Thanksgiving Read Alouds for Kindergarten and 1st Grade

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The week before Thanksgiving is a lot. Little ones are excited, the schedule is off, and you still want real learning to happen. A stack of good read alouds is my favorite way to keep that week calm and still meaningful.

Some of my favorite moments all year were hearing what my little ones were thankful for after a read aloud.

Here are 8 Thanksgiving books that work beautifully with kindergarten and 1st grade.

1. Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson. Bear wants to host a feast but his cupboard is bare, and his friends show him that sharing what you have is enough.
2. A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting. Mr. and Mrs. Moose invite a turkey to dinner, and it turns out he is a guest, not the meal. Kids love the twist.
3. Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano. Turkey tries on one silly disguise after another so he will not end up on the table. Great for making predictions.
4. The Thankful Book by Todd Parr. Bright, simple pages about everyday things to be thankful for. Perfect before a gratitude writing page.
5. 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey. A class field trip to a turkey farm ends with a rescue. A fun rhyme to read aloud.
6. 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston. A counting backwards rhyme that sneaks in a little math.
7. Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks! by Margaret Sutherland. A gentle list book that works well for your youngest listeners.
8. Run, Turkey, Run! by Diane Mayr. Turkey hides all over the farm so the farmer cannot find him. Easy to act out together.

Pair the books with writing

After all those turkey stories, my students are ready to write their own. The How to Cook a Turkey Writing activity turns that excitement into procedural writing:

• 12 sequencing and vocabulary cards
• A sequencing mat so students put the steps in order before they write
• A themed flipbook for publishing their first, next, then, last

It is low prep, which is exactly what you want the week before a holiday.

What teachers are saying

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Made by a teacher who's been right where you are.

Jessica Ann Stanford, Teachers Follow Teachers