Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month across the curriculum

Why Asian Pacific American Heritage Month matters in the classroom

Every May, schools across the country observe Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, it is a time to honor the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who’ve shaped the history, culture, and identity of the United States. From the Chinese laborers who built the transcontinental railroad to groundbreaking scientists, artists, and civil rights leaders, the contributions of the AAPI community run deep across every subject you already teach.

So how do you turn a month-long observance into meaningful learning that goes beyond a single bulletin board? The good news is that AAPI Heritage Month fits naturally into social studies, science, math, English language arts, world languages, and the arts. That makes it one of the most versatile heritage celebrations to plan around.

The activities below are designed with elementary classrooms in mind, but many include suggestions for adapting them for middle and high school students too. Whether you teach 2nd grade or 10th grade, you’ll find something here to spark curiosity and conversation.

10 cross-curricular activities for AAPI Heritage Month

1) Kick off the month with a video introduction

Before diving into individual activities, give your students a clear picture of what Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is and why it’s celebrated in May. The timing isn’t random: May marks the anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants arriving in the United States in 1843, as well as the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, built largely through the labor of Chinese immigrants.

Start by watching May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a short overview from the This Month in History series on ClickView. At just one minute long, it’s a perfect warm-up that sets the tone for the month ahead.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch the video as a whole class and then brainstorm together: What do students already know about Asian American and Pacific Islander history? What do they want to learn?
• Create a class KWL chart (Know, Want to Know, Learned) to revisit throughout May.
• For middle and high school students, pair the video with a short research task. Have students investigate one AAPI figure or event mentioned and present their findings to the class.

2) Map the geography of Asia and the Pacific Islands

Geography is a natural starting point for understanding the incredible diversity of the AAPI community. Asia alone spans dozens of countries, languages, and cultures, and the Pacific Islands add another rich layer of history and tradition.

Use ClickView’s Asia miniclip to introduce students to the continent, then follow up with Southeast Asia and Pacific Island Nations to broaden their view.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Give each student or small group a blank map. As they watch each video, they label countries, capital cities, and key geographic features.
• Create a “passport” booklet where students add a new country stamp each time they learn about a new AAPI culture throughout the month.
• For middle and high school students, turn this into a comparative research project. Assign each group a different Asian or Pacific Island nation. They research the country’s geography, government, and cultural traditions, then present to the class using a visual display or slideshow.

3) Explore the story of the 442nd Regiment

History class is the perfect place to introduce one of the most powerful and lesser-known stories from World War II. Despite facing racism and discrimination at home, the Japanese American soldiers of the 442nd Regiment became the most decorated unit in United States military history. Their bravery and heroism in the face of prejudice make this a compelling story for students of all ages.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch the video together and discuss: What does it mean to fight for a country that doesn’t treat you fairly? How did the soldiers of the 442nd demonstrate resilience?
• Have students write a short reflection or journal entry from the perspective of a 442nd Regiment soldier writing a letter home.
• For middle and high school students, connect this to a broader study of Japanese American internment during World War II. Students could compare the experiences of the 442nd with those of Japanese Americans held in internment camps, exploring themes of patriotism, identity, and civil liberties.

4) Research AAPI trailblazers in science

Give your science class a heritage month boost when you introduce students to Chien-Shiung Wu, known as the “First Lady of Physics.” Wu made groundbreaking contributions to nuclear physics and challenged a fundamental law of nature, yet her work was often overlooked during her lifetime.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch the ClickView video on Chien-Shiung Wu and discuss: Why do you think some scientists don’t get the recognition they deserve? What barriers did Wu face as a woman and an immigrant in the scientific community?
• Have students create a “Scientist Spotlight” poster featuring Wu’s life, discoveries, and lasting impact on physics.
• For middle and high school students, this pairs well with a physics or chemistry unit. Challenge students to research another AAPI scientist or inventor (for example, Har Gobind Khorana, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, or David Ho) and prepare a short presentation connecting that person’s work to a concept they’re studying in class.

5) Study AAPI changemakers in civil rights

The fight for civil rights in America includes powerful AAPI voices that your students deserve to know about. Patsy Mink was the first woman of color elected to the United States Congress and a driving force behind Title IX, the landmark legislation that gave women and girls equal access to education programs and school sports.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch the Changemakers of the Civil Rights Era video on Patsy Mink and discuss: What rules did Mink work to change, and why? How do those changes affect students today?
• Ask students to think about a rule or policy at their school or in their community that they’d like to change. Have them write a persuasive paragraph explaining why the change matters and how it would help others.
• For middle and high school students, connect Patsy Mink’s story to a broader exploration of the Civil Rights Movement. Have students compare Mink’s activism with that of other changemakers from different backgrounds, examining how diverse communities worked together (and sometimes independently) to expand civil rights in America.

6) Celebrate AAPI voices in storytelling and film

English language arts (ELA) and media studies both come alive with the stories of AAPI artists who broke barriers and changed how America tells its stories. Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American Hollywood star, while Edith Maude Eaton used her pen to foster cultural understanding at a time when anti-Asian sentiment was running high.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch one or both videos. Then ask: Why is representation in books, movies, and TV shows important? How does seeing yourself reflected in a story change the way you feel about it?
• For a creative writing exercise, have students write a short story or poem inspired by a theme from one of these figures’ lives: identity, belonging, courage, or cultural pride.
• Pair the videos with Polly Bemis: Chinese Immigrant Pioneer, the story of a woman sold into slavery who became a pioneer of the American West. Students could compare the three women’s experiences and discuss what connected them despite living in different eras.
• For middle and high school students, turn this into a media analysis project. Have students research how AAPI characters have been portrayed in film and literature over the past century, from early stereotypes to modern representation. They could create a timeline or visual essay showing how that portrayal has shifted.

7) Count, sing, and read in Chinese

Combine math and world languages through ClickView’s Counting to 10 in Chinese (for younger students) and Counting to 100 in Chinese (for older elementary students). Both videos come from the Numberock series and combine music with math for a memorable learning experience.

Then bring in the cultural side with the animated storybooks Chelsea’s Chinese New Year and PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year, along with the mythology video How Humans Got Fire from the Story of China series.

How to use this in your classroom:

• After watching the counting videos, practice numbers in Chinese as a class. Try using Chinese number words during math warm-ups for the rest of the month.
• Read one of the Chinese New Year storybooks aloud (or watch together) and have students illustrate their favorite scene or write about a family tradition of their own.
• Use How Humans Got Fire as a read-aloud mentor text for a mythology unit. Have students compare this Chinese myth with fire-origin stories from other cultures.
• For middle and high school students, build on language exploration by researching the structure of Mandarin Chinese (for example, tonal language, character-based writing) and comparing it to English. This works well in ELA or a world languages elective.

8) Discover Japanese art, music, and language

The arts offer a window into Japanese culture that appeals to every type of learner. ClickView’s Japanese Art video introduces students to traditional art forms, while Introducing the Music of Japan explores the instruments and musical traditions that have shaped Japanese identity for centuries.

For a geographic and cultural overview, start with Japan from the Let’s Discover series. Then go deeper into communication and values with The Language of Respect, which explores how the Japanese language reflects the culture’s emphasis on respect and politeness. You could also introduce basic Japanese greetings through the Lingo Ninja series.

How to use this in your classroom:

• After watching the art video, try a hands-on Japanese art activity. Origami is a great option that ties into math concepts like symmetry and geometry. Alternatively, students could try sumi-e (ink wash painting) using black paint and simple brushes.
• Play selections from the music video and have students compare Japanese instruments to ones they already know. What sounds similar? What sounds completely different? To which instrument family does each belong?
• Practice basic Japanese greetings together. Ask: How does learning to say hello in someone else’s language show respect?
• For middle and high school students, the Language of Respect video opens up a rich discussion about how language shapes culture (and the other way around). Pair it with a short writing assignment: How does the way we speak to people reveal what we value?

9) Investigate ancient Indian empires and culture

Take students on a journey through the history of the Indian subcontinent with Ancient Indian Empires, a timeline covering the rise and fall of great empires from 321 BCE to 499 CE. This is a rich entry point into discussions about the spread of Buddhism and Hinduism, advances in mathematics and astronomy, and the flourishing of art and literature.

Bring in the cultural dimension with Introducing the Music of India and the animated retelling of Hinduism: The Story of Rama and Sita.

Add an inspiring biographical element with Mahatma Gandhi and Malala Yousafzai: Critical Thinking, both of which highlight individuals from South Asia who changed the world through courage and conviction.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Create a class timeline of ancient Indian empires. As students watch the video, they add key dates, events, and achievements to the timeline.
• After watching The Story of Rama and Sita, have students discuss storytelling traditions. How do myths and legends pass down a culture’s values? Compare this to stories from other traditions students already know.
• Watch the Gandhi or Malala video and ask: What does it take to stand up for what you believe in, even when it’s difficult?
• For middle and high school students, connect ancient Indian mathematical and astronomical achievements to concepts students are learning in math or science. Research tasks on the number zero, the decimal system, or early astronomical observations all originate in the Indian subcontinent.

10) Learn about Polynesian history and sustainability

Round out the month by exploring the Pacific Islander side of AAPI heritage. ClickView’s Polynesian Culture video gives students an overview of the traditions, navigation skills, and community values that defined Polynesian life. Then dig into an important modern topic with Sustainability in Polynesia, which looks at how Pacific Island communities have long practiced environmental stewardship.

For a fun connection to American culture, add The Surfboard from the Museum of Artifacts That Made America series. This short video traces the surfboard’s journey from Polynesian tradition to American icon.

How to use this in your classroom:

• Watch Polynesian Culture and have students identify three things that surprised them. Use a think-pair-share to discuss as a class.
• Connect Sustainability in Polynesia to a science or social studies unit on environmentalism. Ask: What lessons about sustainability have Polynesian communities practiced for generations that the rest of the world is only now catching on to?
• Use The Surfboard as a conversation starter about cultural exchange. How did a Polynesian tradition become part of everyday life for American beachgoers? What does that tell us about how cultures influence each other?
• For middle and high school students, explore Polynesian wayfinding and navigation as a STEM topic. Ancient Polynesian sailors navigated thousands of miles across the open ocean using stars, currents, and wave patterns. Challenge students to research these techniques and compare them to modern GPS technology.

Tips for weaving AAPI Heritage Month into your everyday teaching

You don’t have to tackle all 10 activities to make AAPI Heritage Month meaningful. Even one or two, woven thoughtfully into your existing curriculum, send a powerful message to your students about whose stories are worth telling.

Here are a few ways to keep the learning going beyond a single lesson:

• Build a classroom library. Add books by AAPI authors or featuring AAPI characters to your reading corner. Rotate titles throughout the year, not just in May.
• Invite guest speakers. Reach out to families in your school community who’d be willing to share their cultural traditions, family stories, or experiences. A short assembly talk or classroom visit makes heritage month feel personal and real.
• Connect locally. Many cities hold cultural festivals, art exhibits, and community events during May. Print out a list of local events and display them where students and families see them.
• Use video throughout the year. The Asian Pacific American Heritage Month topic page on ClickView is always available. Revisit these resources whenever a relevant topic comes up in your lesson plans, whether that’s a geography unit in October or a biography project in February.

The goal isn’t to cover everything in one month. It’s to help your students see AAPI history and culture as a living, vital part of the American story, something worth exploring all year long.

Sources

1. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (no date). Available at: https://asianpacificheritage.gov/ (Accessed: 22 April 2026).
2. Library of Congress (no date) ‘Asian Pacific American Heritage Month’, Library of Congress. Available at: https://www.loc.gov/asian-pacific-american-heritage/ (Accessed: 22 April 2026).
3. National Archives (2024) ‘Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month’, National Archives. Available at: https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/asian-pacific-heritage-month (Accessed: 22 April 2026).