Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in the Classroom

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) is a time to honor and celebrate the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. In the classroom, it’s a wonderful opportunity to spark curiosity, build respect for different cultures, and give students meaningful ways to connect history with creativity.

Below you’ll find three engaging resources designed for young learners, a list of children’s books to highlight Hispanic voices and stories, and five classroom activities that make celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month both fun and educational.

Hispanic Heritage Month Fact Booklet-This vibrant and interactive booklet introduces K–2 students to Hispanic culture in kid-friendly ways. With simple facts, a comprehension check, a guided research form, and hands-on activities like a craft, sentence sorting, and a 12-choice cross-curricular board, students can celebrate and learn with curiosity and respect.

Designing an Ofrenda - Introduce your students to Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday that celebrates the lives of loved ones who have passed. This activity guides students in learning about ofrendas (offerings) and then creating their own using templates, graphics, or their own drawings. It’s an excellent project for both younger and older students, connecting history, art, and personal expression.

Bring art, history, and creativity together with this Frida Kahlo Fact Booklet, designed just for young learners! Students will explore the life of this inspiring Mexican artist while building skills in reading, writing, math, and more.  Celebrate art and culture while sparking creativity—Frida’s story is the perfect way to inspire young learners!

Here are 5 Children’s Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage:

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal - A heartwarming story about family history and identity that helps children explore the meaning behind names.

Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers - A vibrant biography introducing young readers to the legendary Cuban singer who brought salsa music to the world.

Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle - Inspired by a true story, this beautifully illustrated book celebrates breaking barriers and following your dreams.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan - A powerful novel (great for older elementary) about resilience and hope, following a young girl’s journey from Mexico to the U.S.

Islandborn by Junot Díaz - With colorful illustrations, this story celebrates cultural heritage and memory as a young girl discovers more about her family’s homeland.

5 Classroom Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month:

-Create a Cultural Fact Collage – Have students gather facts about Hispanic countries, music, food, and traditions to make a classroom mural.

-Music & Dance Exploration – Play salsa, mariachi, or flamenco music, and let students explore rhythm through clapping or movement.

-Spanish Word of the Day – Introduce a simple Spanish word daily and let students practice saying it and using it in class.

-Recipe Research – Students can research or bring in family recipes inspired by Hispanic cuisine and create a class recipe book.

-Hero Spotlight – Assign students a famous Hispanic figure (like Frida Kahlo, César Chávez, or Sonia Sotomayor) and let them present a short fact, drawing, or poster.

Hispanic Heritage Month gives us a chance to celebrate culture, history, and creativity in ways that students can both enjoy and understand. Whether you’re reading inspiring books, exploring music and traditions, or working on projects like an ofrenda or fact booklet, these activities help students learn with respect and curiosity. All resources may be found in my store:

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher  

Halloween Fun (and Non-Halloween Alternatives!) for Your Classroom

October is a month filled with excitement, creativity, and learning. Some classrooms dive into Halloween celebrations with costumes, decorations, and spooky fun, while others prefer to focus on fall themes and seasonal science instead. The best part? There are plenty of ways to make this month both festive and educational—whether you celebrate Halloween or not!

In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite Halloween-themed resources and books along with non-Halloween science activities and fall reads that fit perfectly into October learning.

These are fun Halloween resources you can find in my store:

1. Designing a Haunted House - Looking for a way to bring creativity and critical thinking into your classroom? This haunted house design project lets students practice math, reading, and writing skills while creating their own spooky designs. With two templates to choose from, kids can decorate and proudly display their haunted houses for a fun Halloween classroom atmosphere.

2. Write the Room – Halloween ThemeThis interactive literacy activity gets students up and moving! With twenty colorful Halloween vocabulary cards, task sheets, and a haunted house template with doors, windows, and decorations, students can read, write, color, and create. Perfect for centers, small groups, or early finishers.

3. How to Draw Halloween - Witches, bats, cats, and jack-o-lanterns—oh my! This directed drawing and writing set helps young learners strengthen fine motor skills, practice following directions, and build confidence in their artistic abilities. Three levels of writing are included so every student can participate at their level.

Not every classroom or family celebrates Halloween, and that’s okay—October is still the perfect time for engaging seasonal science. These fact booklets connect reading, writing, and creativity with fall themes:

4. Bat Fact Booklet - Introduce your students to the fascinating world of bats! This booklet includes coloring pages, research forms, note-taking sheets, and a fun craft—perfect for early learners exploring mammals.

5. Spider Fact Booklet - Help your students discover the amazing world of spiders with this engaging fact booklet. It includes informational pages, note-taking sheets, research forms, and a spider craft that ties science to hands-on learning.

6. Pumpkin Fact Booklet - Celebrate the season with a pumpkin study! Students can explore pumpkin facts, complete writing and research activities, and create a pumpkin craft that ties literacy to fall science.

Whether you’re planning a spooky Halloween day or a fall-themed science unit, these fun books are perfect to pair with your lessons.  Here are five Fun Halloween Books for Children:

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson – A playful rhyming story of a kind witch and her animal friends.

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds – A silly, suspenseful tale that will have kids laughing.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams – A rhythmic, interactive read-aloud that builds suspense.

Pete the Cat: Trick or Treat by James Dean – A simple and fun Halloween adventure for young readers.

How to Catch a Witch by Alice Walstead & Megan Litwin – A humorous Halloween addition from the popular How to Catch series.

Here are five Non-Halloween Books for October Reading:

Nightsong by Ari Berk – A beautiful story about a young bat learning echolocation.

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson – A nonfiction picture book on the pumpkin life cycle.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – A poetic tale of a child and parent searching for owls on a quiet night.

Spiders by Gail Gibbons – A kid-friendly nonfiction guide to spiders.

The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey – A silly, kindhearted story about friendship and acceptance.

October offers endless opportunities for both fun and learning. Whether you’re designing haunted houses and reading Halloween favorites or exploring bats, spiders, and pumpkins through science and seasonal stories, there’s something here for every classroom. With the right mix of activities and books, you can create meaningful, memorable experiences for your students all month long! 

All resources may be found in my store: 

 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thebeezyteacher

Exploring AI and Nature: A Fresh Resource for Young Innovators

Artificial Intelligence feels both exciting and overwhelming—it’s new, it’s powerful, and it’s still very much emerging. For teachers working with upper grades, helping students understand AI not just as a tool but as a partner in creativity is an important challenge. That’s why I’m excited to share a new book, Ceane’s Infinite AI Adventure: A Young Explorer’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence.

This book introduces AI through the lens of biomimicry, showing students how nature’s strategies—like the resilience of a tree or the efficiency of a spider’s web—can inspire responsible and imaginative uses of technology. It’s about sparking curiosity while grounding innovation in ethics, sustainability, and reflection.

This is what makes this book special:

-Nature as teacher: Students explore how patterns in nature can shape new ideas.

-AI as partner: Rather than replacing creativity, AI becomes a collaborator in design and problem-solving.

-Ethics at the core: The book emphasizes reflection, awareness of bias, and the importance of responsibility when using AI.

These themes resonate powerfully with today’s learners, who are already navigating AI in their daily lives.

By the time students reach upper grades and beyond, they’re ready to engage in deeper questions:

How does AI change the way we think and create?

What boundaries should exist when using AI in art, science, or daily life?

How can we balance efficiency with authenticity?

This resource helps teachers guide those discussions in a meaningful way—connecting cutting-edge technology to real-world issues and ethical choices.

Here are a few classroom activities teachers might use the book as a springboard for learning:

Nature + AI Design Challenge: Take students outdoors (or use photos/videos) to study natural forms—like honeycombs, bird wings, or tree roots. Ask them to sketch ideas for a design (a bridge, packaging, or a shelter) inspired by what they observed. Then, let AI generate its own version of the design. Compare the two and reflect: what did AI capture, and what did it miss?

Ethics in Action Debate: Present scenarios where AI is used—writing essays, generating art, or tracking information. Have groups argue for and against the scenario, focusing on fairness, bias, authorship, and responsibility.

AI + Nature Creative Project: Invite students to design an invention that combines inspiration from nature with AI support. For example, a water-collection system modeled on cactus spines, visualized with AI. Students must present both the science inspiration and the AI’s role in shaping their project.

Reflective Journaling: After completing an AI-supported task, ask students to write about the experience: Did they feel ownership of the work? Did AI add or limit creativity? What ethical questions arose?

Ceane’s Infinite AI Adventure is more than just a book—it’s an invitation for students to explore the frontier of AI with curiosity and care. For teachers, it offers a springboard into discussions about creativity, ethics, and innovation that students will carry with them long after class.

If you’re looking for a resource that blends the wisdom of nature with the possibilities of technology, this book is a wonderful place to start.

You can read more about it here:

Nature, AI, and Raising Young Innovators AI as Creative Partner  

https://thinkdivebiomimicry.org/2025/09/15/nature-ai-and-raising-young-innovators-ceanes-infinite-ai-adventure-meets-biomimicry/ 

Book may be found at Amazon.  

Celebrate Constitution Day with Fun Learning for Young Students

September 17 marks Constitution Day, a time to honor the document that shaped our nation. While the Constitution can be a challenging topic for young learners, the right mix of stories, hands-on activities, and engaging visuals can help bring this important part of American history to life in ways that are meaningful and age-appropriate.

Whether your goal is to introduce the Preamble, explore national symbols, or simply give students a taste of our nation’s history, my Constitution-themed resources provide fun, interactive ways for children to read, write, draw, and explore history.

Featured Constitution Resources include:

 Constitution Day Fact Booklet

An accessible, black-and-white informational booklet that breaks down Constitution basics into short, simple sentences. Includes:

Note-taking worksheet

Research form

Craft activities (including a glued drawing of Jefferson’s head). Perfect for pre-K, kindergarten, and struggling first graders to use during whole-class, small group, or independent work.

The Constitution – A How to Draw Directed Drawing Activity

Step-by-step drawing guides for iconic symbols of American history such as Ben Franklin, the Bill of Rights, USA Flag, Capitol Building, Liberty Bell, and White House. Includes three levels of writing prompts for different abilities. Combines fine motor skill building with historical understanding.

Write the Room – Constitution Day Theme

Get kids moving while they learn! Features 20 colorful Constitution-themed vocabulary cards, recording sheets, ABC order activity, sentence sorting, and story writing practice. Ideal for literacy centers, early finishers, and Social Studies time.

We the Kids – A Storybook Companion

Uses David Catrow’s book We the Kids to make the Preamble relatable and understandable. Breaks it down line-by-line, includes:

Printable student book to illustrate

Key word definitions

Task cards

Sentence sorting activities. A perfect pairing of literature and social studies.

5 Fun Books About the Constitution for Young Children

"We the Kids" by David Catrow – A colorful, humorous take on the Preamble that makes it accessible for kids.

"A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution" by Betsy Maestro – A kid-friendly history of how the Constitution came to be.

"If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution" by Elizabeth Levy – An engaging “you are there” style look at the signing.

"Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution" by Jean Fritz – Fun facts and storytelling bring the Constitutional Convention to life.

"The U.S. Constitution" by Christine Taylor-Butler – A simple, factual introduction for early learners.

5 Constitution-Themed Activities for the Classroom:

Preamble Puzzle – Write each line of the Preamble on separate puzzle pieces. Students assemble the puzzle and match each part to its meaning.

National Symbol Scavenger Hunt – Hide images of the Liberty Bell, White House, and other symbols around the room. Students find and record them on a worksheet.

Classroom Bill of Rights – Work as a group to write and illustrate a classroom “Bill of Rights” that reflects fairness, kindness, and respect.

Constitution Craftivity – Have students create a mini scroll with the words “We the People” on top and draw their own vision of America.

Constitution Role Play – In small groups, act out a scene of the Constitutional Convention with students playing different historical figures.

Constitution Day doesn’t have to be dry or abstract—by pairing kid-friendly literature, hands-on activities, and your Constitution-themed resources, you can help even the youngest learners connect with America’s founding principles. Your students will walk away not only knowing what the Constitution is, but also why it matters.

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