As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, teachers have a unique opportunity to instill important values in Black students nationwide — those that draw connections to cultural heritage, gratitude, and community. Here are five holiday-themed strategies for teachers to help incorporate these values in the classroom before Thanksgiving break.
1. Practicing Gratitude:
It’s right there in the name: Thanksgiving. Taken literally, it’s an invitation to spend time during the day expressing gratitude — a practice central to many Black traditions. Prayers, songs, and other oral traditions center thankfulness for family, friends, and life.
Classroom Strategy:
- Gratitude Journals: Instruct students to spend a week during class time to write entries on things or people they are most thankful for. Encourage students to share any unique Thanksgiving traditions they have or practice. Organize a read-aloud presentation on the day before the holiday break.
- Gratitude Tree Project: Create a classroom “gratitude tree” for students to add leaves with written appreciations of their fellow classmates and/or teachers. Arrange to take a class photo for students to share over Thanksgiving break.
2. The Importance of Community:
Community values—helping one another, looking after each other, sharing food, and preserving history—have always been integral to Black culture. Thanksgiving is the perfect time for students to celebrate strength in numbers and the meaning of fellowship.
Classroom Strategy:
- Collaborative Art Project: Have students create a mural representing their community values, history, and contributions. The goal is to teach students the value of teamwork and collective effort.
- Community Heroes Discussion: Highlight local figures, including Black leaders who have contributed to the community. Invite students to share stories about people or organizations that have improved their neighborhoods or themselves.
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3. Cultural Heritage
Whether it’s food, music, or other celebratory traditions, the classroom is the perfect space to teach students about their culture and how it connects past and present.
Classroom Strategy:
- Food and Culture Classroom Potluck: Instruct students to bring at least one food, dish, or item that represents their family’s Thanksgiving traditions. Students can share stories about them during the classroom potluck.
- Music and Storytelling: Organize a musical presentation and invite students to share their favorite Thanksgiving memory or what they learned about the holiday. The activity encourages the importance of sharing their cultural heritage.
4. Service
Acts of service and giving back to others are a longstanding Thanksgiving tradition in Black culture. It’s also a great way for students to experience the satisfaction of helping others and uplifting the community.
Classroom Strategy:
- Classroom Service Project: Organize a student-led school cleanup or arrange for them to participate in a community food drive. This project emphasizes how small acts of service can have a meaningful impact.
- Everyday Acts of Kindness: Create a class activity where students recognize their classmates for showing kindness to them or others. This lesson promotes service and gratitude in the classroom.
5. Reflection
Above all, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, a value that allows students to rest, think about their experiences, and envision their future.
Classroom Strategy:
- Reflective Essay: Have students write an essay or create artwork tracing their accomplishments during the school year and what they’re looking forward to during the Thanksgiving break.
- Half Day Off: Avoid scheduling assignments on the last day before the break to allow students to have fun and relax, — encouraging students to value rest and reflection.
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