Looking to cultivate a strong classroom community FULL of giving thanks, sharing, and showing gratitude?!?!?! These are some of MY FAVORITE read alouds to do JUST THAT with your littles. Each read aloud has a tag to an activity or craft that will help solidify its festive lesson. HERE WE GO!
Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora is a culturally rich read aloud which highlights the importance of community. Omu continuously shares her delicious meal with different members of her community, until she finally realizes she has run out. Of course, her willingness to pay it forward ends up coming full circle when the members of the community pay it back.
Here is a free writing/drawing prompt to help students think of ways in which they can give to their community, and ultimately, bring others together.
Turkey Trouble, by Wendy Silvano is a hilarious tale of a turkey trying to escape his fate of becoming Thanksgiving dinner. This, along with Turkey's Thanksgiving Adventure by Clay Sproles lend
themselves to some really craftivities!
Have students use different materials, such as feathers, beads, buttons, cotton balls, etc. To disguise their turkey!
Here are two GREAT and FREE Turkey Disguising Prompts from TpT:
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts is such a good read! Its a great conversation starter for children to be grateful for the things that they have rather than comparing themselves to others. The main character also ends up giving up something to HE wanted to someone else in need.
I use this read aloud to discuss wants vs. needs with my students as well as being a Thankful Giver (how can we share with others? what can we share with others? Do you think it feels better to give or to take?) These are the anchor chart activities I create with the students...
**Have students draw on their own sticky notes, or, if teaching virtually, you can label notes for them!
Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf is the most beautifully illustrated book FULL of pictures of the togetherness that Thanksgiving really creates.
Here is a FREEBIE that includes a writing prompt and draw/label prompt for students to envision and describe their very own "Thanksgiving in the Woods".
I am Thankful by Sheri Wall is another great book that helps depict a great sense of togetherness and showing gratitude. Even better, it includes this ADORABLE poem that I've included in a craftivity to help students think of ways to SHOW gratitude.
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes follows a family in their Thanksgiving traditions and is a great way to jump start a conversation about exactly what we are thankful for. It includes great fall illustrations to help students make connections to the things they might see and feel this time of year. It also has a page where you can write in what you are thankful for each year.
Here is the craftivity that my students and I complete to show what we are thankful for! This resource also comes with a writing template!
In November, by Cynthia Rylant just gives me all of those warm, fuzzy feelings as it describes all that our five senses take in during this month. The illustrations are gorgeous and are gorgeously described in writing.
This is a great book to help older primary students hone in on their writing craft and really describe small moments using their five senses.
I also use pages from this book companion resource for my kinders to draw and label what they see, hear, taste, smell, and feel during this time of the year.
What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving/November read alouds?
Share in the comments below, and let me know if you have any questions!
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