance of last year. 2025 was a historic year of grassroots organizing, mass protests, and collective action. Across the United States and around the world, people gathered together to stand up against authoritarian regimes, human rights abuses, and environmental degradation. They supported and uplifted their communities and stood tall in their identities, even when faced with oppression.

For many in the United States, November means Thanksgiving – a time of giving thanks, spending time with family, and sharing food (even with its origin story based in inaccurate history). But this year, with the interruption of SNAP benefits for over 41 million Americans by the Trump administration, a holiday centered around sharing food might look very different for many. We’ve gathered some teaching resources and picture books centered on family, food, and food insecurity that we hope will help you discuss these difficult topics with your classroom community.

Happy LGBTQ+ History Month! Not to be confused with Pride Month in June, LGBTQ+ History Month is celebrated each year in October and focuses specifically on the history and legacy of queer civil rights movements. It was first founded by Rodney Wilson, a gay public school teacher in Missouri, in 1994. October was chosen as LGBTQ+ History Month because it coincided with National Coming Out Day (October 11) and the 1979 and 1987 marches on Washington for LGBTQ rights.

Since 1952, the United States has celebrated Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17. And since 2004, all public schools in the country have been required to “hold an educational program” on September 17 in observance of the day.