Thanksgiving 2024 Teaching Resources
Celebrating Thanksgiving 2024 with activities for kids, crafts, classroom decor and more — created by teachers for teachers like you.
This collection of teacher resources for elementary and middle school is packed with everything you need to teach about and prepare for the November holiday.
While some turkey activities are focused on those fun days right before the long holiday weekend, much of this resource collection is curriculum-aligned to help students meet Common Core and state-level standards. Each resource has undergone a rigorous review by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're student-ready.
Looking for some help to get ready for Thanksgiving in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Thanksgiving? A Kid-Friendly Definition
We know, we know. Everyone knows what Thanksgiving is ... technically But do you have a definition that you can use to describe the holiday to your class?
That's where we come in! Here is a simple way to explain what Thanksgiving is to kids:
Thanksgiving is a holiday when families and friends come together to give thanks for all the good things in their lives.
When Is Thanksgiving 2024?
Here in the US, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. That means Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday, November 28, 2024.
Is Thanksgiving a Federal Holiday?
Thanksgiving is a federal holiday — in fact, it's one of the nation's oldest holidays!
Thanksgiving was the first officially declared federal holiday under the Constitution back in the days of President George Washington. This is why American schools are all closed on this Thursday (and typically the Friday after as well).
How Do You Teach Kids About the Real Thanksgiving?
Teaching your students about Thanksgiving this year and want to make sure you're being socially responsible and accurate? Here are a few tips from the teachers on the Teach Starter team to make sure your Thanksgiving lesson planning reflects that!
- Use books and stories that share the Native American perspective on the holiday. November is also National Native American Heritage Month, and it's a great time to talk about the many contributions of Native Americans.
- Don't be afraid to do a little mythbusting! Teaching students about some of the myths of the First Thanksgiving, but balancing it with facts about what really happened can help educate students about digital literacy and asking good questions.
- Do not ask students to dress up as Native Americans. A person's culture is not a costume.
How Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving in the Classroom?
Like most holidays, we recognize that how you celebrate Thanksgiving in the classroom will vary widely based on the grade — or even the subject — you're teaching this school year. Our teacher team has put together a few ideas to get you started planning for the holiday — from creating thankful trees to drafting a classroom cookbook!
Here are a few favorite Thanksgiving activities to try:
- Try a Thanksgiving escape room as a whole class activity.
- Make thankful wreaths to explore the many things students have to be thankful for.
- Match Thanksgiving CVC words
- Help disguise a Turkey.
Thanksgiving Teacher Resources
What else do we have in store for you?
- Thanksgiving crafts for kids? Check!
- Thanksgiving classroom decor? Check!
- Disguise a turkey activities? Check!
- Thanksgiving writing prompts? Check!
- Thanksgiving math activities? Check!
- So many more editable Thanksgiving resources for teachers? Check, check, check!
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Escape Room - Escape the Oven!
Help Urkey the Thanksgiving turkey escape the clutches of the terrible chef who wants to cook him with a fun Thanksgiving Escape Game.
- Free Plan
I Am Thankful For - Sunburst Template
Help your students show how they’re ‘bursting’ with thankfulness using these printable “I am Thankful” for worksheets.
- Free Plan
Thanksgiving Would You Rather? Game
Engage your students in thoughtful and hilarious discussions in an engaging, interactive game of Thanksgiving Would You Rather?
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Escape Room - The Stolen Feast
Play a Thanksgiving Escape Room game and practice two-and-three digit addition for holiday fun!
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I Am Thankful Quilt - Thanksgiving Art Project
Create an “I Am Thankful” Quilt to display for Thanksgiving with a printable collaborative quilt template.
- Free Plan
Let's Be Grateful! - Thanksgiving Game for Kids
Roll, write, and share what youre thankful this year with a printable Thanksgiving game for kids.
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Crafts – ABC and 123 Turkeys
A Thanksgiving activity for students to practice counting, skip counting, and the letters of the alphabet.
- Plus Plan
The Case of the Missing Turkey! - Thanksgiving Escape
Uncover the location of the missing Thanksgiving turkey with a 4th-grade multiplication Thanksgiving Mystery escape room activity.
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving Menu Math - 4th Grade Multiplication Word Problems
Practice solving single and double-digit multiplication word problems with a fun Thanksgiving Menu Math activity for 4th grade.
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Thanksgiving - Comprehension Worksheet for 3rd Grade
Read and learn about the origin of Thanksgiving with a printable reading comprehension worksheet for 3rd grade.
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Thanksgiving Activity Sheets
Have fun solving puzzles and playing games with printable Thanksgiving activity sheets.
- Free Plan
Printable Turkey Template Pack
Create a flock of fun Thanksgiving turkeys with a set of printable turkey templates.
- Free Plan
Thanksgiving Word Wall Vocabulary
Build vocabulary and inspire holiday writing with a free Thanksgiving word wall.
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Thanksgiving Trivia Game
Host an exciting Turkey Day Competition with an interactive Thanksgiving Trivia Game for kids.
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Thanksgiving Word Search
Stretch your upper elementary students’ vocabulary and reading skills with a delicious Thanksgiving word search.
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Roll to Create a Thanksgiving Feast - Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
A fun, hands-on Thanksgiving activity using a die and a chart to create a narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Change My Mind - Thanksgiving Turkey Craft and Write
Explain why you still need to eat turkey on Thanksgiving with a fun Thanksgiving Turkey Craft and persuasive writing prompt.
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Thanksgiving Puzzles - 1st and 2nd Grade Activity Book
Have a blast completing the fun activities in this printable Thanksgiving activity book for first and second-graders.
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Thanksgiving Color By Number Worksheet - 2nd Grade Place Value
Have some Thanksgiving Math fun with a printable Thanksgiving Color By Number worksheet to practice standard, expanded, word, and base ten forms.
- Free Plan
ABC's of Gratefulness - A to Z Gratitude List
Make a list of things to be grateful for with a printable A to Z gratitude list template.
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I Am Thankful Turkey - Thanksgiving Hat Craft
Show everyone what you’re thankful for with a fun “I am Thankful” turkey hat to wear during your Thanksgiving celebrations.
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Thanksgiving Puzzle Book - 3rd and 4th Grade
Have a blast completing the fun activities in this printable Thanksgiving puzzle book for 3rd grade and 4th graders.
- Plus Plan
Thanksgiving I Spy Worksheet
Have a bit of counting and coloring fun with a Thanksgiving worksheet for Kindergarten.
- Plus Plan
Funky Turkey Thanksgiving Craft Template
Make your Thanksgiving crafts a bit more funky with our Funky Turkey craft template.
- Thanksgiving 2024 Worksheets
- Thanksgiving 2024 Templates
- Thanksgiving 2024 Games
- Thanksgiving 2024 Craft Activities
- Thanksgiving 2024 Writing Templates
- Thanksgiving 2024 Task Cards
- Thanksgiving 2024 Puzzles
- Thanksgiving 2024 Interactive Activities
- Thanksgiving 2024 Bulletin Board Displays
- Thanksgiving 2024 Mini Book
- Thanksgiving 2024 Color by Code
- Thanksgiving 2024 Labels Signs Decorations
- Thanksgiving 2024 Cut and Paste Worksheets
- Thanksgiving 2024 Dice Games
- Thanksgiving 2024 Escape Room Games
- Thanksgiving 2024 Coloring Pages
- Thanksgiving 2024 Word Walls
- Thanksgiving 2024 Projects
- Thanksgiving 2024 Mazes
- Thanksgiving 2024 Word Searches
- Thanksgiving 2024 Connect the Dots
- Thanksgiving 2024 Crossword Puzzles
- Thanksgiving 2024 Card Games
- Thanksgiving 2024 Sorting Activities
- Thanksgiving 2024 Classroom Door Decorations
- Thanksgiving 2024 Matchup Games
- Thanksgiving 2024 Instructional Slide Decks
- Thanksgiving 2024 Bookmarks
- Thanksgiving 2024 for Pre-K
- Thanksgiving 2024 for Kindergarten
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 1st Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 2nd Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 3rd Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 4th Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 5th Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 6th Grade
- Thanksgiving 2024 for 7th Grade