Curated OER
Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving
Encourage learners to think critically about common myths regarding the Wampanoag Indians in Colonial America. They discover that behind every myth are many possible explanations—and that learning more about American history helps them...
Macmillan Education
Webquest: Thanksgiving
Class members use the Internet to research the history of Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada, as well as the traditions surrounding the Thanksgiving-style celebrations of the Hebrews, the Chinese, and in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 3-5
Scholars examine the first Thanksgiving through books and interviews while they complete a KWL chart. Pretending they are part of the feast, learners craft a scrapbook page that features images related to their experience. Pupils reflect...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving
Introduce the basics of Thanksgiving with a language arts instructional activity. As pupils practice observation skills, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, they design paper turkeys by outlining their hands and feet and by singing an...
Story Corps
The Great Thanksgiving Listen
StoryCorp provides a resource that captures and preserves the remembrances of family or community elders. Prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, class members select a person they want to interview, record the conversation, and then upload...
EngageNY
Practicing Listening and Reading Closely: The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address
Thanksgiving doesn't occur only once a year for the Haudenosaunee. Weave an instructional activity about reading closely with an inspiring message about eternal gratitude for all of the elements of creation into a unit on Native American...
Teachers.net
Columbus - Thanksgiving lesson plan
Students learn the history of Thanksgiving and Columbus Day, and they also create a "New World" mural in small groups.
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 6–8
It's time for the feast! Young historians complete their study of the First Thanksgiving by completing an online activity, watching a slideshow, and examining a First Thanksgiving timeline. After answering text-dependent questions to...
TPS Journal
Sourcing a Document: The First Thanksgiving
How reliable is a painting of the first Thanksgiving if it was created 300 years after the fact? Learners assess the validity of a primary source image to determine what it can actually reveal about this event.
Hubbard's Cupboard
The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving
Young scholars explore holidays by participating in class singing activities. In this Thanksgiving history lesson, students discuss the importance of Thanksgiving Day and read several poems which discuss the history of Thanksgiving....
Scholastic
Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life
A instructional activity looks at the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe during the first Thanksgiving. Scholars compare and contrast information presented by an online activity then discuss their findings. Learners examine the two group's...
Scholastic
Voyage on the Mayflower
After completing an online activity about the Mayflower, scholars draw a picture about what they know of the Thanksgiving holiday, including a one-sentence summary. A reading of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma is the...
Teacher Created Resources
Thanksgiving Coupon Book
Learners create a Thanksgiving coupon book. In this holiday lesson, students review the history of Thanksgiving and create coupon books to give to someone who they are thankful for.
Scholastic
Thanksgiving Lessons Grades PreK-2
A quintessential resource for teaching an elementary unit on the first Thanksgiving addresses a variety of skills, including informational reading, critical thinking, comparing and contrasting facts, technology tools, and historical...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Day 1621; What Really Happened?
Third graders read "The Plymouth Thanksgiving Story" by Chuck Larsen. They discuss their prior knowledge of Thanksgiving history and question traditional views. They consider that there are always two or more sides to a story.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving: Multiple Perspectives
Students examine different perspectives about Thanksgiving that include those of the European Settlers and the Native Americans. They read and discuss an article about Plymouth being "America's Hometown." They develop a landmark for...
Curated OER
Immigration and Oral History
Students examine immigration. In this oral and social histories lesson, students analyze primary sources to research immigration history in their community. In this year-long research project, students participate in visual and...
Curated OER
Blueberries: A Native American Treasure
Youngsters study the history and uses of the blueberry. There are actually six different lessons linked into this plan! The lessons can be useful within a variety of curricular areas, and are particularly appropriate around the...
Agriculture in the Classroom
A Rafter of Turkeys
How did that turkey get from the early Aztec culture to your table? Learn about the history of wild and domesticated turkeys in North America, as well as their inclusion in Thanksgiving traditions, with a two-part agricultural science...
Curated OER
The History of Thanksgiving Day
Young scholars discover details about the original Thanksgiving celebration. In this Thanksgiving lesson, students read an article about the topic and respond to questions about it. Young scholars then plan a Thanksgiving celebration.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Menu
Learners explore the First Thanksgiving. For this U.S. history lesson, students read about the Pilgrims and Native Americans and discuss how they obtained and prepared food. Learners develop a possible first Thanksgiving menu and draw a...
Curated OER
Conceptual Change: The History of Thanksgiving
Twelfth graders investigate how to analyze, question and debate the validity of the information given to them from teachers, text books, the media and their peers. The purpose of this lesson is to foster a true understanding about the...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Holiday
First graders explore American culture by participating in arts and crafts activities. In this Thanksgiving lesson, 1st graders listen to music based upon the Thanksgiving tradition and examine images of the first Thanksgiving. Students...
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Then and Now
Students create a Venn diagram to compare the Pilgrim's "First Thanksgiving" with today's Thanksgiving celebration. They use one type of graphic organizer, a Venn diagram, talk and read about the Thanksgiving celebration of 1621 at...