November is one of the busiest months of the school year. Between Veterans Day, report cards, and that short Thanksgiving week that is somehow the hardest week of the year to plan, it can feel like the month disappears before you’ve caught your breath.
As a history teacher and assistant principal, I’ve lived that November rush for years. So I put together everything I use (and love) to keep middle school students learning, engaged, and actually connecting with the history behind these holidays. Below you’ll find a free Thanksgiving gratitude coloring page, my favorite Veterans Day activities, and no-prep Thanksgiving lessons for grades 4–8.
Let’s start with a gift! My free Thanksgiving gratitude coloring page features an inspiring quote from Henry David Thoreau about gratitude. It’s perfect as a calm-down activity, a bell ringer, an early finisher task, or a meaningful way to talk about gratitude with older students who are “too cool” for kid coloring pages.
Just tell me where to send it and it will land in your inbox right away.
Veterans Day is a perfect opportunity to help students understand who our veterans are and why we honor them. One of the best ways to make it meaningful is to teach students about the branches of the U.S. military: what each one does, how they work together, and the people who serve in them.
Teacher tip: pair the reading with a short reflection where students write a thank-you note to a veteran in their family or community. It turns a lesson into something they’ll remember.
Middle schoolers are ready for the real story of Thanksgiving. These activities use readings, videos, and primary sources so students can think critically about the 1621 harvest celebration, the Wampanoag people, and how the holiday we celebrate today came to be, including the National Day of Mourning.
The short week before Thanksgiving break is the hardest week of the year to plan. Half the class is mentally on vacation and you still need something meaningful to teach. That’s exactly why I created the Thanksgiving Week Survival Bundle: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, completely planned.
It’s on presale for $9.99 through Sunday, November 8 at 11:59 pm PT, and every bundle comes with lifetime access, so you get every future update for free.
GRAB THE THANKSGIVING WEEK SURVIVAL BUNDLE
💡 Everything on my website is about 20% less than on TpT, with the same print and digital files and an instant download. Shop all resources here.
If you love these resources, the History MAKErs Club gives you access to every resource I have ever created (and will ever create), including all of my holiday bundles, bell ringers, and interactive games. Choose the option that fits you best:
Teaching the branches of the military through a reading and a video activity helps students understand who veterans are and what they do. Adding a thank-you note or reflection makes it personal.
Use primary sources and multiple perspectives, including the Wampanoag people and the National Day of Mourning, so students can compare the myths with what really happened in 1621.
Short, high-engagement lessons work best: a Thanksgiving history reading and video, the history of the Macy’s parade, and a collaborative gratitude poster. The Thanksgiving Week Survival Bundle plans all three days for you.
Both! Every resource includes printable pages and a digital version for Google Slides or Google Sheets.
Wishing you a wonderful, restful November. And don’t forget your free Thanksgiving coloring page!
Julia 🦃
