Thanksgiving Writing Prompts for Elementary Students

This post includes 50 Thanksgiving and November writing prompts for K-5 students—22 opinion, 15 informational, and 13 narrative—organized by type for easy use in any elementary classroom.

The prompts cover Thanksgiving traditions, November themes, Veterans Day, and fall topics across all three writing genres. Printable worksheets with graphic organizers and writing space are available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

If you’re looking for Christmas Writing Prompts for next month, I have those, too! Below are 50 Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving and the Month of November.

22 Opinion Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving and November

These Thanksgiving writing prompts encourage students to form and express their opinions and reflect thoughtfully on November themes such as Thanksgiving, Veterans Day, and volunteering at a food bank.

1. Do you believe Thanksgiving should be celebrated worldwide? Why or why not?
2. Some people think that pumpkin pie is the best part of Thanksgiving. Do you agree or disagree?
3. Should we have more days in the year dedicated to giving thanks? Why or why not?
4. Should schools have the whole week off for Thanksgiving or only a four-day weekend? Explain your reasons.
5. Which do you prefer: helping to cook the Thanksgiving meal or cleaning up afterward? Why?
6. Should Black Friday shopping start on Thanksgiving Day? Share your thoughts and reasons.
7. Do you think fall is the best season? Why or why not?
8. Should schools teach more about the Native American perspective on Thanksgiving? Why or why not?
9. Do you believe that everyone should volunteer at a food bank at least once? Why or why not?
10. What’s your opinion on starting Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving? Explain your reasons.
11. Do you think children should have a bigger role in planning the Thanksgiving dinner? Why or why not?
12. Should the president continue the tradition of pardoning a turkey every year on Thanksgiving? Give your reasons.
13. Do you prefer sitting at a separate children’s table during Thanksgiving, or would you want everyone, kids and adults, seated together at one table?
14. What are your thoughts on eating leftovers for days after Thanksgiving? Is it a good or bad idea?
15. Do you believe veterans should receive more recognition than they currently do? Why or why not?
16. Should Thanksgiving always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, or should the date be flexible? Explain your reasons.
17. Would you rather have Thanksgiving dinner with your immediate family or join a big gathering with extended family and friends?
18. Should we have more days like Veterans Day to honor people who serve their country in different ways? Explain your reasons.
19. What about your family or friends are you most grateful for? Why?
20. Stores used to be closed on Thanksgiving and open early on Friday for holiday sales. Now, some stores have Thanksgiving Day sales. Do you think this is good or bad?
21. Imagine you have been asked to organize the Veterans Day parade. What would you include in the parade and why?
22. If you could invite anyone, living or deceased, to your Thanksgiving dinner, who would it be and why?

These Thanksgiving writing prompts encourage students to form and express their own opinions and reflect thoughtfully on November themes such as Thanksgiving, Veterans Day, and volunteering at a food bank.

15 Informational Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving and November

These November writing prompts encourage students to research, organize their thoughts, and present information clearly. They also build understanding of topics such as science concepts and social issues.

Informational Research

1. Write about the origins and history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
2. Research a famous Native American leader and write a biography.
3. Describe a holiday similar to Thanksgiving that is celebrated by another culture.
4. Why do birds migrate during the fall season?
5. Write about the history of cranberries and their role in Thanksgiving meals.
6. What is the symbolism of the cornucopia in Thanksgiving decorations?
7. Explore the concept of “Friendsgiving” and how people celebrate it.
8. Discuss the history and significance of Veterans Day.
9. Write a comparison between Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States and another country’s autumn festival.

Informational Explanations

10. Explain the traditional foods typically served during a Thanksgiving meal.
11. What is the role of gratitude in our lives, and why is it important?
12. Why are family gatherings during the Thanksgiving season important?
13. Write about the different ways people volunteer and give back to their communities in November.

Thanksgiving How-To Writing Prompts

14. Write about how your favorite meal is prepared. Include the ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
15. Write a step-by-step guide on how to make a delicious pumpkin pie.

These November writing prompts encourage students to research, organize their thoughts, and articulate information clearly and engagingly. They also build understanding of topics such as science concepts and social issues.

13 Narrative Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

These prompts are designed to inspire both personal and fictional narratives, focusing on themes relevant to November. They encourage empathy, critical thinking, and creativity.

Fictional Narrative Writing Prompts for Thanksgiving – Short Stories

1. Write a story about a unique Thanksgiving dinner where all the food could talk. What would the turkey say?
2. What if you found a magic cornucopia that could produce any food you wished for? What would you ask it to create?
3. Write a story about a squirrel preparing for winter. What adventures does it embark on to gather food?
4. Pretend you’re a turkey who has just learned about Thanksgiving. How do you react, and what’s your plan?
5. Imagine you wake up one morning and find you’re in charge of cooking the entire Thanksgiving meal. What happens next?
6. Write a story in which you find a mysterious November calendar that predicts the future. What does it say, and how do you react?

Personal Narrative Writing Prompts

7. Share something another person currently does or once did for you for which you are grateful. It could be something they do every day, once in a while, or only once.
8. Write a story about a time when you helped serve food at a local food bank. How did it make you feel?
9. What if the first Thanksgiving had been held in modern times? How would it be different?
10. Write a story about a family tradition that your family has for Thanksgiving.

Other Narrative Writing Prompts for November

11. You have been given the opportunity to create a new November holiday. What would it be, and how would people celebrate it?
12. Imagine that you and your friends decided to organize a community service project in November. What would it be and why?
13. Pretend you are a chef preparing a meal for a food bank. Describe the process and the joy of giving.

These prompts are designed to inspire both personal and fictional narratives, focusing on themes relevant to November. They encourage empathy, critical thinking, and creativity.

How to Use These Prompts in Your Classroom

Daily November journals: Opinion prompts work well for quick daily journal entries throughout November. Students who write one opinion prompt per day develop a habit of defending their thinking with reasons — useful practice for any structured opinion writing assignment.

Writing type rotation: Use one type per week across November: opinion prompts in week one, informational in week two, narrative in week three. This gives students practice across all three genres without requiring a separate writing unit for each.

Student choice: Post five prompts (one or two from each type) and let students choose which one to respond to. Students who choose their own prompt write longer, more developed pieces than those assigned a prompt.

Thanksgiving week writing: Narrative prompts work especially well during the short week before Thanksgiving, when students can’t complete longer projects. A personal narrative about a family tradition or a fictional story about a talking turkey gives students a meaningful writing task in a short window.

Publishing: Have students pick their best piece from the month to illustrate and display, or compile a class “November Writing Collection” to share with families at the end of the month. Writing for a real audience changes how students approach revision.

Differentiation: For students who need support, provide a sentence starter for the first line. For students ready for more, ask them to include a specific craft element — dialogue, a setting description, a transition word — in their response.

The printable version of these prompts includes graphic organizers and writing space for each prompt — useful for morning journals, writing centers, or structured writing assignments. For more seasonal writing ideas, see the full collection of writing prompts for kids.