Category: November Activities

10 Best Thanksgiving Read Alouds

The holidays are such a magical time in the elementary classroom. The excitement, the busyness, the crafts, the fun games,  and the anticipation of a much-needed school break make holidays such as Thanksgiving so fun! Grab our 10 Best Thanksgiving Read Alouds Virtual Library now and enjoy your holidays even more.

I love to take the opportunity to read lots of picture books during this time of the year. Whether students are intently listening on the classroom rug, or coloring or completing a craft, a read-aloud picture book is just the calm in the chaos of the holiday season.

We have put together 10 Best Thanksgiving Read Alouds for you! Want to make your life even easier, grab our virtual library today and sip your coffee at your desk while your students enjoy their Thanksgiving Virtual Read Alouds until the madness begins again!

The Very Stuffed Turkey by Katharine Kenah

Publisher’s Synopsis: A Thanksgiving story featuring a large turkey with a big problem…he’s been invited to EVERYONE’S home for dinner! With five homes to visit — Horse’s, Pig’s, Sheep and Goat’s, Cow’s, and Mouse’s –Turkey knows there’ll be a ton of food to eat. But there’ll also be friends and their families who can’t wait to celebrate the holiday with Turkey! Can this very plump bird make it through every meal without bursting? A silly, read-aloud story featuring food, friends, and one hilarious turkey!

Run Turkey Run by Diane Mayr

The repetition of this book is perfect for students to read aloud with you and practice their fluency!

Publisher’s Synopsis: The perfect picture book for the holiday, this hilarious twist on the traditional Thanksgiving feast features Turkey as he hops from hiding place to hiding place to avoid ending up as the main course. With Thanksgiving only one day away, can Turkey find a place to hide from the farmer who’s looking for a plump bird for his family feast? Maybe he can hide with the pigs . . . or the ducks . . . or the horses . . .Uh-oh! Here comes the farmer! Run, Turkey, run!

Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Aldurf

The illustrations are so beautiful in this picture book. It may inspire your students to color or paint a beautiful fall scene! These illustrations are so heartwarming and inspiring. It shows that family is the center of the holidays. 

Publisher’s Synopsis: Every year a family and their friends gather in the woods to celebrate Thanksgiving among the trees. Everyone brings something to share and the day becomes a long celebration of family, faith, and friendship. Told in a gentle, lyrical style, this picture book includes warm illustrations of people gathered around bonfires and long tables adorned with candles and food, singing songs and sharing laughter. Thanksgiving in the Woods is based on the true story of a family in Upstate New York who has hosted an outdoor Thanksgiving feast in the woods on their farm for over twenty years.

Thanksgiving Rules by Laurie Friedman

Publisher’s Synopsis: Percy Isaac Gifford’s Official Thanksgiving Decree: I officially command you to eat EVERYTHING you see! Percy knows just what to do to get the most out of this delicious holiday. And so will you if you follow his ten simple rules. From “the early bird gets the turkey” to “life is sweeter when you eat sweets,” his rules will help you eat your way through the big meal. But is there more to Thanksgiving than stuffed turkey and sweet potatoes with marshmallows? See how Percy discovers the true recipe for a perfect Thanksgiving holiday.

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

This narrative poetry book follows along the same pattern as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have a unit to teach narrative poetry using this book. Check it out here!

Publisher’s Synopsis: From Dav Pilkey, creator of the New York Times bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, comes a charming story about eight children and eight turkeys on the night before Thanksgiving. On the day before Thanksgiving, a group of children visit a turkey farm and meet Farmer Mack Nuggett and his coop of cockerels: Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp, and Groucho. The children and turkeys giggle and gobble, and everything is gravy. As the trip comes to an end, the children leave the farm with full hearts — and bulging bellies — reminding people and poultry alike that there is much to be thankful for. This hysterical read-aloud and fan-favorite picture book is now available for the first time in a paper-over-board format!

How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton

Publisher’s Synopsis: A turkey is running loose in a school right before a Thanksgiving play. Can YOU help catch it so the show can go on? Follow along as students turn their school upside down trying to catch the turkey, ending with a twist that ensures no turkeys are harmed (or eaten!). This hilariously zany children’s picture book combines STEAM concepts and traps with a silly story and fun illustrations, perfect for starting a new fall family tradition this autumn or giving as a Thanksgiving gift for kids ages 4 and up! Thanksgiving time is here again, but there’s a turkey on the run! Can you catch this tricky bird before the school play has begun?

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

Publisher’s Synopsis: Meet the master puppeteer who invented the first balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Melissa Sweet brings to life the inspirational story of the puppeteer who invented the giant balloons floating in the sky during the annual parade celebrating Thanksgiving. The Caldecott Honor artist brilliantly captures the essence of Tony Sarg, a self-taught immigrant with a fascinating imagination. The collage illustrations coupled with Sweet’s storytelling portray Sarg’s joy in his childhood inventions and his ingenious balloon creations that still bring delight to viewers around the country. This nonfiction illustrated book will capture the hearts of all ages.

A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

This book is beautifully illustrated and tells an adorable and quaint story. 

Publisher’s Synopsis: Mr. and Mrs. Moose invite all their animal friends for Thanksgiving dinner and the only one missing is Turkey. When they set out to find him, Turkey is quaking with fear because he doesn’t realize that his hosts want him at their table, not on it.

Dino Thanksgiving by Lisa Wheeler

Publisher’s Synopsis: Follow along as dinos travel over the river and through the woods to join together with family. They enjoy favorite activities, including a corn maze, a televised parade with giant balloon creations, and of course a football game! The dinos share in not one but two feasts – one for the carnivores and another for the veggie-saurs. Join in the fun as the dinos find much to be thankful for on this special holiday!

I Am Thankful by Sheri Wall

This is a wonderful book that reminds us to be grateful: the reason for Thanksgiving!

Publisher’s Synopsis: Thanksgiving books for kids teach us about coming together with our loved ones and giving thanks for all that we have. I Am Thankful is an adorable, rhyming storybook that follows three different families as they celebrate the holiday with their own traditions, acts of kindness, and ways of giving back. Kids will learn how to be thankful for the people and world around them as they delight in the sweet illustrations that show diverse families and exciting Thanksgiving adventures. This heartfelt, poetic story will show young ones the meaning of giving and sharing.

Conclusion

We hope your students will enjoy these picture books, from a funny one like How to Catch a Turkey to an educational one like Balloons Over Broadway. These books will not only entertain your kiddos, but they will warm their hearts with the reason behind the season, with the stories of I Am Thankful and Thanksgiving in the Woods. Even though holidays in the classroom can be chaotic, remember to sit back and enjoy the magic with your students!

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7 Elements of Procedural Writing

What do fall, ooey-gooey s’mores and an old yellow dog have in common? It encapsulates my sixth-grade English lesson plans for this past week, which were all about procedural writing. Procedural writing is one of the most widely read texts that adults and students alike use and will use in their day-to-day lives. From recipes to instructions, how-to guides, and rules, procedural writing is all around us. This week’s 7 Elements of Procedural Writing delves into this particular form of expository writing by showing you how it can be both enjoyable and thought-provoking.

Procedural writing simply means informational writing that demonstrates how to do something in a step-by-step way. Kids are already very familiar with procedural writing by helping family members cook by using recipes, figuring out how a toy works using instructions, and learning classroom rules. Therefore, procedural writing makes for a friendly and non-intimidating writing piece for students, as well. 

This past week, my sixth graders learned all about procedural writing and even wrote their own how-to guide. We read a wonderful picture book, utilized our current novel, and even ate a yummy fall snack to further emphasize this type of informational writing. 

Step 1

To start off, we discussed how procedural writing is something students know all about. We activated prior knowledge by going through various examples students are familiar with, such as various recipes and instruction manuals.

Step 2

Next, we read the book More and More Microwave S’mores (How to Goodness) by Tami Parker. 

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Check out her book here OR download it FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Yes, the author is my mom!!

Click here to read more about Tami Parker.

Step 3

While reading this adorable and simple procedural writing picture book, we examined it for tips on how to write our own procedural writing. As we read page-by-page, the students noticed the following elements:

7 Elements of Procedural Writing

  • A goal or purpose. In this case it was: how to make s’mores using the microwave.
  • Transition words were used such as first, next, and last.
  • Instructions normally started off with a “Step 1” or “Step 2.”
  • Instructions were in perfect sequence. 
  • Important vocabulary was explained and emphasized. 
  • There were a lot of details! From making sure we placed the plate in the microwave to also making sure to lay a paper towel on the plate first, not one detail was left out!
  • Lots of adjectives were used to describe those ooey, gooey s’mores!

Step 4

After reading all about how to make some delicious s’mores, our tummies were rumbling and we had a better idea of how to tackle our own writing ideas. We went back over the seven elements and made a list of various transition words we saw and could use in our own writing. 

Step 5

Then, I walked my students step-by-step through my own example of procedural writing using the seven elements above. I educated students all about the southern delicacy of a mayonnaise and banana sandwich and how to make this food, step-by-step. I grossed them out but definitely got their attention. 

Step 6

We utilized our seven elements of procedural writing to then tackle an assignment from our current novel.

We are reading Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, and in the book, there are many examples of procedural writing. From how Mama makes soap to how Travis hunts squirrels, Old Yeller makes for a wonderful mentor text to learn procedural writing. I had students choose a how-to example from the novel and rewrite it in their own words, using the seven elements of procedural writing above. 

If you are interested in the Old Yeller procedural writing assignment, please check out the unit here!

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Even if you are not currently reading this particular novel, students could use Old Yeller as a mentor text to learn procedural writing. 

  • Chapter 1 of Old Yeller explains how Mama made soap.
  • Chapter 5 explains how the main character, Travis, splits logs.
  • Chapter 6 explains how Travis caught squirrels.
  • Chapter 7 explains how Travis milked an unfriendly cow. 
  • Chapter 9 explains how Travis marked hogs. 
  • Chapter 11 explains how Mama sutured Old Yeller’s wounds.

I also challenge you to look through your current read-aloud or novel study to see if you could use it as a mentor text for procedural writing!

Step 7

Once students summarized and practiced procedural writing using the mentor text of Old Yeller, they then completed their own example using the seven elements.

Some students wrote about how to make grilled cheese sandwiches or how to put a saddle on a horse. Others wrote about how to play a certain game or how to make a particular craft. Their writing pieces were super informative. I gave students an opportunity to share their writing pieces with the class and we all learned a little something that day, including some of the students’ favorite food concoctions like bananas with applesauce. Yummy!

Step 8

Lastly, to wrap up this fun and simple writing mini-unit, we then re-read our More and More Microwave S’mores (How to Goodness and enjoyed our very own microwave s’mores. We finished off the week with this awesome treat. 

If you are interested in incorporating this adorable picture book into a mini-unit, we have what you need.

Click over and grab your Procedural Writing Lesson today!

Product Description: Our PowerPoint / PDF presentation will walk your students through the procedural writing process that Tami used herself to write her own published book, More and More Microwave S’mores. As your students go through the PowerPoint / PDF instructions, they will see the exact steps she used to write the procedural book. More and More Microwave S’mores is an instructional guide your students can follow as they create their own published work.

Also included with this PowerPoint / PDF is a printable graphic organizer, along with writing papers for your students to use to create their rough draft, and then more writing papers to create their own published book.

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We also have a newly released S’mores Bulletin Board that you could even pop those published procedural writing books on! Plus, it comes with some adorable graham cracker marshmallow writing papers, along with a Google slide to share with your students. Check that out here. 

Conclusion:

Procedural writing is an effective form of communication because it helps the reader understand what’s happening by following a clear structure. This makes it easier for the reader to follow along and learn more about the subject matter.

It is an informative genre that students are familiar with already and therefore, can make for a fun and non-intimidating writing assignment. By incorporating prior knowledge, analyzing a how-to-make s’mores picture book, and mentor text of Old Yeller, students were able to summarize examples and then adequately write their own published work. This may just be the perfect mini-unit to close out fall, especially with those ooey-gooey s’mores treats!  

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Descriptive Writing in the Fall

It’s no secret that autumn is our absolute favorite season. With the explosive colors abounding on the trees, the crisp and clean air whipping around, and the chilling temperatures, it just makes us want to snuggle in our coziest hoodie while watching a crackling fire. This makes it the perfect time to explore descriptive writing in the fall.

This week, I taught one of my middle school classes how to write a descriptive essay about fall. A descriptive essay is a written account describing something or an experience. At first, it may feel like something you don’t have to put much time into teaching. Just throw in some adjectives and you’re good to go! Yet, there’s more to it than that.

Let’s dive into how I taught descriptive writing during the fall this past week.

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Pre-Writing

As part of the pre-writing activities, we first spent time learning various figurative language. We explored examples of each of the following: similes, metaphors, idioms, allusion, alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia. Students identified each of the figurative language terms within writing and then they did the work of explaining the meaning behind each of the examples.

Next, they wrote their own similes, metaphors, idioms, etc. When I felt they had this concept down well after a couple classes of practice, we went on a walk during the next English class!

Yes, an actual walk! Students grabbed their journals and pencils and we headed outside to go on an autumn walk. We went from tree to tree and from either side of the parking lot, pausing to observe and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather.

Students penned what they saw, what they felt, and what they smelled and heard. I asked them to focus on the five senses as they followed me around outside of our school building. Students had to write down at least ten things they observed in natural.

To continue the learning concerning descriptive writing in the fall, I then took them back inside and explained how the words that describe autumn with their five senses are called sensory words.

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These sensory words would be key to their descriptive essay. Then, we went through some key components of a descriptive essay as outlined in our grammar curriculum. I explained each component in detail.

Key Parts of Descriptive Writing

  • Showing instead of telling
  • Sensory Words
  • Various Figurative Language
  • Adjectives and Adverbs
  • Emphasis on Onomatopoeia

The last part of the prewriting process was to read various other descriptive essays to get an idea on how a descriptive essay was structured. I chose to go simpler with my students and wanted their essays to be three paragraphs, so we read two to three paragraph essays on fall, on desserts, and on fear. (Perfect for Halloween!) I hoped to get them inspired with these published descriptive essays.

Drafting

Students spent two class periods writing their rough drafts. I tend to leave them completely alone while they complete this.

As Jane Yolen, author of Owl Moon, states, “I generally do not think out plots or characters ahead of time. I let things roll along. Organic is the word I use for this.”

I want only their thoughts and ideas in raw form to come through while working on their descriptive writing.

Peer Edit

Peer editing is important in the writing process. I believe it helps teach students to pay careful attention to various aspects of their partner’s paper which they can then take those skills back to their essay.

If a student is editing a paper and finding it lacks figurative language, they can make that suggestion to their partner, and then they know to check their own paper to ensure it has adequate figurative language.

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Students used a checklist to peer edit which utilized the descriptive essay checklist above, as well as added parts for grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.

Revising and Editing Conference

When deep in a writing project, I always make time to sit down and revise and edit one on one with students. Sometimes this takes more than one class period, or sometimes I complete this step with a few students a day as we have other English related items to squeeze in.

Teacher editing is to ensure that if a student misses something during the peer editing process, we can find and improve upon the writing during this final critique.

We normally go through the checklist again and fix any grammar and mechanics issues. Also, I give them any tips I have to make their essays even more descriptive.

One of my students described fall by writing the trees looked like Fruity Pebbles. That really stuck and I loved it so much, I told the rest of the class about this wonderful metaphor. Using time to share wonderful sentences can inspire students to think outside of the box.

Publishing

Last, the students are responsible for modifying any suggestions made by their peer and myself. They are responsible for the absolute final part of publishing their paper and ensuring it is as good as it can be.

My students are in the publishing part of the writing process right now, and they’re in for a treat. Next week, once their descriptive essay is complete, they’ll illustrate their writing using watercolor paints.

We are also going to discuss how illustrations are extremely important in picture books and how an illustration can be the cherry on top of a descriptive essay.

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We are going to explore picture books with beautiful illustrations that really add beauty to the stories. Students will paint what they were describing in their essays. I have a feeling the pictures will turn out wonderfully with all the autumn colors displayed in watercolor.

Conclusion

Descriptive writing in the fall, with the right formula, can be a fun and simple writing project. By incorporating teaching figurative language and the writing process, you can hit many standards in one fell swoop. Students enjoy taking a detour from their normal English lessons, like grammar and reading novels, to utilize their creativity all thr while taking advantage of the beauty of this current season of fall.


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