Friday, November 6, 2020

5 Exciting Thanksgiving-Themed Games Teachers Can Coordinate Over Zoom

One of my most popular blog posts recently has been my 10 Classroom Games to play on Zoom.  So, when Tania reached out to me to write a guest post about 5 Exciting Thanksgiving Games To Play on Zoom I was excited to share these with you!






It’s been a strange couple of months for us all, with everything from coffee chats to family quiz nights moving onto video chat services. Although we’ve all been affected by the global fallout from COVID-19, it’s been incredibly challenging for teachers and students, who’ve each had to develop new ways to keep online learning stimulating and fun.

 

Teachers will likely have to keep communicating with their students online for a while, and with Thanksgiving on the horizon, it’s an ideal time for these educators to introduce some fresh, festive-themed activities into their Zoom classes.

 

Whether you’re a teacher or student and you have access to a printer with full ink cartridges, you’ll be able to take part in the following Thanksgiving-themed games over Zoom.

Source: slawomir.gawryluk/Shutterstock.com


1. Pumpkin Pictionary

Pictionary is a classic game that is always a treat in classrooms, and you can adapt it for online playing. It takes a little more preparation to make Pictionary work on Zoom, but it’s well worth it for the excitement it generates.

 

The night before you introduce this online activity, think of as many different Thanksgiving traditions and foods as possible and type them down in a document. An hour or so before the game begins, email this document to two students or players who are the designated drawers for the game. They can then print out this document at home and have it ready for the game.

 

Once students are online, split the class into two teams–each with one drawer. Pick whichever team should go first and then start a one-minute timer. That team’s drawer picks the first word on the printed document and attempts to draw it out. The rest of their team tries to guess what festive item they’re drawing. 


If they choose correctly, the drawer can move on to the next word on the list. See how many the team can guess before the minute is up. Whichever team gets the most at the end of the allocated time wins the game.


If you want to mix it up, pick a new drawer on each team and have them create their own Thanksgiving-themed list. Start the timer again and see how many the rest of their team can get.

 

2. Sweet Potato Bingo

This game is a quick and easy way to engage kids, and its winning format smoothly transitions into online play.

 

You can make your version of bingo more festive by creating custom cards. Instead of numbers, include mini pictures of Thanksgiving foods or customs. You’ll want to send everyone in your class a different card to print out. Ensure each student can access a printer and cheap printer ink to quickly and affordably engage with the game.

 

Once you’re all on Zoom, check that everyone has both their custom card and a pencil ready, and start calling out your Thanksgiving-themed pictures or symbols. The first person to fill in their whole grid is the winner.

Source: Ralf Geithe/Shutterstock.com



3. Two Truths and a Cranberry Lie

This classic ice-breaker is a great way to get even the most reluctant kids invested in your class. It’s also a straightforward activity to do on Zoom, with virtually no preparation required.

 

At the beginning of the game, ask everyone to come up with two facts and one lie about Thanksgiving. These could either be truths and untruths about the holiday in general, or truths and untruths about each person’s individual Thanksgiving experiences. For example, someone could choose to talk about a recent Thanksgiving they spent fishing with their grandfather, or they might decide to make a statement about why we eat turkey at this time of year.

 

Once someone has said their three statements, it’s up to the rest of the class to decide which one is the lie. Typically, this part of the game generates a lot of animated discussion, helping to get your students excited about Thanksgiving.

 

4. Turkey Charades

Charades is another simple game you can play on Zoom. You can either split your class into teams to make it more competitive or people can play individually.

 

To make this game Thanksgiving-themed, tell everyone to pick festive foods, figures and traditions to act out. In individual play, whoever guesses the correct item or social practice first gets to go next. In team play, pick one member of each team to be the mime, and set a minute timer as they act out words from a Thanksgiving-themed list. Their teammates have to guess what it is they’re acting out. The winning team is the one who correctly shouts out the most by the end of the minute.

 

5. Festive Trivia 

When it comes to fun games, sometimes nothing beats a well-researched trivia quiz. If you’re the quizmaster, this requires some preparation. You’ll need to come up with several rounds of questions for people to answer.

 

Here are a few ideas for Thanksgiving-themed rounds:

 

       Thanksgiving traditions

       Thanksgiving food

       Thanksgiving sports

       Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

       The origins of Thanksgiving

       Native Americans and Thanksgiving

 

When it comes to teaching the history of Thanksgiving, make an effort to include both sides. For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of resistance and mourning. It marks the anniversary of white colonial settlement in Massachusetts from the 1600s, an arrival that led to centuries of decimation for the native population.

 Even the local native curriculum in early childhood classrooms often fails to teach students about the value of indigenous traditions and customs. It’s a great idea to include questions on the Native American relationship with Thanksgiving as part of festive trivia. It can help teach all your students more about native cultures and values.

 

The Takeaway

Thanksgiving is not only a time to be with friends and family, but also to take stock of the things important in our lives. If you’re a teacher who’s looking to engage your students, you’ll be able to bring your whole class together online with these Thanksgiving-themed games and activities.

 

Kids love learning about this holiday and its historical and cultural importance with these simple classics. Start preparing now for your November curriculum with these fun Thanksgiving Zoom activities.


Tania Longeau serves as the Head of Services for InkJetSuperStore. Tania oversees a team of Operations and Customer Service Reps from the Los Angeles headquarters. Before joining InkJetSuperStore, Tania was a team leader and supervisor working for one of the biggest mortgage and real estate companies in the country. She is a happily married mother of one, who enjoys spending time with her family and reading in her leisure hours.



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