EP 148 Simple and Effective November Lesson Ideas for Your Language Learners

Hello educators! As November approaches, I know that planning fresh, engaging lessons for your Language Learners can feel challenging. That’s why I’ve put together some simple, effective activities that will bring the month to life in your classroom, save you planning time, and make your lessons even more impactful!

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is celebrated around the world in various ways, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to explore themes of loyalty and service.

Lesson Ideas:

• Begin with a KWL Chart (Know, Want to Know, Learned) to gauge students’ knowledge about Veterans Day and what they’d like to learn.
• Read-Aloud: Use age-appropriate books on GetEpic to build background knowledge. Pause to check for understanding and encourage questions.
• Thank You Notes: Have students write letters or design thank-you cards for veterans in the community. This personal connection can be powerful, especially for younger learners.

Daylight Savings Time

Daylight Savings is a timely topic in November and offers a great opportunity for students to explore opinion writing.

Lesson Ideas:

• Introduce the Pros and Cons: Read an article that covers both sides of the daylight savings debate, and show videos to build background knowledge.
• Opinion Writing: Guide students in writing a paragraph or essay on their viewpoint. Use sentence and paragraph frames to support them, and consider adding peer editing sessions.
• Typing Practice: If time allows, students love typing their writing assignments!

Fall Festivals and Activities

Pumpkin patches, apple picking, and corn mazes are a few highlights of the season, and these themes can be introduced wherever you are.

Lesson Ideas:

• Leaf Observations: Students can observe and color leaves, using descriptive adjectives to enhance vocabulary. If fall leaves aren’t available, online images work great too!
• Corn Maze Design: Challenge students to create their own corn maze on grid paper. This activity can incorporate math vocabulary and even serve as an introduction to spatial reasoning. Show students images and videos of corn mazes to spark ideas.

Hibernation

This science-themed lesson idea is versatile for any grade level. The changing season provides the perfect segue into discussing animal behaviors like hibernation.

Lesson Ideas:

• Read-Aloud: Try using “Over and Under” on GetEpic to introduce hibernation. It’s engaging and free for teachers!
• Crafts: Have students make hibernation crafts to represent different animals and where they go during winter.

For a more in-depth plan, including two weeks’ worth of activities, head over to myadventuresinesl.com/store for ready-to-go resources. I hope these ideas make your November lesson planning a breeze and help your students engage meaningfully with each topic.

Happy teaching!