November 24, 2014
Since students are likely to be anxious this week as they look forward to Thanksgiving break, it can be difficult for teachers to keep their attention for an extended period of time. However, by weaving the holidays into their lessons, teachers are often able to keep students focused and engaged.
With only three days left until Thanksgiving and the much anticipated time off, are you scrambling for last minute educational holiday activities that you can incorporate into this week’s lesson plans? In our previous blog post, we offered three holiday arts and crafts activities for the classroom, but today, we’d like to suggest three writing activities that you can use as to not stray too much from the core subjects during this exciting time; see below:
“I’m Thankful For” Essay:
For this activity, start by asking students to compile a list of three things that they are thankful for this year. Then, have them elaborate on why! This activity is a great way to have students subtly work on their essay writing, as you may ask them to write a brief introduction about the nature of Thanksgiving before writing their three “body paragraphs” on the things they are thankful for.
When I Think of Thanksgiving, I Think Of…
This next activity requires students to use descriptive language to describe what comes to mind when they think of Thanksgiving. For example, what foods do they smell? What sights do they see? Depending on the age of students you teach, it might be a good idea to ask them to turn their thoughts into a poem, which they can then share with the class!
“My Role In the First Thanksgiving”
If you’d like to incorporate more creative writing into your classroom, ask students to travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving and imagine themselves as an active participant in it. Then, have them write their own short story of the events that took place, the food that they ate, and the role that they had in the Thanksgiving feast!
For more creative Thanksgiving writing prompts, click here.
And don’t forget! If your classroom furniture is need of repairs, the time when your school is closed for the holidays is a great time to have them done! For more information on how we can help or to schedule an appointment for service, contact us at (631) 666-0200 today!