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 August. 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 August Unit Studies and Lessons for Month-Long Themes and Observances

American Artist Appreciation Month (all August)

American Artist Appreciation Month celebrates U.S. artists and the work that they do. Celebrate by learning about American artists or visiting a museum or art gallery.

Smithsonian American Art Museum– lesson plans
Freedom Homeschooling– art curriculum

National Water Quality Month (all August)

National Water Quality Month’s goal is to educate the public about the importance of clean water and encourage them to protect the water supply from pollutants.

National Water Quality Month– information and ideas
Rain Bird– water curriculum
Learn Bright– water lesson plan
Learn Bright– water pollution lesson plan

Summer Break (varies)

For homeschoolers who choose to follow a schedule similar to the public schools, all or part of August may be part of summer break.

Freedom Homeschooling– summer reading programs
Freedom Homeschooling– ways to prevent summer slide

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

First Day of School (varies)

Many homeschoolers choose to start their homeschool year in August or September, like public schools in the U.S.

Freedom Homeschooling– how to make the first day fun
Primary Playground– all about me printable
Wonder in His World– first day craft

Francis Scott Key’s Birthday (August 1st)

Francis Scott Key was born on August 1, 1779. Key was a lawyer, author, and poet. He is best known for writing the lyrics for the American national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

DIY Homeschooler– unit study
EDSITEment!– lesson plan
Teachers Pay Teachers– reading comprehension worksheets
Teachers Pay Teachers– biography printable

Colorado’s Statehood (August 1st)

Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.

Year Round Homeschooling– unit study
Ben and Me– unit study

Holling C. Holling’s Birthday (August 2nd)

Holling Clancy Holling was an American author and illustrator, best known for the book Paddle-to-the-Sea. He was born on August 2, 1900.

Homeschool Helper Online– Paddle-to-the-Sea unit study
Homeschool Share– Seabird lesson and printables
Teachers Pay Teachers– Tree in the Trail lapbook

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (August 2nd)

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day encourages us to cool off with the frozen treat.

Teachers Pay Teachers– visual recipe
Simply Recipies– recipe

National Watermelon Day (August 3rd)

National Watermelon Day celebrates the popular summer fruit, often enjoyed at picnics and cookouts.

Simple Living Creative Learning -watermelon life cycle printables
Teachers Pay Teachers– watermelon themed math game

Coast Guard Day (August 4th)

Coast Guard Day commemorates the founding of the United States Coast Guard as the Revenue Marine on August 4, 1790. On that date, U.S. Congress authorized the building of a fleet of Revenue Service cutters, whose responsibility would be to enforce tariff laws.

United States Coast Guard– coloring book
Teachers Pay Teachers– reading comprehension worksheets

Neil Armstrong’s Birthday (August 5th)

Neil Alden Armstrong was an astronaut, an aeronautical engineer, and the first person to walk on the Moon. He was born on August 5, 1930.

Teachers Pay Teachers– reading comprehension worksheets
Teachers Pay Teachers– lesson plan

American Family Day (August 6th)

American Family Day, observed on the first Sunday in August, encourages us to enjoy the waning summer with those closest to us. The holiday started in Arizona and has since spread to other states.

Teachers Pay Teachers– family tree project
Kristin Moon Science– exploring genetics lesson

National Friendship Day (August 6th)

National Friendship Day celebrates the importance of friendship. It’s observed on the first Sunday in August.

Teachers Pay Teachers– friendship printables
Teachers Pay Teachers– word scramble challenge

National Dollar Day (August 8th)

National Dollar Day commemorates when Congress established the U.S. monetary system on August 8, 1786.

Learn Bright– money lesson plan
U.S. Mint– activities, videos, and games

Smokey Bear’s Birthday (August 9th)

Smokey Bear was “born” on August  9, 1944, when the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council agreed that a fictional bear would be the symbol for their joint effort to promote forest fire prevention.

Smokey Bear– activities and materials
Smokey Bear Live– lesson plans

Missouri’s Statehood (August 10th)

Missouri became a state on August 10, 1821.

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

National S’Mores Day (August 10th)

National S’Mores Day honors the popular campfire treat. Enjoy s’mores around the campfire to celebrate.

The Mail Box– s’mores activity for teaching about sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
Science-U– solar oven s’mores science activity
Shared Appetite– creative s’mores recipes

Play in the Sand Day (August 11th)

On Play in the Sand Day, head to the beach (ocean, river, or lake) to play in the sand and build sandcastles. If you aren’t near a beach, play in a sandbox instead.

Science Sparks– sandcastle building activity
Teachers Pay Teachers– sandcastle writing activity

National Creamsicle Day (August 14th)

National Creamsicle Day celebrates the creamy citrus dessert on a stick.

Went Here 8 This– orange creamsicle recipe
Live Eat Learn– healthy creamsicle recipes

National Tell a Joke Day (August 16th)

National Tell a Joke Day is a fun day for jokes and laughter.

Teachers Pay Teachers– crack the code joke worksheets
Teachers Pay Teachers– jokes with idioms printable
Teachers Pay Teacher– joke cards printable

National Roller Coaster Day (August 16th)

National Roller Coaster Day commemorates the first vertical loop roller coaster, which Edwin Prescott patented on August 16, 1898. Many people visit theme parks to ride roller coasters on this day.

Teach Engineering– roller coaster building activity
Science Buddies– roller coaster science activity

Davy Crockett’s Birthday (August 17th)

Davy Crockett was a Tennessee-born frontiersman, congressman, solider, and folk hero. Crocket was born on August 17, 1786.

Teachers Pay Teachers– reading passages and activities
Teachers Pay Teachers– printable lesson
EDSITEment!– lesson plan

National Potato Day (August 19th)

National Potato Day celebrates the delicious and highly versatile starchy vegetable. Enjoy one of the countless ways to prepare potatoes today—mashed, baked, fried, roasted, scalloped, in a soup, or even potato bread.

Family Consumer Sciences– potato lessons and labs
Family Consumer Sciences– potato cooking lab
Cheapism– ways to cook potatoes
Thoughtfully Sustainable– potato growing activity and printable

National Radio Day (August 20th)

National Radio Day is a time for people across the country to celebrate the radio. The goal is to raise awareness about the radio’s importance in spreading news and music and encourage people to listen to local stations.

Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies– history of the radio learning resources
School Journalism– radio journalism curriculum

World Mosquito Day (August 20th)

World Mosquito Day is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female anopheline mosquitoes transmit malaria to humans. Before this discovery, little could be done to control the spread of the disease.

Homemade Heather– mosquito activity printables
Teachers Pay Teachers– mosquito reading comprehension worksheets
Climate Science Teaching– malaria lesson plan

Hawaii’s Statehood (August 21st)

Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959.

Year Round Homeschooling– unit study
Ben and Me– unit study

National Waffle Day (August 24th)

National Waffle Day commemorates when Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York, received his patent for the waffle iron on August 24, 1869. Enjoy some waffles today to celebrate.

Kids Cooking Activities– waffle cooking recipes
Crystal & Co.– printable activity pack

National Banana Split Day (August 25th)

National Banna Split Day celebrates the dessert. Top a fresh banana with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry to give your taste buds a treat.

The Kitchen Magpie– recipe
Teachers Pay Teachers– STEM challenge
Teachers Pay Teachers– paragraph writing lesson

National Park Service Established (August 25th)

The National Park Service was established on August 25, 1916, by an act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson. Visit a National Park to celebrate.

Women’s Equality Day (August 26th)

Women’s Equality Day commemorates the addition of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Learn Bright– women’s sufferage lesson plan
Civics Renewal Network– 19th amendment teaching resources

Dream Day (August 28th)

Dream Day commemorates when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial during The March on Washington on August 28, 1963.

Education.com– “I Have a Dream” lesson plan
Teachers Pay Teachers– “I Have a Dream” speech writing activity
Freedom Homeschooling– MLK videos
Learn Bright– MLK lesson plan

National Trail Mix Day (August 31st)

National Trail Mix Day honors the mix developed as a healthy snack to take along on hikes. Make your own trail mix today using your favorite ingredients.

Kids Cooking Activities– recipes
Teachers Pay Teachers– math activity and recipe

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