We’ve officially survived spooky season. Bring on the season of gratitude, gatherings, and good food! There is so much happening during the month of November, so of course we are trying to implement “all the things” here in the classroom!
If you know anything about me, you know I love a good picture book for all things seasonal (and just about everything else)! Read on for my top picks for all the festivities in November.
Native American Heritage Month
Did you know that November is Native American Heritage Month? What better opportunity to learn about the rich history and culture of native Americans than during the month of November! My top pick for grades 1-3 is We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, with an honorable mention for Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard.
For upper elementary, I highly recommend using Encounter by Jane Yolen, although another honorable mention is A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, which also demonstrates the respect Native Americans hold for nature.
Encounter tells about the first encounter with Christopher Columbus and the European explorers from the point of view of a young boy from the Taino Native American tribe. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about different perspectives and comparing and contrasting. Other teaching points include figurative language, making inferences, and author’s craft. Pair this book with my ready to go comprehension task cards that also include a figurative language chart for interactive student notebooks.
Veteran’s Day
Veteran’s Day falls on November 11th. Observe the day with a craft, writing prompt, read aloud, or all of the above to honor those who have served in our nation’s military. My top pick is Rags: Hero Dog of WWI by Margot Theis Raven.
It’s no secret that kids LOVE a good story about dogs, and this one is sure to pull at your heartstrings. This is a beautiful story of friendship, loyalty, and bravery that you and your students will surely enjoy! This story presents the perfect opportunity to teach about character traits and further discuss some of the traits displayed by the brave members of our military. This interactive read aloud lesson and Veteran’s Day activity pack is also available in my store.
Autumn
Of course, we are still in the thick of autumn, so don’t put your favorite fall picture books just yet! One book to incorporate that is unique to this month is In November by Cynthia Rylant. Explore the author’s craft of figurative language and imagery as she describes the beauty and wonders of November.
This book is full of teaching points and is a must read for this month! Plus, it works as an excellent mentor text. With In November, student can use reading skills to analyze author’s craft and interpret figurative language. Students can then apply this craft to their own writing. Click here for a full week of ready to go lesson plans and activities using In November. Enjoy meaningful lessons without the prep! This unit serves as a comprehensive teaching tool for the book.
STEM Day
November 8th is National STEM/STEAM Day. Break out all the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math challenges and activities! I highly recommend checking out STEM Works for some awesome ideas to bring to your classroom.
This also presents the perfect opportunity for one of my favorite children’s books: Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. After reading about Rosie’s failure turned success story about building a copter, allow your students the opportunity to build their own! Students can build their plane using simple materials like pipe cleaners, string, tape, and popsicle sticks.
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day falls on Sunday, November 13. In recognition of World Kindness Day, why not devote the week to lessons and stories that inspire kindness in your classroom. My top pick is Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. If you are looking for an unforgettable story of kindness to leave a lasting impact in your classroom, then Each Kindness is the book for you.
This story provides a powerful message against bullying and goes to show readers that each kindness makes the world a little bit better.
Thanksgiving
Last but certainly not least, November is the season of Thanksgiving. There is no shortage of fun turkey books, so it was hard to narrow down this one! My top pick for Thanksgiving read alouds is Eve Bunting’s A Turkey for Thanksgiving. This adorable story of Mr. and Mrs. Moose hosting Thanksgiving turns into a search for Turkey, who goes missing when he thinks he is planned to be Thanksgiving dinner. Your students are sure to love this book!
How Do You Celebrate November in your Classroom?
What are your favorite read alouds for this month? How do you incorporate all the November festivities in your classroom?
The Pedagogical Planner 
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