5 Things To Do With Your Upper Elementary Class In November

Needing some ideas for activities to do in your classroom this month? I got you covered! Below I am listing some things that my class has loved to do in the month of November.

1. Fall Word Wheel

I have shared about this activity before, but I'm going to share it again because we love word wheel challenges so much! Students love to try to be the first person to figure out what the mystery word is. Click here for more information on this activity.

2. Gratitude Themed Interactive Bulletin Board

I have done this every year since I started teaching and I love it! This idea not only looks great in your classroom while also forcing you to take down the "Back to School" stuff you haven't taken down yet, but it also gets the students reflecting on what they are grateful for in their life. Click the picture below to get the exact bulletin set that I use from The Designer Teacher.

3. Put a Finger Down Gratitude Morning Meeting Game

Your kid's favorite Tik Tok game just got grateful! I had done the put a finger down activity from Brooke Simpkins and it was such a hit that I decided to make a second "Put a Finger Down" game centered around gratitude. Click the picture below to get a copy of this morning meeting game.

4. Class Service Project

November is a great time to give back to your community. Teaching kids that it is important to serve their community is something that is a big deal to me. This could be as simple as a canned food drive, clothing donation drive, clean up project, or any type of advocacy effort. This year my kids will be donating their gotcha tickets (tickets they earn for good deeds) to a local dog rescue (Puppy Haven Rescue). For every 10 gotchas they donate I will donate a dollar to the rescue.

5. Gratitude Centered Read Aloud

Read alouds are one of my favorite ways to teach my students about social emotional learning topics. The book "Thanks a Million" is a book with various poems all centered around gratitude and giving thanks.