Scholastic
Scholastic: The First Thanksgiving
This is a site covering every aspect of the first Thanksgiving ever celebrated. There is a picture timeline, an interactive trip on the Mayflower, and wonderful descriptions of what the lives of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians...
Scholastic
Scholastic: Lesson Plan: The First Thanksgiving
Teachers deepen students' understanding of the first Thanksgiving as they discuss the Mayflower voyage, life in the colonies, the Wampanoag traditions, and an extensive look into this time period.
Read Works
Read Works: The Story of the First Thanksgiving
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text telling the story of the first Thanksgiving. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Library of Congress
Loc: Learning Page: Primary Source Set: Thanksgiving
A set of primary documents that reflect the Mayflower, Plymouth, Puritans, the first Thanksgiving, and legislation for the holiday.
EL Education
El Education: First Thanksgiving Cards
As part of a Learning Expedition about the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, 3rd graders in Springfield, Massachusetts created these note cards. They focused on the "real" story of the first Thanksgiving, using multiple perspectives...
A&E Television
History.com: Thanksgiving
A detailed overview of the first Thanksgiving and the menu that the Pilgrims served which was quite different than the modern Thanksgiving meal. Features videos, a photo gallery, and links to many related articles and topics.
Ancestry
The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony: 1620
Study guide with loads of information about the pilgrims. Details everything from the religious beliefs of the pilgrims to what the Mayflower looked like, to the dogs on the ship, furniture, clothing, descriptions of medical practices on...
Other
Plimoth Plantation: You Are the Historian
What really happened at the first Thanksgiving? Students will explore different aspects of the harvest celebration in 1621 through an interactive program provided by an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: New England Colonies: William Bradford; The First Thanksgiving
Plymouth Colony did not suffer the same problems as the English colony farther south, Jamestown. Read about the leadership of William Bradford, and the relationship between the settlers and the Native Americans who helped those who lived...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: The First Thanksgiving
[Free Registration/Login Required] The students will learn about the first Thanksgiving and how it came to be. There is an assessment at the end of the flipchart.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of the American Indian: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth [Pdf]
This study guide gives information about the Native Americans who were living in the area where the Pilgrims landed in 1620 and information about the new settlers too. The myth of the title concerns the friendly meal shared by the...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: The First Thanksgiving
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson, students will learn about Pilgrims, the Mayflower Compact and basic facts about this early colony in the New Land. Students will also explore the history of Thanksgiving. A five question...
EL Education
El Education: The Truth About Thanksgiving Coloring Book
In this lesson, students research different aspects of Pilgrim and Wampanoag culture and create a coloring book about the first Thanksgiving with original text and illustrations.
Curated OER
Smart Exchange: Large Image Preview: First Thanksgiving
Cartoon illustration of Pilgrims on Thanksgiving.