The Lighted Rose Homeschool

Our carefully curated November playlist introduces topics in a gentle, intentional sequence. Pop it on in the background during morning time, car rides, or sensory play:

• Welcome to November: Exploring November as a month of the year and settling into late autumn
• Native American Heritage: Songs celebrating the history, rich cultures, and traditions of Native Americans
• Harvest & Thanksgiving: Grateful melodies highlighting the autumn harvest, family gatherings, and Thanksgiving traditions
• Autumn Nature Studies: Discovering the beauty of changing leaves, forest trees, and the mysteries of nocturnal animals
• Westward & American Expansion: Following history through songs about Christopher Columbus, the Wild West, the Gold Rush, and the building of the Erie Canal
• Rest & Reset: Winding down with a comforting, mindful feasting kings meditation

🔗 Ready to listen? [Find November’s Amazon Music Playlist here.]

These books have been such a joy for us. I’ve included links if you’d like to add them to your home collection, which is a lovely way to keep them ready for when these themes come back around each year. Of course, I also encourage you to check your local library—it’s a wonderful place to let your children browse, explore, and find their own quiet treasures.

📖 Family Read-Alouds (Chapter Books)

Perfect for gathering around to share a longer, immersive story.

• Toypurina
• The Indian in the Cupboard
• American Girl Kaya Series
• Turkey Trouble
• Esperanza Rising

📖 Illustrated Picture Books

A mix of illustrated stories for all ages covering our November themes: Fall & Native Americans

• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, by Julia Rawlinson (Autumn)
• Autumn, by Gerda Muller (Autumn)
• Snuggle Time Fall Blessings, by Glenys Nellist (Autumn)
• Touch and Feel Fall, by Scholastic (Autumn)
• Counting Bats (A), Harvest Time (A), Bat Facts (A), Night Animals (A), An Owl (A), Tails, Tails, Tails (D), This Pumpkin (A), Fall Leaves (A)
• Four Friends in Autumn, by Tomie DePaola (Autumn, Feasting)
• Beatrix Potter Series, Timothy Tuttmouse (Autumn Creatures)
• Flying Squirrel at Acorn Place, by Barbara Gaines Winkelman (Autumn Creatures)
• Baby Chipmunk Finger Puppet Book (Autumn Creatures)
• Hedgehugs Autumn Hide-and-Squeak, by Steve Wilson & Lucy Tapper (Autumn Creatures)
• Because of an Acorn, by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer (Autumn, Plant Life Cycles)
• A Year Around the Great Oak, by Gerda Muller (Autumn, Plant Life Cycles)
• Look What I Did With a Leaf!, by Morteza E. Sohi (Autumn, Plant Parts)
• Forest Biomes Around the World by M. M. Eboch (Deciduous Forests)
• The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin, by Stan & Jan Berenstain (Pumpkins)
• Pooh’s Puzzling Plant (Pumpkins)
• This Little Turkey, by Aly Fronis (Thanksgiving, Turkeys)
• Thanksgiving is…, by Gail Gibbons (Thanksgiving)
• Franklin’s Thanksgiving, by Paulette Bourgeois (Thanksgiving)
• You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie, by Natalie Marshall (Thanksgiving)
• Over the River and Through the Wood, by Lydia Maria Child (Thanksgiving)
• The Berenstain Bears Harvest Festival, by Mike Berenstain (Thanksgiving, Harvest)
• How Groundhog’s Garden Grew, by Lynne Cherry (Thanksgiving, Harvest)
• I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, by Alison Jackson (Thanksgiving, Feasting)
• Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving, by Nick Bruel (Thanksgiving, Cranberries)
• A Very Thankful Prayer, by Bonnie Rickner Jensen (Thanksgiving/ Thankfulness)
• 123s of Thankfulness, by Patricia Hegarty (Thanksgiving/Thankfulness)
• The Thank You Book, by Mo Willems (Thanksgiving/Thankfulness)
• Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks, by Margaret Sutherland (Thanksgiving/Thankfulness)
• The Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings, by Mike Berenstain (Thanksgiving/Thankfulness)
• The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks, by Jan & Mike Berenstain (Thanksgiving/Thankfulness)
• The Story of the Pilgrims, by Katharine Ross (Pilgrims, Early Colonial Period)
• Dancing Teepees, by Virginia Driving Hawk Snever (Native Americans)
• Torquoise Boy A Navajo Legend, by Terri Cohlene (Native Americans)
• The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, by Paul Goble (Native Americans)
• Sunpainters, by Baje Whitethorne (Native Americans)
• In My Mother’s House, by Ann Nolan Clark (Native Americans)

Grab some blankets and cozy snacks! These fun watches pair perfectly with your lessons this month:

• Native American Heritage & Westward Tales: Pocahontas, Buffalo Dreams, and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
• Thanksgiving & Autumn Harvest Fun: Free Birds, A Thanksgiving Tale, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
• Frontier Life & Whimsical Adventures: Little House on the Prairie, The Indian in the Cupboard, The Emperor’s New Groove, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Sonic the Hedgehog
• The Ultimate Theme Tie-Ins: The Magic School Bus (Meets the Rot Squad / In a Pickle / Going Batty / Gets Swamped / Butterfly and the Bog Beast / Hops Home)

Bring your learning to life out in the real world with these seasonal excursions:

• Cultural & Heritage Gatherings: Attending a local regional Powwow to honor Native American arts, dance, and history
• Autumn Leaves & Forest Crafting: Going on a family leaf-peeping nature hike or visiting a local farm to learn about maple syrup making
• Harvest & Feast Traditions: Exploring an outdoor autumn farmer’s market, navigating a local corn maze, or hosting a cozy harvest potluck party with family and friends

If you want to add rigorous, free textbooks to our hands-on resources, we highly recommend matching this month’s activities with these specific units:

🧪 Core Knowledge Science

None scheduled for this month’s specific thematic units.

🌍 Core Knowledge History & Geography

• Grade K Unit 2: Native Americans*
• Grade K Unit 3: Exploring and Moving to America**
• Grade 1 Unit 5: Early Civilizations of the Americas***
• Grade 1 Unit 6: The Culture of Mexico
• Grade 1 Unit 7: Early Explorers and Settlers****
• Grade 1 Unit 8: From Colonies to Independence*****
• Grade 1 Unit 9: Exploring the West
• Grade 2 Unit 7: The War of 1812
• Grade 2 Unit 8: Americans Move West
• Grade 3 Unit 5: Canada
• Grade 5 Unit 2: Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations******
• Grade 5 Unit 3: The Age of Exploration
• Grade 5 Unit 13: Native Americans: Cultures and Conflicts*******
• Grade 6 Unit 6: Independence of Latin America********

✏️ Core Knowledge Language Arts Units

• Grade K Domain 6: Native Americans*
• Grade K Domain 9: Columbus and the Pilgrims**
• Grade k Domain 10: Colonial Towns and Townspeople
• Grade 1 Domain 5: Early American Civilizations***
• Grade 1 Domain 10: A New Nation: American Independence*****
• Grade 1 Domain 11: Frontier Explorers****
• Grade 3 Unit 8: Native Americans: Regions and Cultures
• Grade 3 CKLA Unit 8: Third Grade Skills—Native American Stories
• Grade 3 Unit 9: Early Explorations of North America
• Grade 3 CKLA Unit 9: Third Grade Skills—The Age of Exploration
• Grade 3 Unit 10: Colonial America
• Grade 3 CKLA Unit 10: Third Grade Skills—Living in Colonial America nov
• Grade 5 Unit 2: Early American Civilizations (maya Aztec inca)******
• Grade 5 Unit 8: Native Americans*******
• Grade 6 Unit 6: 90 Miles to Havana********
• Grade 7 Unit 8: Code Talker

💡 Teacher’s Note: For the absolute best learning flow, we recommend reviewing any History & Geography units marked with asterisks before you jump into the paired Language Arts unit!