ceciliafelsenstein Thanksgiving is coming… a perfect time to slow down, reflect, and be grateful. But it’s also a wonderful opportunity to turn seasonal themes into valuable classroom learning.
Why not take advantage of this time of year to spark thoughtful writing, introduce seasonal vocabulary, and bring some lighthearted fun into your ELA lessons?
Whether you’re looking for quick no-prep games or deeper writing activities, this post has you covered with a variety of ideas that work well with middle and high school students.
Let’s dive in!
📚 Thanksgiving Vocabulary Activities
Introduce or review Thanksgiving-themed vocabulary with fun activities like crosswords, idioms, and more.
These are great as warm-ups, group activities, or even bell ringers throughout the week! TIP: Check out our post on ELA games that can be applied to any word list!
🎲 Thanksgiving Game for the ELA Classroom
Thanksgiving Taboo: Students try to describe a word (like “cranberry sauce” or “stuffing”) without using certain “taboo” words. Great for vocabulary building and speaking practice.
✍️ Reflective Thanksgiving Writing Prompts
Thanksgiving is an ideal time to slow down and write with intention. Use the season to guide students into personal reflection and gratitude in their writings.
You can use these for in-class assignments, journalling, or as early-finisher activities.
🍂 Final Thoughts
Thanksgiving offers a rare blend of calm and meaning in the middle of a busy semester. With the right mix of language-building activities, reflective writing, and seasonal games, you can create a week of lessons that are both educational and memorable.
Whether you use these activities as a full unit or quick fillers leading up to break, they’ll help your students engage with the season — and with each other — in thoughtful ways.
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