Thanksgiving Writing Prompts and Activities

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to celebrate all the things for which we are thankful! For homeschooling families, November often means having our children write expressions of gratitude for individual or collective blessings. A creative complement to your language arts lesson plans, Thanksgiving writing assignments can encourage your homeschooler to think about the true meaning behind this holiday.

Unfortunately, not every child perceives writing as an enjoyable activity. For some homeschool students, holiday writing assignments bring about a negative or apprehensive response. If your child is one who has trouble getting past writer's block or writing anxiety when practicing essential writing skills, try using these fun-filled Thanksgiving writing prompts and activities.

Writing Prompts
• On Thanksgiving, my family likes to...

• If I had been a Pilgrim child on the very first Thanksgiving, I would have...

• My favorite Thanksgiving memory is...

• What I like/dislike about Thanksgiving is...

• I think a turkey would/wouldn't make a good pet because...

• If I had been a Pilgrim traveling to America on the Mayflower, I would have taken along...

• On Thanksgiving, it's traditional for my family to...

• The Pilgrims' feast on the first Thanksgiving included...

• The best thing the Indians did to help the Pilgrims was...

• I am thankful for my family because...

• When I think of Thanksgiving, I think about...

• To make a great Thanksgiving turkey, you...

• The first Thanksgiving I can remember was...

• As I walked up to the table to share Thanksgiving with my family,...

• My favorite part about Thanksgiving is...

• To me, Thanksgiving symbolizes...

• My perfect Thanksgiving meal would include...

• Thanksgiving at Grandma's house is...

• Being thankful means...

• I think brown and orange are Thanksgiving colors because...

• The first Thanksgiving and today's Thanksgiving are very similar/different because...

Writing Activities
• Picture a world where no one ever said, "Thank you." Write a paragraph telling what it would be like.

• Write a story using as many of these Thanksgiving words as you can:

• Pretend you're a turkey. Write a letter to Americans asking not to be eaten on Thanksgiving. Be sure to state your reasons why and also offer a suggestion of what animal they should eat instead.

• Make an acrostic from the word "Thanksgiving."

• Compose a thank-you note to someone and tell him how much you appreciate him and why.

• Make as many words as you can from the letters contained in the holiday greeting, "Happy Thanksgiving Day."

• Write a "Thanksgiving Declaration" that includes the things for which you are thankful. To make your declaration look old and official, crumple your plain white paper and dunk it in tea or coffee until saturated. Next, remove the paper, uncrumple, and let it dry flat. For an even more antique look, light a match and carefully burn the very edges of the paper. Then, write your proclamation in your best penmanship (a calligraphy pen works great), note your address, and date it underneath your signature. Finish your declaration by adding an official seal made from melted candle wax dripped on the paper and etched with your initials before it cools and hardens.

Please share additional prompts and activities you have used in your homeschool in the comment field below.