Best November Movies to Watch in Your Homeschool
November can be overwhelming! Between Thanksgiving prep, the start of the holiday countdown, and cooler weather, it’s easy to run out of steam quickly. This list of the best November movies to watch in your homeschool can help. All you have to do is pop the popcorn and press play.
Ultimately, the best homeschool days aren’t the ones packed with worksheets and lectures. Sometimes they aren’t the days filled with elaborate projects or board game marathons either. The movies can bring learning to life in a whole new way if you let yourself adapt to the idea that movies aren’t a shortcut.
Films can bring learning to life in a way a textbook sometimes can’t. This month’s best movies cover gratitude, kindness, Native American history and culture, Veterans Day, Election Day, and classic literature without a single glue stick.
Why Movies Belong in Your Homeschool
Great movies are a lot of fun because they’re really just great stories. Films introduce new ideas, help kids develop empathy, and spark really great discussions long after the credits roll.
When you watch together, learning becomes a shared experience. If you’re working to create a home filled with lifelong learning, adding films is an easy way to help your children start to see that learning is an ongoing adventure.
Yes, the Movies Count!
Watching movies isn’t cheating. You’re not taking the easy way out or “skipping lessons” when you choose to watch a movie together in your homeschool. Movies can feel like a free pass, but learning is happening even if your lesson plan isn’t traditional.
Great movies are really just great stories. Stories meet kids where they are and sneak in lessons you never would have thought to teach. Movies are also an easy way to build in hours of quality time together. It’s an easy way to reconnect during a busy month like November.
So, say yes to a homeschool movie day. Start with some of our favorites below, and print the list to take along while you search for your next film.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
This classic 1973 cartoon film is short, sweet, and perfect for learners of all ages. The Peanuts gang plan a Thanksgiving dinner that doesn’t go the way they expect. It’s gentle, funny, and filled with friendship. Plus, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a great way to start conversations about what your family is thankful for this November.
Don’t forget to grab our free Thanksgiving printables, including word searches, custom coloring pages, and crossword puzzles. They’re an easy way to keep kids learning all month long.
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving is based on a short story by Louisa May Alcott. Kids may enjoy reading the story aloud together before watching this film about a hard-working farm family in 19th-century New England. It’s a glimpse into how families celebrated in the past taht will spark lots of conversations about history, generosity, and how things have changed.
Free Birds
If you’re ready for a laugh, travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving to take turkey off the menu with Free Birds. This animated comedy is a favorite with elementary-aged learners. Plus, you can use it to compare and contrast history with the film.
Then, learn more about turkeys with our free Turkey Unit Study. It’s filled with printables and activity ideas your kids can enjoy all month long.
Gather
Gather is best for ages 13 and up due to heavy themes, so save this film for learning about Native American Heritage Month with your high school students. It’s a documentary all about Native American communities reclaiming their food traditions and caring for the land as they work to protect traditions for the next generation.
Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow
Muppet fans will love the puppetry in Jim Henson’s Turkey Hollow. This cozy holiday film follows a family that moves to a small town and discovers some unusual creatures living nearby. It’s a sweet story about welcoming people who seem different and a great way to talk about empathy this Thanksgiving.
Little Women
We couldn’t include An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving and skip the classic Little Women. Louise May Alcott’s famous March sisters are a wonderful choice for your November watch list!
Plus, it will give you a chance to talk about the Civil War and what it meant to be a woman writer in the 1800s. If you can, we definitely recommend reading the book for a book and movie combo your middle school and high school students won’t forget!
Pachamama
Pachamama is a colorful animated adventure about a boy in the Andes Mountains who sets out to rescue a sacred treasure. The movie introduces students to Andean culture, the Inca, and Pachamama (Mother Earth). Grab a map before you begin to add a little geography as you find the locations along the way in this movie for elementary learners.
Schoolhouse Rock: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Ok, so this isn’t a full-length film, but I couldn’t make a November list and not add this Schoolhouse Rock classic. It’s the very best way to explain how laws are made in our country to kids of all ages. This catchy cartoon makes it easy for everyone to understand how we make laws, so it’s a good watch for the whole family this Election Day.
Sergeant Stubby: An American Hero
Sergeant Stubby: An American Hero tells the story of a stray dog who wanders into a WWI training camp and serves alongside the 102nd Infantry Regiment. The best part is that this film is based on a real dog, the most decorated war dog of WWI. You can use the film to learn about WWI, Veterans Day, and the Armistice of 1918 with your homeschoolers.
Learn more about the role animals have played in WWI and WWII in our Spy Academy Unit Study. It truly is fascinating to discover all the ways animals have helped on battlefields around the world.
Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale
This movie tells the story of Squanto, a Patuxet man who was taken to Europe and later returned home to find his people changed. The film definitely takes liberties, so use it as a starting point rather than a history lesson. Reading primary sources can help fill in the real story after you watch the film. We recommend this one for middle school and up.
Valiant
Valiant is a cute movie about a small but brave pigeon who joins the Royal Homing Pigeon Service during World War II. It’s a gentle, kid-friendly way to show young children that every role, big or small, matters in wartime.
You can pair it up with a lesson on the real use of messenger pigeons in WWII. Together with Sergeant Stubby, this makes a great “animals at war” double feature for your next family movie night together.
Winnie the Pooh
Some of the best November movies are the coziest! Winnie the Pooh and his friends are all about friendship, sharing, and counting your blessings, so they’re the perfect squad to help you celebrate Thanksgiving. Encourage gratitude in your homeschool with this animated classic.
Wonder
Did you know November 13 is World Kindness Day? Wonder is the story of a boy named Auggie with a facial difference who is starting school for the first time. The film focuses on kindness, courage, and the power of choosing compassion.
Wonder is a beautiful family movie that opens the door to important conversations about empathy and acceptance, based on the book by R. J. Palacio.
Discover More November Homeschool Resources You’ll Love
Watching movies together is just the beginning! November is full of chances to learn more together from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving. You don’t need complicated craft projects or elaborate lesson plans to make the most of this month. Check out our favorite stress-free learning ideas all month long:
- Thanksgiving Fun for Your Homeschool – Books, Games, Movies & More
- The Best Games for Learning in November
- 30+ Best Books for Kids to Read this November
What are your favorite November movies to watch together? Do you have one that’s not on the list? Share your November movie traditions in the comments. We can’t wait to watch them together this fall!
