This lesson is going to be fun!
While our latest Time Travel video will not be live for the classroom until 12:00 AM on December 8, 2025 below are a few lesson plan ideas for your classroom. Including the PDF version for download right here.
And, until the new video is published, below is an older video to help launch your lesson with students!
🚀 Time Traveler Class Lessons
1. History & Social Studies: The Reporter from the Past/Future
| Grade Level | Activity | Focus |
| Elementary (K-5) | A Day in the Past Interview | Students choose an era (e.g., Medieval Times, 1950s, Pioneer life). They draw a picture of a person from that time and write down 3-5 questions they would ask them. They then pretend to be that person and answer the questions. |
| Middle School (6-8) | Paradox & Impact: The Time Traveler’s Warning | Introduce the concept of a time travel paradox (like the grandfather paradox). Students choose a pivotal historical event (e.g., the invention of the printing press, a famous battle, the signing of a key document). Their task is to write a short journal entry detailing a visit to that time and a small, unintentional change they made. They then write a paragraph about the huge, negative impact that small change has on their present day. |
| High School (9-12) | Historical Figure Press Conference | Assign students (or small groups) a famous historical figure (e.g., Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr.). They must research the figure and the major issues of their time. The student then acts as that historical figure, having been “transported” to our modern classroom. The rest of the class are modern journalists asking them questions about their life and their reaction to modern technology and world events. |
2. Science & Technology: Building the Machine
| Grade Level | Activity | Focus |
| Elementary (K-5) | Time Machine Design Challenge | Students use recycled materials (cardboard, construction paper, foil, etc.) to design and “build” a model of a time machine. They must label at least three special features (e.g., a “Past/Future Dial,” a “Re-entry Stabilizer,” or a “Snack Dispenser”) and explain how their machine works. |
| Middle School (6-8) | The Physics of Time Travel | Explore the difference between time dilation (from Einstein’s theory of relativity) and true time travel. Students research key concepts like light speed, wormholes, or theoretical particles. They then write a persuasive essay: “Can Humans Achieve True Time Travel?” using scientific evidence to support their claim. |
| High School (9-12) | Future Technology Blueprint | Students project 50 or 100 years into the future and design a detailed blueprint for a new technology that does not yet exist. This must be a realistic (even if theoretical) concept, complete with a detailed explanation of its function, the scientific principles behind it, and its ethical implications for society. |
3. Language Arts & Creative Writing: The Visitor
| Grade Level | Activity | Focus |
| Elementary (K-5) | Future Me Portrait and Story | Students draw a picture of themselves 10, 15, or 20 years in the future, including their job, clothing, and environment. They write a short story or a series of captions describing their day in the future. |
| Middle School (6-8) | The Time Traveler’s Guide to the Present | The students pretend they are a time traveler from the year 2350 who has just arrived in 2025. They must write a guidebook for their fellow travelers on how to blend in or survive in the “primitive” year 2025. The guide should include tips on: Slang, Technology Misuse (like sniffing earbuds or talking into a calculator), Fashion, and Daily Rituals. |
| High School (9-12) | Narrative: First Contact | Students write a short story (300-500 words) about a moment of First Contact—the moment a time traveler from the far-future or deep-past meets a person from the present day. The story should focus on the communication breakdown, the shock of the time traveler, and the cultural differences. |
Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day: The Joy of Temporal Displacement
I. Introduction
If you could travel through time, where would you go? Would you visit the roaring 1920s, the age of dinosaurs, or the 25th century? On December 8th, you don’t need a TARDIS or a DeLorean; you just need your imagination, because it’s Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day! This unofficial, whimsical holiday is dedicated to stepping out of the present moment and embracing the absurd joy of temporal role-play. It’s a powerful, tangible reminder that history isn’t just dates and names—it’s a living story that we can all playfully interact with. (Download the PDF here.)
II. The Origin
A. The Founding
Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day is a wonderful example of a grassroots holiday, created not by a corporation but by communities online. It emerged in the mid-2000s, likely originating from forums, gaming groups, and science-fiction fans who were looking for a non-commercial, highly imaginative way to celebrate. The idea was simple: dedicate one day a year to escaping the mundane reality of the present and encouraging others to engage in creative role-playing.
B. History
The concept of time travel itself is surprisingly old. It was popularized by H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel, The Time Machine, which coined the term “time machine” and established the genre as we know it. From Wells to Doctor Who to Back to the Future, our fascination with the past and future is a reflection of human curiosity. We want to witness history’s greatest moments, fix past mistakes, and peek at the technological wonders to come. This day taps into that deep-seated cultural curiosity.
C. The Journey to “National Day”
This holiday spread rapidly through social media and digital platforms. Unlike formal national days, its growth was entirely driven by engagement: people sharing photographs of their “era-appropriate” outfits, writing notes in “ancient” language, and adopting an amusingly bewildered persona about modern technology (like mistaking a cell phone for a mystical communication device). Its popularity solidified because it offers a fun, low-cost way to celebrate history, literature, and imagination all at once.
III. Significance and Impact
A. Relevance
The simple act of pretending encourages two major things: creativity and historical empathy. To pretend to be from 1890, you have to think about what life was actually like, how people spoke, and what their societal norms were. This makes history come alive. It also offers a necessary escape; by adopting the persona of a visitor from another era, the pressures and concerns of the current day melt away, at least for a few hours.
B. Geographical and Demographic
Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day is truly a global, digital celebration. Enthusiasts range from costumed re-enactors adopting the full jargon of the Elizabethan era to casual participants who simply tell their barista they “must return to the future before their temporal drive sputters out.” For classrooms, this is an excellent prompt for history or English papers, encouraging students to research a historical period and describe their experience as a bewildered visitor.
C. Personal Connection
The most enjoyable part of this day is the committed performance. The stories that go viral often feature “time travelers” struggling hilariously with mundane modern objects—a credit card machine being mistaken for a sacred artifact, or a television being treated as a magic window to the world. It’s a day where everyone gets to be a little weird, a little dramatic, and completely out of time.
IV. Conclusion and Call to Action
Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day reminds us how powerful a simple, shared flight of fancy can be. It’s a wonderful opportunity to channel your inner historian, futuristic inventor, or maybe just a confused adventurer.
Go out and celebrate Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day! Choose an era, adopt your persona, and commit to the role. Try using some archaic language (thou, perchance, verily) or make a baffled comment about a modern convenience. Share your temporal adventures with us using #CelebrateEveryDay and #TimeTravelerDay!
Share this with family and friends! Download the PDF here.