Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Meaningful Classroom Activities

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month — a time to recognize and appreciate the many ways AAPI individuals have shaped American history, culture, and communities. In the classroom, it’s a chance to explore new stories, celebrate rich traditions, and help students discover the people and events that don’t always appear in standard lesson plans.

Here are some meaningful and easy-to-implement ideas to help you celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with your students.

1. Read Books Featuring AAPI Stories

Books are a great entry point into learning about different cultures and perspectives. For younger students, picture books like Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho or The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi offer powerful messages about identity, family, and culture. For middle grades and up, consider novels like Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai or Front Desk by Kelly Yang, which share the immigrant experience through the eyes of young narrators.

Try creating a themed book corner for the month or having students do a book report or creative project based on one of these stories.

Book list starters:

• Drawn Together by Minh Lê

• A Different Pond by Bao Phi

• When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

2. Learn About Key Historical Figures

Many students are surprised to learn how much AAPI individuals have contributed to major moments in U.S. history. Bring these stories into your classroom by highlighting one person each week or assigning student research projects.

Ideas to explore:

• Ellison Onizuka – The first Asian American astronaut.

• Duke Kahanamoku – Olympic gold medalist and “father of modern surfing.”

• Larry Itliong – Filipino American labor leader who helped organize the Delano grape strike.

• Yuri Kochiyama – A Japanese American activist who was involved in the civil rights movement.

Students can create posters, write short biographies, or present interesting facts during morning meetings or history lessons.

3. Explore Traditions Through Art, Food, and Music

One of the most engaging ways to learn about different cultures is through the senses — especially sight, sound, and taste! Integrate hands-on activities that help students connect to AAPI traditions.

Art Ideas:

• Try simple origami projects and discuss their history in Japanese culture.

• Learn about rangoli designs from India and have students create their own colorful patterns using paper or chalk.

• Study traditional Hawaiian quilting or Chinese brush painting.

Music Exploration:

• Introduce students to traditional instruments like the guzheng (China), taiko drums (Japan), or ukulele (Hawai‘i).

• Play music from different regions and discuss how it’s used in celebrations and storytelling.

Food Activities:

• Watch videos or read short descriptions about traditional dishes like Vietnamese pho, Korean kimchi, or Filipino lumpia.

• Create a classroom cookbook with recipes from students' families that connect to Asian or Pacific Islander heritage.

(Be sure to check school food guidelines before offering tastings!)

4. Connect the Learning to Students' Lives

Encourage students to share their own experiences and learn from one another. You might invite guest speakers from the community (or even a parent or grandparent) to talk about their background or family traditions. Older students can also interview someone they know and present what they learned.

Another great activity: have students create a “culture showcase” — whether through posters, PowerPoints, videos, or displays — to highlight different countries, holidays, and customs from across Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Why It Matters

When students learn about people from many places and walks of life, it broadens their understanding of the world around them. Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month offers a chance to enrich your lessons with stories, art, and history that leave a lasting impression.

Whether you're reading a new book, highlighting a historical figure, or trying an art activity, even small additions to your lessons can help make May a month of meaningful learning.