1-2-3 Come Do Some Creative November Writing Activities With Me

Are you looking for some November-themed writing activities to plug into your Daily 5 or writing block?  Well you've come to the right place.  I've got a variety of interesting and fun options for you. 

After reading several stories about the first Thanksgiving, have a discussion with your students about the kinds of meals that they enjoy for their Thanksgiving feast.  How are they similar? How are they different?  Do most of them have a traditional or non traditional Thanksgiving? 

Afterwards, have students write about this, by coloring their turkey recording paper and jotting down things about their Thanksgiving meal. 

Remind students to use descriptive adjectives, to help explain what their table decorations, as well as food for their feast, consists of. 

For that finishing touch, have them color, trim and glue the table pattern to the bottom of their completed paper.  I've included my sample that you can share, or make one up of your own, as a fun way for your kiddos to learn a bit about their teacher.

 When everyone is done, call on several volunteers to share their work.  Completed projects make lovely hallway wall decorations displayed in a row.

Click on the link to view/download the My Thanksgiving Dinner Writing Prompt Craftivity.The My Thanksgiving Dinner paper plate craftivity, featured last week, would be a nice companion to this writing prompt as well. 

Another form of writing that students are asked to learn, is giving directions for how to do something. 

The "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie" craftivity, provides interesting practice.  I've included a list of transitions, a graphing extension and an adjective worksheet, as well as a Venn diagram activity for more teachable moments. 

Another writing prompt that's very popular at this time of year, is when children write about things that they are thankful for.  For years, I had my students write these items on turkey feathers then I'd staple them to a big fat turkey on our bulletin board. 

If you're tired of doing something like that, I have several different options for you to choose from.  A super-quick one is the Thankful word craftivity. 

Inside the letters, students write as many things as they can think of, that they are thankful for.  Mount their completed work, on a variety of fall-colored construction paper and you have a quick, easy and awesome bulletin board.

The Thankful Wreath, is another option.  Completed projects turn out lovely, especially with a bit of colorful glitter glue to add that finishing touch.  Students write what they are thankful for on the autumn-colored leaves. 

I have a poem, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, that can be included in the center if you want.  Adding a child's class picture, makes this even more special. 

If you still like the idea of using a cute little turkey craft for your "I'm thankful for..." writing prompt, I think you'll like Tyrone. 

I got the idea for his loopy feathers from Melissa, over at her first grade blog.  To make Tyrone, children write what they are thankful for on the paper strip "feathers" then staple them into a loop, and glue them to the back of their turkey. 

I made up six options for Tyrone's tummy circle:  Thanksgiving quotes, short Christian poems, and simply the words Happy Thanksgiving. You can choose one that's appropriate for your kiddos, or give them a choice.  

Finally, making an I'm Thankful" class book, is another creative writing prompt that I think your kiddos will enjoy doing. 

This activity fits in well with any "bucket filling" theme you may have going on, as students pick a Pilgrim hat card, out of a basket. 

The cards have your students' names on them.  Each child writes why they are thankful for that classmate, and then illustrates their page.  Include real class photographs to make this a classroom-library favorite. 

If you didn't see the  Thankful Tree blog article yesterday, scroll down.  It offers yet another "I'm Thankful" alternative, as this writing prompt has students write about what they are thankful for in the four seasons, working on the use of adjectives, to help make students' writing more descriptive.  

Well that's it for today.  I have much to be thankful for, including the fact that I get to spend a good portion of my day coloring, cutting and pasting away, as I design new activities. 

Although I miss being in the classroom, I still enjoy teaching via this website.  It makes being retired super-fun, relaxing and very joy-filled.   Wishing you a blessed day.

"The trouble with life isn't that there is no answer, it's that there are so many answers."  -Ruth Benedict (Anthropologist)