May is a wonderful time of the school year: Spring is in full swing, April showers have brought May flowers, and there are so many special events and holidays to celebrate! It’s the perfect time to incorporate lessons and books to prepare preschoolers for the first day of kindergarten as well prepare your students for growing their reading skills over summer. So whether you want to honor Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, explore fun activities, or get theme ideas for your classroom community to promote creativity and curiosity, you’re in a great place to get started! 

This time of year is a great opportunity for teaching about animals and weather, plus other May themes like nature, life cycles, plants, and bugs. And, of course, we’ll be celebrating and honoring teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week! In this collection you’ll find more monthly themes for May, along with spring lesson plans and book lists and articles to help you teach throughout the month and get the most out of those special days before summer.