Thanksgiving Teaching Resources

Are you ready to talk turkey ... worksheets? You've found the ultimate home of Thanksgiving activities for the elementary classroom with the Teach Starter Thanksgiving teaching resource collection.

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 highly-qualified teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.

Thanksgiving Teaching Resources

So what do we have in store for you?

• Thanksgiving crafts for kids? Check!
• Thanksgiving classroom decor? Check!
• Disguise a turkey activities? Check!
• Thanksgiving writing prompts? Check!
• Thanksgiving math activities? Check!
• So many more editable Thanksgiving resources for teachers? Check, check, check!

(Already know all you need to know about celebrating Thanksgiving in the classroom? Feel free to skip ahead to download printables and digital activities for your classroom!)

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? Here are a few tips from the teachers on the Teach Starter team to make sure your Thanksgiving lesson planning reflects that!

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Do not ask students to dress up as Native Americans. A person's culture is not a costume.

When Is Thanksgiving 2022?

It moves every year, and we know you've already got enough on the school calendar to keep track of, so we double-checked for you.

The federal holiday is traditionally marked on the fourth Thursday of November. That means Thanksgiving 2022 will be celebrated on November 24, 2022 — one of the earliest days the holiday can fall in the month.

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:

1. Try a Thanksgiving escape room as a whole class activity.
2. Make thankful wreaths to explore the many things students have to be thankful for.
3. Match Thanksgiving CVC words!
4. Help save Tom Turkey!
5. And more!