Each May, the United States celebrates Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, taking time to reflect on the experiences and contributions of the AANHPI community. Schools across the country welcome the faces of AANHPI students every day, embodying the rich diversity and cultural tapestry of their classrooms. Virtually every county in the United States has an AANHPI. The Pew Research Center projects that the AANHPI population in the United States will reach 46 million by 2060.
To truly embrace representation in schools, it is important to provide authentic opportunities to learn about the diverse cultures, languages, contributions, and experiences of the AANHPI community during AANHPI Heritage Month and throughout the year. Not only does this provide AANHPI-identified students with the opportunity to see themselves in their own learning process, but it also allows all students to learn from a variety of perspectives, creating empathy, understanding, and a more inclusive educational environment for all.
Resources and activities to educate about the AANHPI experience
To help you explore and celebrate the multifaceted history and culture of Asian Americans, we have curated a list of resources and activities to educate the AANHPI community.
Use these resources to deepen your understanding during AANHPI Heritage Month and throughout the school year.
- Spark discussion and reflection by celebrating and commemorating the AANHPI Legacy Collection on Flip, a free web and mobile app that lets you record, edit, and share video assignments. Explore a variety of AANHPI topics for all grade levels.
- Explore Māori culture and language in Minecraft Education with Ngā Motu. Students can explore Māori architecture, art, economy and language, as well as the ecosystem of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Minecraft Education helps educators bring indigenous cultures to life and build social and emotional skills through immersive game-based learning.
- Plan a virtual visit to the Japanese American National Museum. Customized tours for each grade level allow students to learn about various aspects of Japanese American culture, art, and history.
- Ask students to analyze how history impacts the AANHPI community now and in the future. Select one or more activities from the American Asian Education Project and use Microsoft's two digital literacy tools: Search Progress (for assignments) or Search Coach (for live in-class activities) to help students write effective search queries. Yes. Find a site you trust and think critically about the results.
Use Search Progress to help students write effective search queries and evaluate results.
From historic milestones to visionary leadership, AANHPI individuals have left an indelible mark on the world. Although May is designated as AANHPI Heritage Month, it can be used as a catalyst for classroom learning throughout the year. Together, we can continually and consciously represent the people of AANHPI to create a truly inclusive learning environment for all.