Commanders-in-Teach: Learning about the Presidents of the United States 

Did you know the official name for the holiday we call Presidents’ Day is technically “Washington’s Birthday”? While there is a long explanation for this, the simpler one is that in the late 1800s, Congress wanted to honor the nation’s first president. Now, the country uses the day to celebrate the birthdays and lives of all American presidents.

Need some ideas for celebrating our nation’s Commanders-in-Chief in the classroom? Each president has had a very unique experience in office—from his personality and background to what global events happened during his time in D.C. There are so many ways to unpack them and have fun with it! And, with Britannica School’s extensive database of presidential content, you can create engaging lessons that bring these stories to life.

Milestone Matchup

Here’s a teachable moment: When students shrug at presidential history, that’s your cue to get creative! Turn their “meh” into “wow” by shaking up the traditional approach. Those skeptical faces in your classroom? They’re actually your secret superpower for innovation. What do your students like? Music, sports, Victorian-inspired dresses, technology, hiking . . . anything can be put into historical context, and a lot of history has happened since the United States became a country.

Using Britannica School’s timeline features, you can easily create a matching or trivia game—or have students create their own—to teach about global interests as well as provide context for American history. 

Challenge your students to discover who was in the Oval Office when these historic events happened:

Encourage critical thinking by asking your students: Do any of those facts change the way you think about that president? What do you think he felt about the event? Is there evidence for how he reacted to it? There are tons of ways to connect American history to topics that students are already interested in! What are other events or topics you could match to our presidents?

Treasure the Timeline

Log in to Britannica School and explore the “US Presidents at a Glance” interactives. We have one for each president! Click around to discover fast facts about all 45 presidents’ time in office, including their political party, notable dates, and links to articles for more context. You’ll also find detailed info about every presidential election they participated in—even tallies for electoral vote vs. popular vote!

These ready-to-use interactive timelines are a jumping off point for presidential research projects or can be inspiration for students to make their own timelines. What events have happened in school so far this year? What’s your school’s debate, sports, or robotics team’s win-loss record? What other fast facts would your students like to remember after this semester ends?

Executive Excursions

Of course one part of every president’s history is that they are from the United States! You can visit their hometowns, and sometimes even their homes, which are spread all across the country.

Several presidents wanted their personal and official documents preserved, given their importance to the nation and its history. So, in 1955, Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, which established a series of federal libraries and encouraged presidents to donate their artifacts to them. 

Now, every president since Herbert Hoover, who served as president 1929–1933, has a dedicated Presidential Library, Presidential Museum, or both. You can explore them in person or virtually, and they support field trips! Many of them have replicas of the Oval Office, the way it was when that president served, as well as photos, footage, historical artifacts or replicas, and interactive exhibits. 

The Obama Presidential Center is set to open in 2026, and libraries for Trump and Biden will likely follow!

Other Oval Office Opportunities

Move beyond traditional assignments with these engaging classroom ideas, all supported by Britannica School resources:

These creative approaches help students connect personally with presidential history while building crucial research and presentation skills. Find all the supporting materials you need in your Britannica School subscription!

How else will you celebrate Washington’s Birthday? Let us be a part of the celebration using your Britannica School or Library subscription. Not a subscriber yet? Contact us!