November Writing and Journal Prompts

Student thinking in class while writing in journal
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November is a great month to step back and count our blessings. The month offers a range of activities, many associated with football and meals and family.

Here are writing prompts, one for each day of the month of November. These prompts been chosen to highlight special days throughout the month. These can be used as daily warm-ups, journal entries, or opportunities for speaking and listening. Thanksgiving does not have a date, as it is always the fourth Thursday in November. For this holiday, a great prompt would be: What are five things that you have to be thankful for?

November Holidays

  • Aviation Month
  • Child Safety and Protection Month
  • Latin American Month
  • National Model Railway Month
  • National Novel Writing Month 

Speaking and Listening Opportunity

Participate in Storycorps The Great Thanksgiving Listen.​
"The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that empowers young people—and people of all ages—to create an oral history of the contemporary United States by recording an interview with an elder.
To date, thousands of high schools from all 50 states have participated and preserved more than 75,000 interviews, providing families with a priceless piece of personal history."

Writing Prompt Ideas

  • November 1 - Theme: National Author's Day. Who is your favorite author? Why do you like his or her writing?
  • November 2 - Theme: Cookie Monster's birthday. Which of the Sesame Street characters was your favorite as a child? Why?
  • November 3 - Theme: Sandwich Day. What's your idea of a perfect sandwich? What's on it? What type of bread would it have? Describe it in detail.
  • November 4 - Theme: End of daylight savings time. Do you think that America should continue to observe daylight savings time? Why or why not?
  • November 5 - Theme: National Donut Day. Use your five senses to describe your favorite type of donut.
  • November 6 - Theme: Voting. What are your feelings about voting? Is it something you look forward to doing or do you not really care? Explain your answer.
  • November 7 - Theme: Magazine Day. Pretend you are creating a new magazine. What would it be about? What type of features would it include? Make sure to give your magazine a name. If you were going to create a magazine, what would it be called, and
  • November 8 - Theme: X-Ray Day. Have you ever had to have an x-ray? If so, what was it for? Describe what happened to cause your injury. If you never had an x-ray, write about your worst injury.
  • November 9 - Theme: Parade Day. Write a poem or a short piece of prose about a parade. It can be serious or humorous, your choice.
  • November 10 - Theme: National Novel Writing Month. If you were going to write a novel, what would it be about? What would its title be?
  • November 11 - Theme: Veteran's Day. Describe at least three ways that you can honor veterans who have served in America's armed forces.
  • November 12 - Theme: Nuclear energy. Which type of energy do you think America should focus on for the future: solar, wind, fossil fuel, or nuclear? Explain your answer.
  • November 13 - Theme: World Kindness Day. Describe an instance where someone was really kind to you. How did it make you feel?
  • November 14 - Theme: Children's Day (India). In India, November 14th is Children's Day. Do you think that America should institute a special day set aside as children's day? Explain your answer.
  • November 15 - Theme: National Recycling Day. Do you believe that people should be penalized if they don't recycle? Explain your answer.
  • November 16 - Theme: Scorpios. According to the Astrological calendar, people born on November 16th are Scorpios. Do you believe in astrology and sun signs? Why or why not?
  • November 17 - Theme: International Students Day. Would you ever consider studying in another country? Why or why not?
  • November 20 - Theme: National Peanut Butter Fudge Day. What food combinations do you think are delicious such as the combination of chocolate and peanut butter?
  • November 21 - Theme: National Stuffing Day. Stuffing is one of the most traditional foods for a holiday. What are some of the foods you associate with the holidays?
  • November 22 - Theme: National Start Your Own Country Day. Pretend you have decided to start your own country. Give your country a name. Describe what symbols and colors would be on its flag. Finally, write about at least three protections guaranteed to all citizens.
  • November 23 - Theme: National Espresso Day. What kind(s) of food gives you a boost of energy?
  • November 24 -Theme: National Native American Heritage Day. What do you know about the Indigenous tribes who lived in your area? OR Read a traditional myth or folktale from an Indigenous group. How is this story like or unlike other cultural myths or folktales?
  • November 25 - Theme: National Parfait Day. Parfaits are desserts created with layers of sweets, but they can serve as a metaphor for someone who has different talents or layers of ability. What kinds of layers do you have?
  • November 25 - Theme: National Cookie Day. If you are not tired of all the holiday food options in November, then write about your favorite kinds of cookies.
  • November 27 - Theme: Celebrities. If you had the ability to meet one celebrity, who would it be? Why?
  • November 28 - Theme: Red Planet Day. If it was announced that a new colony was being planned on Mars, would you want to join it? Why or why not?
  • November 29 - Theme: King Tut's Tomb Opened. Do you believe that something like the curse of the mummy against those who opened old Egyptian tombs really exists? Why or why not?
  • November 30 - Theme: Dinner Party. If you were going to have a dinner party and could invite five historical figures, who would you choose? Explain why you would invite each one.
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Your Citation
Kelly, Melissa. "November Writing and Journal Prompts." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/november-writing-prompts-8479. Kelly, Melissa. (2023, April 5). November Writing and Journal Prompts. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/november-writing-prompts-8479 Kelly, Melissa. "November Writing and Journal Prompts." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/november-writing-prompts-8479 (accessed March 28, 2024).