Written by Emily Upton - Posted Oct. 24, 2023
November brings with it the cozy vibes of autumn and a golden chance to spice up the classroom for your upper elementary students. As you get closer to Thanksgiving and winter break, it can be tricky to keep your kiddos on task and engaged in their learning, especially with all of the seasonal classroom disruptions!
In this blog post, we'll round up some of the best seasonal center ideas, early finisher activities, and ways to keep your students hyped about learning (and not just thinking about turkey dinner.)
Click on the images below to check out the resources.
READING & WRITING CENTERS
Looking to engage your readers while visions of turkeys dance in their heads? These no-prep reading activities will get your students referring to the text for evidence and foster cross-curricular connections in your ELA classroom!
Have you ever wondered how Thanksgiving is celebrated around the world? This reading and writing activity will give students a global perspective as they learn about major Thanksgiving celebrations in different countries. Prefer the printable version? Click here! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Thank you so much for a resource jam-packed with great information that is appropriate for the holiday!"
Do your students hate writing? Quick writes could be the solution! These short prompts feel less intimidating than a full writing project, and the daily fun facts get kiddos excited about the writing process. The best part? They're no prep and perfect for warm ups or centers!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Such a fantastic resource! It has really helped build my students writing stamina and get them interested in historical information!"
This activity will immerse your upper elementary students in the rich history of Veterans Day. Your students will read a passage that explains the history of Veterans Day and why it is celebrated. Then, they will use that information to complete a timeline and color-by-code activity.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I am a vet and now a teacher. This is a great resource. I like the emphasis on the timeline, too."
MATH CENTERS
Math centers can have a Thanksgiving-themed spin while still reviewing important content! Check out these math resources that are sure to keep your little turkeys focused during centers.
Escape rooms are a great way to engage students in math! This escape room includes helpful tips for each room that keep your students unstuck so that you can keep working with small groups. Practice a variety of division problem types in an exciting storyline. Self-checking and no-prep: does it get any better?
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Used this during our intro to division lessons, great practice!"
Math trivia is a sneaky way to work in a little math practice with something that always engages my students: fun facts! Each correct answer gives students insight into trivia about Thanksgiving, like what percentage of people like pumpkin pie the best or how much people spend on Black Friday. It's no-prep and self-checking, which is great for centers. My favorite part is that as students answer the questions correctly, the images change. They know they have everything right when the 4 images match!
I absolutely love these seasonal challenge puzzles from Greg Tang! While I wouldn't use them as an assignment because there's no way to check if students completed each part, these are GREAT early-finisher activities! They're also differentiated by grade level. Click the link above to check them out!
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING
If you want to build a daily routine that gives students the opportunity to check in with their emotions and reflect on different SEL strategies, this journal is for you! With themed monthly check-ins, November's SEL journal focuses on developing self-control in different situations. Students reflect on the obstacles they face when practicing self-control, as well as which strategies help them stay in control in tricky situations.
I hope your November is full of allll the mashed potatoes, fall leaves, and football that you desire! Use these resources to get your centers planned faster than a turkey trot.
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