WHAT WILL NOVEMBER BRING?

What are you thankful for? How can we explain to children why they should be thankful and to demonstrate what they are thankful for.

In November, teachers can focus on a variety of holidays and observances that offer rich learning opportunities, cultural awareness, and creative classroom activities. Here’s a list of key ones to highlight:

🍁 Major Holidays & Observances

1. Veterans Day (November 11)

• Focus: Honoring military veterans and understanding service and sacrifice.
• Classroom ideas: Write thank-you letters to veterans, learn patriotic songs, or read age-appropriate books about community helpers and soldiers.

1. Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)

• Focus: Gratitude, family, community, and the history of the holiday.
• Classroom ideas: Create gratitude journals, make “thankful trees,” learn about the Pilgrims and Native Americans from diverse perspectives, and discuss harvest traditions around the world.

1. Native American Heritage Month (all November)

• Focus: Learning about Native American cultures, history, and contributions.
• Classroom ideas: Study tribal regions, read stories by Native authors, explore traditional crafts, and emphasize respectful learning—not stereotypes.

🌍 Other Meaningful November Observances

1. Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos (Nov 1–2)

• Focus: Celebrating and remembering loved ones who have passed.
• Classroom ideas: Discuss traditions from Mexico and Latin America, create paper marigolds or sugar-skull art, and read bilingual picture books.

1. Election Day (First Tuesday in November)

• Focus: Understanding democracy, voting, and citizenship.
• Classroom ideas: Hold a classroom “mock election” or voting activity to teach civic participation.

1. World Kindness Day (Nov 13)

• Focus: Acts of kindness, empathy, and positive classroom community.
• Classroom ideas: Start a “kindness challenge” or make a kindness wall.

1. Remembrance Day (Nov 11)

• Similar to Veterans Day, recognized in other countries. Teachers in multicultural settings can include it to teach global remembrance.

1. Children’s Book Week (dates vary in November)

• Focus: Celebrating reading and literature.
• Classroom ideas: Have students share favorite books, hold read-alouds, or invite guest readers.

🍂 Optional / Fun Classroom Themes

1. National STEM/STEAM Day (Nov 8) – Celebrate science and creativity.
2. World Diabetes Day (Nov 14) – Promote health awareness in a kid-friendly way.
3. Universal Children’s Day (Nov 20) – Discuss children’s rights and global empathy.
4. Autumn / Harvest themes – Integrate fall leaves, seasonal changes, and gratitude reflections.

Here’s a November Classroom Holiday Calendar — organized week by week, with short descriptions and easy activity ideas for teachers. It’s designed for K–5 classrooms and can be used as a printable or bulletin board guide.

🍁 November Classroom Holiday Calendar

Week 1: November 1–3

🎉 Día de los Muertos (Nov 1–2)

• Focus: Honoring loved ones who have passed away; learning about Mexican and Latin American traditions.
• Activities:
• Make paper marigolds or sugar skull art.
• Read The Day of the Dead / El Día de los Muertos by Bob Barner or Clatter Bash! by Richard Keep.
• Discuss how different cultures remember family members.

🪶 Native American Heritage Month Begins

• Focus: Learning about Native American cultures, history, and contributions.
• Activities:
• Locate tribal regions on a U.S. map.
• Read stories by Native authors such as Joseph Bruchac or Traci Sorell.
• Explore traditional crafts or symbols with cultural respect.

Week 2: November 4–10

🗳️ Election Day (First Tuesday in November)

• Focus: Understanding democracy and voting.
• Activities:
• Hold a mock classroom election (favorite book, fruit, or class mascot).
• Discuss the importance of making choices and fairness.

🔬 National STEM/STEAM Day (Nov 8)

• Focus: Exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
• Activities:
• Set up a simple STEM challenge (build a bridge or paper tower).
• Watch short STEM career videos and have students draw what they’d like to invent.

Week 3: November 11–17

🇺🇸 Veterans Day (Nov 11)

• Focus: Honoring veterans and learning about service.
• Activities:
• Write thank-you letters to veterans.
• Invite a local veteran to speak to the class.
• Read Hero Dad or America’s White Table.

💛 World Kindness Day (Nov 13)

• Focus: Building empathy and a positive classroom community.
• Activities:
• Start a “Kindness Challenge” chart.
• Have each student write one kind note to a classmate.
• Read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud.

Week 4: November 18–24

🌍 Universal Children’s Day (Nov 20)

• Focus: Celebrating children’s rights and global friendship.
• Activities:
• Learn about schools around the world.
• Make a “We Are the World” banner with handprints and flags.

🍂 Thanksgiving Preparation (fourth Thursday in November)

• Focus: Gratitude, family, and community.
• Activities:
• Create “I Am Thankful” turkeys or a gratitude tree.
• Compare harvest celebrations around the world.
• Read The Very First Thanksgiving Day or Thanks for Thanksgiving.

Week 5: November 25–30

🦃 Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27, 2025)

• Focus: Reflection on thankfulness and history.
• Activities:
• Write thank-you notes to school staff or family.
• Cook or share a “classroom recipe book” of favorite family dishes.
• Discuss the real history of Thanksgiving and Native perspectives.

🍁 Continue Native American Heritage Month

• Focus: Highlighting achievements of Native American leaders and artists.
• Activities:
• Study Native American inventors or musicians.
• Listen to tribal music or storytelling recordings.

Here are some of the main holidays and observances celebrated in November, especially in the United States:

🇺🇸 Major U.S. Holidays

1. Veterans Day – November 11
2. Honors all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Schools often hold assemblies, flag ceremonies, or write thank-you letters to veterans.
3. Thanksgiving Day – Fourth Thursday in November
4. A national holiday centered around gratitude, family gatherings, and traditional foods like turkey and pumpkin pie. Many classrooms focus on thankfulness, history of the Pilgrims, and harvest themes.

🍂 Other Notable Observances

1. Native American Heritage Month – All November
2. Celebrates the history, culture, and contributions of Native Americans. Teachers often include lessons about Indigenous peoples and their traditions.
3. Daylight Saving Time Ends – First Sunday in November
4. Clocks are set back one hour (“fall back”).
5. Election Day – First Tuesday after the first Monday in November
6. Citizens vote in local, state, and sometimes national elections.

🦃 Fun or Lesser-Known Days

1. World Kindness Day – November 13
2. Encourages acts of kindness and compassion.
3. National STEM/STEAM Day – November 8
4. Celebrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math learning.
5. World Diabetes Day – November 14
6. Raises awareness about diabetes and health.
7. Small Business Saturday – Saturday after Thanksgiving
8. Promotes shopping locally and supporting small businesses.

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