Thanksgiving 2023 Teaching Resources

Celebrating Thanksgiving 2023 with activities for kids, crafts, classroom decor and more — created by teachers for teachers like you.

This collection of teacher resources for elementary and middle school is packed with everything you need to teach about and prepare for the November holiday.

While some turkey activities are focused on those fun days right before the long holiday weekend, much of this resource collection is curriculum-aligned to help students meet Common Core and state-level standards. Each resource has undergone a rigorous review by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.

Looking for some help to get ready for Thanksgiving in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!

What Is Thanksgiving? A Kid-Friendly Definition

We know, we know. Everyone knows what Thanksgiving is ... technically But do you have a definition that you can use to describe the holiday to your class?

That's where we come in! Here is a simple way to explain what Thanksgiving is to kids:

Thanksgiving is a holiday when families and friends come together to give thanks for all the good things in their lives.

When Is Thanksgiving 2023?

Here in the US, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. That means Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday, November 23, 2023.

Is Thanksgiving a Federal Holiday?

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday — in fact, it's one of the nation's oldest holidays!

Thanksgiving was the first officially declared federal holiday under the Constitution back in the days of President George Washington. This is why American schools are all closed on this Thursday (and typically the Friday after as well).

How Do You Teach Kids About the Real Thanksgiving?

Teaching your students about Thanksgiving this year and want to make sure you're being socially responsible and accurate? Here are a few tips from the teachers on the Teach Starter team to make sure your Thanksgiving lesson planning reflects that!

Use books and stories that share the Native American perspective on the holiday. November is also National Native American Heritage Month, and it's a great time to talk about the many contributions of Native Americans.
Don't be afraid to do a little mythbusting! Teaching students about some of the myths of the First Thanksgiving, but balancing it with facts about what really happened can help educate students about digital literacy and asking good questions.
Do not ask students to dress up as Native Americans. A person's culture is not a costume.

How Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving in the Classroom?

Like most holidays, we recognize that how you celebrate Thanksgiving in the classroom will vary widely based on the grade — or even the subject — you're teaching this school year. Our teacher team has put together a few ideas to get you started planning for the holiday — from creating thankful trees to drafting a classroom cookbook!

Here are a few favorite Thanksgiving activities to try:

Try a Thanksgiving escape room as a whole class activity.
Make thankful wreaths to explore the many things students have to be thankful for.
Match Thanksgiving CVC words
Help disguise a Turkey.