Helpful Thanksgiving ELA Resources to be Thankful For

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to take some time to focus on resources that will help enrich your teaching while keeping the learning fun. These 5 resources are engaging for students while practicing reading, writing, grammar, and social studies. All five resources use a Thanksgiving theme to help you teach these skills.

A Thanksgiving Writing Project

This resource teaches the students how to write a friendly letter while thanking those whom they appreciate. This is a great writing activity for Thanksgiving time as students reflect on all the people, places, and things they are thankful for. Students will be given a graphic organizer to help with their thinking and teach the elements of a friendly letter. They can write their letter on the provided Thanksgiving stationery. Teachers use the observation sheet to record notes on the student's writing. The students use the revising and editing checklist to tidy up their rough draft before writing their final copy of the letter.

3 Thanksgiving Reader's Theaters

Reader's Theater is a great way to build excitement and a sense of community with your students. Students work together to read their scripts while building fluency. Students are able to perform for an audience. They are great discussion questions for the class to reflect on their thinking. Topics included are Family, Thanksgiving, Giving Back, Friendsgiving, Friendship, Gathering Together, and Thankfulness. To see other Reader's Theaters, check out this blog post.

Thanksgiving No PREP Reading, Writing, and Language Printables

Keep your students engaged and learning during the Thanksgiving season, all while having fun and working independently! There are so many options to use this product. It can be used for morning work, small groups, independent practice, assessment, exit tickets, or homework. Included are graphic organizers, puzzles, writing prompts, character development, word work, and grammar games. All of these have a Thanksgiving theme to help keep classwork exciting for the students.

Grammar Games Silly Stories

If you've ever played Mad Libs, then these grammar games are for you. Students will be practicing grammar skills while making silly stories. Each story centers around a Thanksgiving theme. Topics include everything from turkey dinners to the turkey trot and holiday shopping. Ways to use grammar games:

1. In a writing or word work literacy center.
2. As a fun way to review grammar skills.
3. As a ‘when you’re finished’ fun partner activity.
4. Indoor recess fun.
5. For substitute teachers.

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

If you are needing writing prompts with a Thanksgiving theme, this is for you! This resource comes with 13 different writing prompts that students glue in their journals and respond to the prompt. They also come in printable prompt cards to use in centers. Students have a choice in the way they respond. They can make lists, write a paragraph, sketch, make a timeline, or create interview questions.

Where to Find These Products

If you are wanting to purchase these products, please go to their respective links by clicking on the pictures above. You can also view all of them on TpT here.