Classroom Ideas
Let’s face it life is anything but normal right now, and our students are having to try and play school as if it is. Covid-19 has students worldwide learning in person, hybrid, fully remote, and everything in between. Throw in the political climate and the way life, in general, has been turned upside down to deal with the pandemic. It’s all very overwhelming. It’s tempting to jump straight from Halloween to Christmas to get a headstart on the good tidings, comfort, and joy we all could use right now. However, November holidays have a lot to offer, too!
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Here are 16 November holidays worth celebrating!
1. FORGET ME NOT DAY – Nov. 10
The perfect day to write a letter to a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while. There are probably many thanks to COVID! A fun twist is to provide students with forget-me-not flower seeds to mail with their letters.
2. WORLD ORIGAMI DAY – Nov. 11
Take a break from the computer screen with your students and get creative with them. There are endless origami tutorials, so master one and wow your kids as you teach them how to make a paper crane or pumpkin.
3. CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL DAY – Nov. 12
Described as “a celebration of who you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going, and who you will be thankful to when you get there!” This sounds like the perfect way to celebrate how amazing your students have coped with all of the changes this year has brought them, so throw a party (even if it’s virtual) and let them brag about themselves for a minute.
4. WORLD KINDNESS DAY – Nov. 13
Give your students a kindness challenge – such as doing three kind acts by lunch. Then have a class meeting so they can share what they did to brighten others’ days.
5. NATIONAL PICKLE DAY – Nov. 14
A little fun and a lot silly, do what you want with pickle day: taste tests, hide the pickle, or if you are lucky showcase a student with a special pickle related talent.
6. CELEBRATE YOUR UNIQUE TALENT DAY – Nov. 14
Talk about an exciting show and tell day; give your students an opportunity to showcase something that makes them special and unique. This could be done easily in person or a virtual Zoom class, which is a big bonus.
7. INTERNATIONAL GAMES DAY – Nov. 15
Games can be just for fun, or fun and educational. No matter what, it’s a great way to promote class connections. You can play online, connect with other virtual classes, bring board games into your classroom. However you celebrate, make it fun and let kids be kids for the day (or the hour)!
8. AMERICA RECYCLES DAY and CLEAN YOUR REFRIGERATOR DAY – Nov. 15
Turn two November holidays into one fun activity! Discuss or read with your students about the importance of taking care of the planet. Then give them an assignment to make a game or a meal using only the things they can recycle or find in their refrigerator. Encourage creativity; get their families involved; have them journal about or record their process; even make it a competition!
9. BUTTON DAY – Nov. 16
This one is just for fun, but there is a lesson in here if you include Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean. (There’s a board game version of the book too!)
10. TAKE A HIKE DAY – Nov. 17
If you are with your students in person, bundle up and take a walk, if your class is virtual, schedule some time on this day for them to step away from the screen and go on a hike (or just play outside) with their parents. Let them breathe in the fresh, chilly air and take their minds off of school for a few minutes.
11. WORLD PEACE DAY – Nov. 17
Encourage your students to play a role in making the world a better place. Teach, read, and discuss ways to promote peace in their homes, schools, teams, relationships, and lives.
12. “HAVE A BAD DAY” DAY – Nov. 19
Here is another opportunity to have a little fun in class. Read (or watch) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, no Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, or My No No No Day by Rebecca Patterson. Let kids talk or journal about the worst days they have ever had.
13. BEAUTIFUL DAY – Nov. 20
Today everything is beautiful! In the midst of the ugliness of life, encourage students to look for beauty. Create artwork, take a walk and point out the beauty in the world, give a writing prompt about beauty, play songs like “Beautiful Day” by U2 or “It’s a Beautiful Day” by Beach Boys.
14. WORLD HELLO DAY – Nov. 21
The actual theme of this day is “Greet 10 people for peace.” So here is another way to challenge students to make the world a little bit brighter for themselves and others. A fun twist could be two to learn how to say hello in different languages.
15. SQUARE DANCE DAY – Nov. 29
According to Kid President, “It’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance.” What better way to end a month of spreading joy, than with some dancing? The fact that the dancing requires listening and following instructions is an added bonus… just make sure the kids stay 6 feet apart!
16. PERSONAL SPACE DAY – Nov. 30
As nice as it is to spend time with others, it’s important that we encourage our students to take care of themselves as well. For personal space day, encourage silent reading, journaling, or independent game playing. After all, December brings a lot of celebrating, and a lot of time with others. November holidays help students learn the importance of rest, relationships, kindness, and fun.
