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Teaching Thanksgiving week is unlike so much of the school year. Here are some ideas from out teacher network.
Thanksgiving during the teaching year is certainly a milestone. There’s certainly many things to be thankful for in the teaching profession and in our personal lives. At the high school level, with the exception of Super Bowl football teams, the fall sports season is over and many students are anxiously and excitedly looking forward to the winter sports season. Seniors are playing the waiting game. The students hoping to attend college are eagerly awaiting the responses from their applications. Students joining the military are meeting with recruiters. Other are look to enter the every changing workforce.
Needless to say, there is a lot going on in late November at any school.
A few things to consider when preparing to teach Thanksgiving week.
Wrap it Up
We are not talking about Christmas presents, although we are sure many teachers may have already started this process. We are talking about wrapping up a unit so there’s a nice clear ending before Thanksgiving. Teachers and students can enjoy the Thanksgiving Break and all should be refreshed and ready to start anew on the Monday following Thanksgiving.
Back From Break Lesson
We encourage teachers to have a great lesson for the return from Thanksgiving. The Monday lesson plan and the plan for the entire week should be exciting, detailed, and lead into the stretch until Christmas Break. The lesson does not need to worthy of a principal‘s observation. We simply recommend having a solid, back from break lesson. Many teachers have had a busy few days, so this lesson may be designed for the students to work independently.
Self-preservation is critical for a teacher in order to survive the school year.
The Shortest Week of the School Year & The Shortest Day of the Year
Thanksgiving week is mostly likely the shortest week of the academic school year. It certainly is out of the ordinary. Every school will have two full days on Monday and Tuesday. Others might also school on Wednesday. In many districts this is the shortest day of the year, with dismissal time being earlier than a typical early release date.
Traveling Students
Some parents view the short week as a great opportunity to travel. These families will take a student out of school during these two days. Many veterans teachers refrain from having major assessments this week, do to the problem or arranging make up times.
Other teachers may choose to do an enrichment activity that focuses around gratitude, and being thankful.
You Deserve a Hand
All of us have memories of elementary school. Some of the most memorable school events for the older generation is Thanksgiving Play. Mothers would cut out brown grocery bags and making a vest for the pilgrim’s celebrating the 1st Thanksgiving. There also were Native American outfits too.
These Thanksgiving Plays have gone away with Native American mascots.
One activity that should never disappear is the Thanksgiving hand turkey. High school students will be so excited to make a hand turkey now the big question is can a turkey be expanded to be a 2 1/2 day lesson during Thanksgiving week. If this can be accomplished, a teacher will no longer have to prepare a lesson for Thanksgiving for the rest of the teaching career.
You deserve a hand what went well have students create a list of what has gone well so far this school year This can include things at home at work school in the college process in sports and other extra curricular in relationships, students will simply list the things of what went well.
Not sure if we can come up with a clever title for this but future possibilities might be a good category with students can look short term About what the winter season can bring. The holiday celebrations, holiday concert, vacations, Christmas shopping, with Sports, college acceptances.
New
Oh boy, hallelujah I am grateful for set a number for things that people can be grateful for it can be people it can be food. It can be musical artists it can be TV shows. It can be happy places can be anything.Z