If your garden centers are open,
which if you are still in the 40's, but if they are, you could fill terra cotta pots or other cheap containers with themed herbs and plants. A tomato plant, chile plant, green onions and cilantro plant for a salsa pot. Or a tomato plant, green pepper plant, oregano, parsley and basil plants for a spaghetti sauce pot. I have been planting my containers and started thinking about your centerpieces. Please let us know what you decide to do.
I think I am going to do one of these spaghetti sauce pots for the teacher's centerpiece and give it away in a drawing.