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Make Mine Turkey
Young scholars compare foods available for the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving with contemporary Thanksgiving foods. After reading information about the first Thanksgiving, pupils create a menu and compute the cost of a turkey dinner, using...
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Measuring Up on the Mayflower
Second graders use a meter tape to compare the length of the Mayflower to a basketball court and make homemade butter for crackers. Afterward, all students sit inside the makeshift Mayflower's dimensions and enjoy their Pilgrim butter.
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The Mayflower Story Up-Close and Personal
Students gain a deeper understanding of what the early colonists experienced in search of a new life in America while giving them a taste of historical methodology. This is an engaging way to assess what your students know about the...
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Turkey Soup for the Soul
Students read an article that tells how a young man turned his life around through the help of a local charity. They create inspirational scrapbooks and posters to help motivate their peers when they are facing adversity.
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Colonial Customs
Young scholars experience Colonial life and explore the customs of the 17th century. In this colonial America lesson plan, students play dress up, barter items, author pledges, and review 17th century etiquette.
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Thanksgiving Friends
Students listen to teacher read alouds of books that include facts about Thanksgiving. They discuss what they are thankful for and share this discussion with another class through e-mail.
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Hand Washing
Mostly discussion, this lesson explores the importance and methods of hand washing. A few true stories of community illnesses spread by the neglect of washing hands serve as an anticipatory set. The activity is most memorable if you are...
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Introduce Vocabulary: I Love You the Purplest (Joosse)
Use Barbara Joosse's heartwarming story I Love You the Purplest (which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it) to practice vocabulary in context with emerging readers. This sensory text is an excellent opportunity to...
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Poetry
Fifth graders explore poetry. They write a variety of poetry using the writing process. Students choose a topic related to Thanksgiving and write a Thanksgiving themed poem. They write a rough draft and peer edit their poems. Students...
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Wampanoag Indians
Students read stories and listen to a brief lecture about the Wampanoag Indians, aspects of their culture and their role in the first Thanksgiving. They make a Wampanoag carrying pouch out of a paper bag and cook a corn cake as a class.
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Turkey Feather Writing
Learners create a Thanksgiving writing piece. In this holiday lesson, students use a turkey picture to write a short story about the things they are thankful for.
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The First Thanksgiving: The Pilgrim’s Journey
Students discuss history. In this pilgrims lesson, students discover what life was like for people coming over to the New World on the Mayflower. They participate in class discussions as the teacher navigates through a Scholastic website...
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A Lucky Break
Explore idioms with a chicken theme! Consider doing these activities prior to Thanksgiving, as there's a section about wishbones! First your youngsters will match a short list of idioms with their meanings. Then, give each learner the...
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Holiday Poetry and Music
Students discuss Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and family traditions. After brainstorming how holidays are celebrated, students write a poem about a chosen holiday and create their own hand-made instrument. They share their poems...
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Molly's Pilgrim
Students read the story of Molly's Pilgrim, create a Native American doll, and explore the meaning of the word pilgrim.
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Settling the Plymouth Colony
Students label blank maps with the names of the New England Colonies. They explain the difficulties that the Pilgrims had and how hard they worked to survive in Plymouth.
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I Am Thankful
Students trace their hands and cut them out, write one thing they are thankful for on each hand, and share them with the class.
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I'm Thankful For...
First graders engage in a lesson that demonstrates the character trait of thankfulness. The teacher enthusiastically shares something to be thankful for with the class. Then they spend the time to draw an idea of something to be thankful...
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Coin-a-copia: A Thanksgiving Glyph Activity
Students explore glyphs that are pictorial representations of data. Students collect and display data about themselves and a variety of other topics. Students practice using a legend to analyze and interpret data.
Scholastic
Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life for Grades 3-5
Thirteen steps make up a lesson that challenges pupils to compare and contrast the daily lives of Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe. Learners revisit the Graffiti Wall then break into small groups for an investigative reading assignment...
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Game: Turkey Put Together
Students play a game using a symbol of Thanksgiving - the turkey. In this Thanksgiving game lesson, students divide into teams and participate in a relay race to create a turkey.
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Government and Community Resources
Adult learners, with the assistance of flash/picture cards, explore a variety of United States holidays and social customs: Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and more. In addition, they draw pictures illustrating...
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Lee & Low Books: Giving Thanks Teacher's Guide
Fourth graders participate in reading comprehension activities associated from a teacher's guide. In this reading comprehension lesson, 4th graders read Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp and...
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Turkey Bowl
Rolling three strikes in bowling is known as a turkey—but in a Thanksgiving-themed bowing game, every pin is a turkey! Young learners practice hand-eye coordination, ball rolling, and weight transfer with an engaging game of Turkey Bowl.