Planning lessons around holidays, historical events, and seasonal themes can be a fun way to homeschool. It’s an excellent way for kids to learn about the world around them, including topics that aren’t usually covered in a textbook. Our family has enjoyed occasionally adding seasonal and holiday-themed lessons to our homeschool routine.

Below is a list of free unit studies, lesson plans, and activities for October. All of the holiday dates given are for 2023. Because the dates of some holidays vary, I will update this post each year. If you are looking for other months, check out our monthly unit studies and lesson plans page.

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Free October Unit Studies and Lessons for Month-Long Themes and Observances

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th to October 15th)

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. The start date was chosen because Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all celebrate their independence on September 15th. Also, Mexico’s Independence Day is on September 16th.

Woo! Jr. Kids– lesson plan and worksheets
Classroom Doodles– worksheets and coloring pages
National Hispanic Heritage Month– teacher’s guide

Italian-American Heritage Month (all October)

Italian-American Heritage Month honors the achievements and contributions of Italian immigrants and their descendants living in the United States. This heritage month was first celebrated in 1989 when it was proclaimed by President George H.W. Bush and Congress.

NJ Italian Heritage Commission– lesson plans
PBS Learning Media– immigration video lesson

Family History Month (all October)

Family History Month is a time to focus on learning about and recording your family history for future generations.

Teachers Pay Teachers– family tree project
Teachers Pay Teachers– family traditions worksheets
Education.com– family tree activity

National Pizza Month (all October)

National Pizza Month began in October 1984 and was created by the publisher of Pizza Today magazine and pizzeria owner Gerry Durnell. Celebrate by making or ordering a pizza this month.

Family Consumer Sciences– pizza lesson plan with lab
Family Consumer Sciences– pizza ingredients lesson plan

National Popcorn Poppin’ Month (all October)

National Popcorn Poppin’ Month is a seasonal celebration of one of America’s most popular snack foods. The month was made official by then Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman in 1999, though it’s been observed unofficially for much longer.

Popcorn.org– lesson plans
Family Consumer Sciences– lesson plan and activities

Free October Unit Studies and Lessons for Week-Long Themes and Observances

Fire Prevention Week (October 8th to October 14th)

Fire Prevention Week is a time to focus on earning how to prevent fires and stay safe during a fire. It is observed during the week in which October 9th falls. This date was chosen to commemorate The Great Chicago Fire.

National Fire Protection Association– lesson plans and teaching tools
Fire Department of New York City– FDNY Fire Saftey Coloring Book
Prevention 1st– lesson plans

Red Ribbon Week (October 23rd to October 31st)

The purpose of Red Ribbon Week is to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. Red Ribbon Week also commemorates the life of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena, whom drug traffickers murdered in 1985.

Just Think Twice– drug abuse learning resources
National Institute on Drug Abuse– drug abuse learning resources
Teachers Pay Teachers– reasons to be drug-free worksheet
Classroom Doodles– coloring pages

Free October Unit Studies and Lessons for Holidays, Historical Events, and Fun Days

Homemade Cookies Day (October 1st)

National Homemade Cookies Day is a fun excuse to bake a batch of cookies. Make your favorite cookie recipe, or try a new one.

Family Consumer Science– cookie-making unit
Education World– cookie recipe sequencing worksheet

World Vegetarian Day (October 1st)

World Vegetarian Day was established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977 to promote vegetarianism and bring awareness to the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.

Family Consumer Sciences– e-learning activity
Family Consumer Sciences– lesson plan
Insanely Good Recipies– kid-friendly vegetarian recipes

National Child Health Day (October 2nd)

National Child Health Day recognizes the care and guidance children need to grow strong and healthy.  The day is observed on the first Monday of October.

Freedom Homeschooling– health and P.E. curriculum
Freedom Homeschooling– first aid learning resources

The Great Chicago Fire (October 8th to 10th)

The Great Chicago Fire burned in Chicago, Illinois, from October 8th to 10th, 1871. Legend holds that the fire was caused by a cow kicking over a lantern, but the exact cause is still unknown.

Laura Chandler’s Teaching Resources– unit study
Education World– lesson plan

Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 9th)

Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates and honors Native Americans’ culture and history. It is observed on the second Monday of October.

Teachers Pay Teachers– lessons and worksheets
The Homeschool Mom– learning resources

Columbus Day (October 9th)

Columbus Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas (the Bahamas) on October 12, 1492. Columbas Day is observed on the second Monday of October.

DIY Homeschooler– unit study
The Homeschool Mom– learning resources

Leif Erikson Day (October 9th)

Leif Erikson Day honors the explorer credited with bringing the first Nordic people to America around the year 1000. October 9th is not associated with any event in Erikson’s life. Instead, the date was chosen because the ship Restauration from Norway arrived in New York Harbor on October 9, 1825, beginning a wave of immigration from Norway to America.

Simple Living Creative Learning– unit study
Education.com– reading passage and worksheet

Farmer’s Day (October 12th)

Farmer’s Day is a day to recognize and appreciate the hard work of farmers throughout the country.

Growing Minds– farm to school lesson plans
American Farm Bureau– lesson plans and other resources
Tons of Thanks– write a thank you note to a farmer

World Egg Day (October 13th)

World Egg Day celebrates the versatility and nutritional benefits of eggs. This holiday is celebrated on the second Friday in October. It was established at an International Egg Commission conference in Vienna in 1996.

The Incredible Egg– lesson plans and activities
Family Consumer Sciences– lesson plan
Family Consumer Sciences– scrambled eggs experiment
Homeschool Share– chicken lapbook and lessons

Dictionary Day (October 16th)

Dictionary Day celebrates the birthday of Noah Webster, father of the American dictionary. He was born on October 16, 1758.

Ben & Me– Noah Webster unit study
DIY Homeschooler– Webster’s American Dictionary unit study
123 Homeschool 4 Me– dictionary skills lesson

World Food Day (October 16th)

World Food Day commemorates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on October 16, 1945. The day’s goal is to promote global awareness and action for those suffering from hunger and highlight the need for healthy diets.

Free Rice– answer trivia questions to earn rice that’s donated to the World Food Programme
Global Table Adventure– recipes from every country in the world
Peter Menzel Photography– pictures of families around the world with a week’s worth of food

Black Thursday (October 24th)

Black Thursday refers to October 24, 1929, the day when the New York Stock Exchange crashed, leading to the Great Depression.

Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies– Great Depression unit study
Federal Reserve Bank of Saint. Louis– Great Depression unit study
Teaching With Jennifer Findley– Great Depression poster project

Statue of Liberty Dedicated (October 28th)

The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States, was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.

National Park Service– lesson plans and activities
Homeschool Share– lapbook unit study
Teachers Pay Teachers– virtual field trip with printables

Nevada’s Statehood (October 31st)

Nevada was admitted into the Union on October  31, 1864, about a week before President Lincoln’s reelection.

DIY Homeschooler– unit study
Ben and Me– unit study
Learn in Color– state report lapbook

Reformation Day (October 31st)

Reformation Day commemorates when  Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses (list of objections to the Catholic Church) to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. Many consider this event the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Freedom Homeschooling– Reformation Day videos
Homeschool Share– Reformation unit study
Proverbial Homemaker– Martin Luther unit study

Halloween (October 31st)

Halloween activities include dressing in costumes, trick-or-treating for candy, and carving jack-o-lanterns. Some Halloween traditions originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.

Woo! Jr. Kids Activities– history of Halloween lesson and worksheets
Homeschool Den– writing scary stories lesson plan
We Are Teachers– Halloween candy science experiments and activities
Teachers Pay Teachers– Halloween costumes character traits lesson
Freedom Homeschooling– spider cookies

Pumpkins (varies)

Pumpkins are harvested in mid-fall, often in October, making them a popular topic to learn about this time of year.

Mama’s Learning Corner– pumpkin life cycle worksheets
This Reading Mama– printable activities
The Curriculum Corner– pumpkin-themed worksheets

Have fun learning this October! I will add more free unit studies and lessons next year. Be sure to pin this post so you can find it next October.

Note: This post was originally published on August 30, 2021, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.