Thanksgiving Poetry Lesson Plan (Grades K-5)

November is a prime month for teaching children to write poetry. With November we still have the elements of autumn, as well as the Thanksgiving holiday. This means there are numerous sensory items to include within Thanksgiving poetry, along with the emotions and specific events that occur. Here I have provided you with two partial poems that you are free to use and even alter in your lesson plans.

Thanksgiving Tanka Lesson Plan for Grades K-5

Tanka is a form of Japanese poetry. It consists of 5 lines. Lines 1 and 3 have 5 syllables and lines 2, 4 and 5 have 7 syllables. You may choose to skip the syllable requirements with students in grades K-1. A more Americanized form is short line, long line, short line, long line, long line. Let your older students decide if they wish to use a syllable count or not. There is no rhyme is tanka. Tanka centers around a single moment or event.

Here is my partial tanka for use in your Thanksgiving poetry lesson plan:

On Thanksgiving Day
We eat (blank) and (blank).
I like (blank) best.
After dinner, (blank).
I'm most thankful for (blank).

Thanksgiving Acrostic Lesson Plan for Grades K-5

An acrostic is a simple poetic form with each line beginning with the next letter of a word. For example, in this Thanksgiving poetry lesson plan we will be using the word thanksgiving. Below is an example of a simple acrostic poem that I have written. You may use it as an example for your students if you wish.

Televised football games
Hungry family
Almost Christmas
Nuts for cracking
Kids playing outside
Snow would be nice
Giving thanks
Icing on cakes
Vegetables
Inside Grandma's house
Naps after dinner
Grateful family

It is my hope that these poetic exercises will help to instill a love and appreciation for poetry within your elementary age students, both the reading and writing of poetry. Enjoy this opportunity to delve into poetry with your students and remember to count it among your blessings.