Every successful teacher has a few strategies, activities or ideas that are proven winners! We’ve asked teachers to share their favorite tips. Read through the entries below—you’re sure to find a few helpful suggestions.
Turkey Talk
Lillian Ramey
preschool - Boulder, CO
My preschoolers love to play games at circle time, so I made up a version of Hot Potato with a Thanksgiving twist! I have the kids sit on the floor in a circle. Instead of passing a ball, we pass a toy plush turkey around the circle as music plays. When the music stops, the person left holding the turkey tells something he is thankful for. We continue playing until all students have had a chance to share!
The First FeastSarah Vasut
kindergarten - Wilmington, NC
We divide our four kindergarten classrooms into two groups—Native Americans and Pilgrims. Then we help the children make simple costumes so that they can dress the part for a re-enactment of the first Thanksgiving dinner. We invite parent volunteers to bring in food such as corn on the cob, turkey, and mashed potatoes for our own Thanksgiving feast. The children just love it and it really brings the concept of the first Thanksgiving to life!
Fact or FictionDonna Anderson
5th grade - Atlanta, GA
Leading up to Thanksgiving, I encourage the students in my class to select a nonfiction book and write a book report about Native Americans, early American settlers, or the first Thanksgiving celebration. The week before Thanksgiving, I invite students to share the most interesting facts they learned in their reading and how this information differs from myths they might have heard about the first Thanksgiving.
Thankful HeartsSandra Masted
2nd grade - Tucson, AZ
I cut paper hearts out of colored construction paper and have my students draw pictures or write about things for which they are thankful. Then we put them together on a bulletin board titled “Thankful Hearts at Thanksgiving.” After the holiday is over, I encourage the children to take their hearts home to share them with their families.
Helping HandsJessica Domenici
4th grade - Chicago, IL
Our school is located across the street from a community food bank, so we take the opportunity to hold a canned food drive just before Thanksgiving. Then we partner with the food bank, and, with parents’ permission, students have the opportunity to work as volunteers in one-hour shifts, handing out boxes of food to needy families. The experience is so rewarding for our students and, hopefully, opens their eyes to the positive difference they can make in offering a helping hand to others!
Thanksgiving Story TimeAmelia Hernandez
3rd grade - Dallas, TX
I gather about a dozen books from our library that focus on Thanksgiving and related topics, such as families, traditions, and sharing. Then I set aside time throughout the month to read aloud to my students. Whether we’re reading a humorous book of Thanksgiving poems or a heartwarming story of a family’s Thanksgiving celebration, students love these read-aloud moments that spark their interest in reading!
The Giving TreeAlicia Lissik
2nd grade - Hermosa Beach, CA
Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to teach kids about expressing gratitude and giving praise to others. I make a large tree trunk by twisting sheets of brown butcher paper and stapling it to a bulletin board. Then I have students use construction paper in a variety of colors to trace and cut out leaf templates. We put the leaves in a box near the door of our classroom. Then as students see others exhibiting behaviors worthy of praise and compliments, they write it on a leaf and attach it to the tree trunk. By the end of the month, the tree is full of colorful leaves that recognize positive attitudes and behavior!
