Free April Unit Studies and Lessons
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 April. All of the holiday dates given are for 2023. Because the dates of some holidays vary, I will update this post each year. For other months, see this page.
This post contains affiliate links. See our complete disclosure here.
Free April Unit Studies and Lessons for Month-Long Themes and Observances
Autism Acceptance Month (all April)
Autism Acceptance Month was created to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism. This month was previously called Autism Awareness Month, but it has been renamed to focus on acceptance and inclusion.
- Organization for Autism Research– video lesson
- Sesame Street– digital book read aloud
- Teachers Pay Teachers– mini book and lesson
- Teachers Pay Teachers– writing prompts
National Deaf History Month (all April)
National Deaf History Month recognizes the accomplishments of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Peanut Butter Fish Lessons– Helen Keller unit study
- Classics for Kids– Ludwig van Beethoven lesson plan
- American Sign Language University– sign language lessons
- Signing Time– sign language videos
Keep America Beautiful Month (all April)
Keep America Beautiful Month is a time to reduce waste, prevent litter, and beautify communities.
- The Fill– how to plan a community cleanup
- Toddler Approved– litter pick up scavenger hunt
National Frog Month (all April)
National Frog Month is set aside for learning about and observing frogs of all types.
- Homeschool Share– frog lapbook
- Year Round Homeschool– unit study
- The Crafty Classroom– unit study
National Garden Month (all April)
National Garden Month began in 2002 when National Garden week was extended to last the entire month. This month take some time to plant a garden, tend your garden, or visit a local botanical garden.
- 7Sisters Homeschool– gardening planner
- Freedom Homeschooling– container gardening ideas
- Freedom Homeschooling– composting information and lessons
- 123 Homeschool 4 Me– printable plant lifecycle notebook
National Poetry Month (all month)
The Academy of American Poets started national Poetry Month to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry.
- Freedom Homeschooling– poetry curriculum
- Woo! Jr. Kids Activities– introduction to poetry worksheets
National Turn Off the T.V. and Read Month (all April)
National Turn Off Your T.V. Month’s goal is to increase awareness of the adverse effects of excessive screen time. Participate by turning off the T.V. and spending time reading instead.
- Freedom Homeschooling– downloadable ebooks
- Freedom Homeschooling– downloadable vintage readers
- Freedom Homeschooling– reading lists
- Freedom Homeschooling– how to choose books for your children
Scottish American Heritage Month (all April)
Scottish American Heritage Month highlights Scottish heritage and remembers the Scottish Americans who have impacted U.S. society.
- National Today– informative article
- Insanely Good Recipies– Scottish recipes
- Teachers Pay Teachers– Scotland lesson plan
Arab American Heritage Month (all April)
National Arab American Heritage Month is a time for celebrating the history, contributions, and culture of Arab Americans.
- Arab America– curriculum kit
- Arab American National Museum– virtual galleries and educator resources
- Woo! Jr. Kids Actvtivities– unit study
Free April Unit Studies and Lessons for Week-Long Themes and Observances
National Wildlife Week (April 5th to 9th)
National Wildlife Week is a time to learn more about the incredible animals native to North America, their habitats, and how to help them thrive.
- Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies– animal tracks unit study
- Freedom Homeschooling– nature reader ebooks
- Freedom Homeschooling– printable bird watching journal and other resources
- Homeschool Share– animal lapbooks
National Library Week (April 23rd to 29th)
The American Library Association sponsors National Library Week to motivate people to read and support libraries. It’s observed in April each year, but the dates may vary.
- Learn Bright– library skills lesson plan
- Teachers Pay Teachers– Dewey Decimal System PowerPoint lesson and printables
- Teachers Pay Teachers– Dewey Decimal System worksheets
Free April Unit Studies and Lessons for Holidays, Historical Events, and Fun Days
Lent (February 22nd to April 6th)
Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter. It’s a time when Christians commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert. Many Christians fast from certain foods or choose something to give up during Lent.
- Good Dirt– devotional book
- Bible.com– daily devotionals
- Loyola Press– Lenten family calendar
April Fool’s Day (April 1st)
April Fool’s Day is a fun day for playing practical jokes or pranks on friends and family.
- Family Education– prank ideas
- Milwaukee With Kids– prank ideas
One Cent Day (April 1st)
One Cent Day is a holiday dedicated to the penny. Celebrate by learning about the history of the penny, making a small purchase entirely in pennies, or leaving pennies in the “need a penny, take a penny, have a penny, leave a penny” tray at a store checkout.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– worksheet set
- US Coins Guides– history of pennies article
- Teach Engineering– science experiment
- Teach Beside Me– science experiment
International Children’s Book Day (April 2nd)
International Children’s Book Day is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People. The event’s goal is to inspire a love of reading and call attention to children’s books. April 2nd was chosen because it’s Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday.
- Freedom Homeschooling– ebooks
- Freedom Homeschooling– audiobooks
- Freedom Homeschooling– book guides
National Find a Rainbow Day (April 3rd)
National Find a Rainbow Day is a day dedicated to searching for rainbows. If the skies are clear in your area, you can also celebrate by wearing rainbow colors, creating a rainbow-themed craft, or even doing a rainbow science experiment.
- Homeschool Scientist– lesson and activities
- Fantastic Fun and Learning– science experiments
- Easy Peasy and Fun– crafts
Pony Express Established (April 3rd)
The Pony Express delivered mail using relays of horse-mounted riders. It operated between Missouri and California from April 3, 1860, to October 26, 1861.
- DIY Homeschooler– unit study
- National Pony Express Association– lesson plan
National Read a Road Map Day (April 5th)
On National Read a Road Map Day, unfold a traditional road map and plan a trip or teach your children how to use a road map.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– create a road map activity
- Learn Bright– introduction to maps lesson plan
- Learn Bright– map reading skills lesson plan
Booker T. Washington’s Birthday (April 5th)
Booker T. Washington, who founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama (now known as Tuskegee University), was born on this day in 1856.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– reading comprehension worksheets
- Teachers Pay Teachers– printable mini-book
- Up From Slavery– Booker T. Washington’s autobiography (ebook)
U.S. Entered World War I (April 6th)
On April 6, 1917, two days after the U.S. Senate voted to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorsed the declaration, and America formally entered World War I.
- Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies– research and notebooking unit
- History on the Net– worksheets
- Teachers Pay Teachers– lesson plan
World Health Day (April 7th)
World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated each year to draw attention to a specific health topic, which changes each year. The World Health Organization sponsors the day.
- Freedom Homeschooling– health and P.E. curriculum
- Learn Bright– healthy living lesson plan
Easter (April 9th)
Easter, also called Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In the Western Church, Easter falls sometime between March 21st and April 25th, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.
- Freedom Homeschooling– activities
- Free Sunday School Curriculum– lesson plan
- God’s Hand in Our Lives– lesson plan
- Learn Bright– lesson plan
National Encourage a Young Writer Day (April 10th)
National Encourage a Young Writer Day is a day to encourage the budding young authors in your life.
- Freedom Homeschooling– writing prompts
- Freedom Homeschooling– references and tools for writers
- Freedom Homeschooling– composition curriculum
- Learn Bright– lesson plans
Beverly Cleary’s Birthday (April 12th)
Beverly Cleary, an American fiction writer, was born on April 12, 1916. She wrote numerous books for children and young adults, including the Ramona series.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– “Beezus and Ramona” book study
- Reading to Kids– teacher’s guide for “Henry Huggins”
- Rainbow Horizons– worksheets for “Romona the Pest”
The Titanic Struck an Iceberg (April 14th)
The Titanic hit an iceberg on the evening of April 14, 1912, and sank early in the morning of April 15, 1912.
- History on the Net– worksheet set
- Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus– lapbook printables
- Teachers Pay Teachers– unit study
Tax Day (April 18th)
Tax Day is the day in America that income tax returns are due to be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. Tax Day typically falls on or just after April 15th. The date is delayed when the 15th falls during a weekend or on a public holiday. It may also be delayed because of natural disasters or public health emergencies.
- IRS.gov– lesson plans
- Texas Education Agency– lesson plan
- Learn Bright– taxes lesson plan
Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride (April 18th)
Paul Revere rode to Lexington on April 18th, 1775, to warn patriot leaders that the British troops were coming.
- Read Write Think– lesson plan
- EDSITEment!– lesson plan
- Teachers Pay Teachers– activity packet
Great San Francisco Earthquake (April 18th)
The earthquake struck San Francisco at 5:12 A.M. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. Its magnitude is estimated to have been 7.9 on the Richter scale. More than 3,000 people died, and over 80% of the city of San Francisco was destroyed.
- DIY Homeschooler– unit study
- K12 Reader– worksheet
- Learn Bright– earthquakes and volcanoes lesson plan
Humorous Day (April 19th)
Humorous Day is a fun time to find humor in everyday situations, share jokes, and tell funny stories.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– crack the code joke worksheets
- Teachers Pay Teachers– jokes with idioms printable
- Teachers Pay Teacher– joke cards printable
- Teachers Pay Teachers– jokes coloring book
Revolutionary War Began (April 19th)
The Revolutionary War began with the confrontation between British troops and local militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775.
- Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus– unit study and lapbook
- Learn Bright– lesson plan
- Liberty’s Kids– video series
- The Daily Bellringer– video playlist
Marie and Pierre Curie Isolated Radium (April 20th)
On April 20, 1902, Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolated radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– fact worksheets
- Teachers Pay Teachers– mini book
- Teachers Pay Teachers– worksheets
Earth Day (April 22nd)
Earth Day’s focus is on protecting our planet. This includes preventing pollution and deforestation, recycling, picking up litter, reducing water and electricity usage, and other actions that benefit the environment.
- Learn in Color– lapbook
- Learn in Color– recycling book
- Freedom Homeschooling– composting activities and lessons
National Jelly Bean Day (April 22nd)
On National Jelly Bean Day, we celebrate this sweet and colorful candy.
- Simple Solutions– lesson ideas and worksheets
- The Preschool Toolbox– math activities
- Wunder Mom– science experiments and activities
William Shakespeare’s Birthday (April 23rd)
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564. The exact date of his birth was not recorded, but his birthday is usually celebrated on April 23rd. This date was selected because Shakespeare’s baptism was recorded on April 26, 1564, and it is assumed that he was about three days old at baptism.
- Freedom Homeschooling– teaching resources
- Peanut Butter Fish Lessons– unit study
Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day (April 24th)
Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day celebrates the popular comfort food – pork sausage baked in pastry.
- Delish– pigs-in-a-blanket recipe
- Homeschool Share– pigs lapbook
Hubble Space Telescope Launched (April 24th)
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit by space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, and a day later was deployed into low Earth orbit.
- DIY Homeschooler– unit study
- The Waldock Way– unit study
- Hubblesite– informative website
World Penguin Day (April 25th)
World Penguin day’s purpose is to encourage people to learn more about penguins and their habitats. The date was chosen to coincide with the annual northern migration of Adelie penguins.
- Year Round Homeschooling– unit study
- Homeschool Share– “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” unit study
- The Homeschool Scientist– Antarctica and penguins unit study
National Pretzel Day (April 26th)
National Pretzel Day recognizes one of America’s favorite snack foods.
- Utah Education Network– yeast pretzel lab
- Nasco Education– lesson plan
Maryland’s Statehood (April 28th)
Maryland became a state on April 28, 1788.
- DIY Homeschooler– unit study
- Ben and Me– unit study
Arbor Day (April 28th)
Arbor Day’s purpose is to encourage people to plant trees. National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday of April. However, many states observe Arbor Day on different dates throughout the year based on their area’s best tree planting times.
- Arbor Day Foundation– education resources
- Learn Bright– trees lesson plan
National Zipper Day (April 29th)
National Zipper Day commemorates when the patent for the modern zipper was issued on April 29, 1913.
- Teachers Pay Teachers– reading comprehension worksheet
- Teachers Pay Teachers– word search printable
- Bright Hub Education– preschool zipper activities
Louisiana’s Statehood (April 30th)
Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812.
- Ben and Me– unit study
- Learn in Color– state report lapbook
Have fun learning this April! I will add more free unit studies and lessons next year. Be sure to pin this post so you can find it next April.
This post was originally published on March 19, 2022, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
