TeachersFirst: Thanksgiving Resources

TeachersFirst's Thanksgiving Resources

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Thanksgiving in American Memory Grade 4 to 8 - Library of Congress- 7183

A part of the Library's American Memory series, this Thanksgiving site concentrates on the historical origins of the holiday and how its celebration has evolved since the original Thanksgiving proclamation. Be sure to check out the Thanksgiving Timeline

In the Classroom:
Make this site the basis for a scavenger hunt for Thanksgiving information.

Thanksgiving History Grade 3 to 5 - Fourth World Documentation Project- 7181

This simple, text-based site includes a narrative about Thanksgiving, recipes, and more. The narrative provides an excellent resource for a unit that examines the first inhabitants of the Plymouth region (the Wampanoag), their culture, and the impact of the arrival of the Pilgrims upon their lives. The site describes the establishment and eventual deterioration of friendships between the early colonists and the Wampanoag. A study guide and discussion questions are included, along with ideas for enrichment. This is more than the usual cute Thanksgiving story and seeks to debunk many myths.

In the Classroom:
Use this site as background for your pre-Thanksgiving lessons or create a scavenger hunt using the questions from the More Information for Teachers section. Have students wok in teams to create a booklet or PowerPoint presentation from a different angle: A Virtual Tour of the First Thanksgiving or a Guide for European Settlers to Life Among the Wampanoags.

You are the Historian Investigating the First Thanksgiving Grade 3 to 6 - Plimouth Plantation- 7180

Investigating the First Thanksgiving - What was it really like?? Plimoth Plantation museum has added a new Flash-based Thanksgiving lesson that will introduce students to the cultures and customs of both the Pilgrim and Wampanoag peoples. This presentation blends information about lots of everyday activities and customs with a look at what the actual "first Thanksgiving" might have looked like. Requires Flash.

In the Classroom:
A complete teachers guide gives you ideas for using this resource in the classroom. Use a projector or interactive whiteboard to introduce the site, then assign students to complete the investigation in small groups or with a partner. You can spread the activity over several days at a computer cluster in your classroom or do it all at once in a lab.

Thanksgiving Day Vocabulary Grade 3 to 6 - Vocabulary University- 7189

This Thanksgiving website provides the teachers and students with some new ideas for Thanksgiving vocabulary. The interactive activity challenges students to figure out three word puzzles. Each puzzle consists of four questions. There are also links to non-interactive activities(worksheets) that the teacher can print for use in the classroom.

In the Classroom:
Get an interactive whiteboard and challenge your students with this unique word puzzle. The narrators of this interactive site are conversation starters (for example, Sam Mantics is the dean and Cinny Nym is another "vocabulary" narrator). Discuss with your students what these names actually represent (semantics and synonyms). This is a great activity for November vocabulary development.

The First Thanksgiving Grade 2 to 8 - Scholastic- 7178

This informative and interactive website introduces students to the first Thanksgiving. The three main areas of this site include "Voyage of the Mayflower", "Daily Life" and "The Thanksgiving Feast". There are video and audio clips, compare/contrast activities and more. This site required FLASH.

In the Classroom:
Get an interactive whiteboard and take your students back to the 1600s! Teachers can utilize the comparing and contrasting activities to help their students have a better understanding of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags. Check out the "For Teachers" section of this site, Scholastic will be providing a detailed teaching guide in November 2006.

Facts for Features: Thanksgiving Day 2002 Grade 3 to 12 - U.S. Census Bureau- 7185

The Census Bureau offers lots of Thanksgiving statistics, from the total weight of all the turkeys raised in the US to the total amount of food consumed on Thanksgiving. You can plan a huge party with this one!

In the Classroom:
Choose a statistic your students can estimate then use this site to help develop estimation and number sense--all in a holiday spirit.

Mrs. Cassidy's Web Page - Fall and Thanksgiving Grade K to 3 - Mrs. Cassidy- 8843

This seasonal website was created by a teacher. It offers many enrichment activities all about Fall and Thanksgiving. Some examples of activities include: "Catch the Falling Leaves," "Fun in the Garden," and "Find the Differences." Educational topics include numbers, counting, problem solving, logic, and art. Many of these activities require JAVA and/or FLASH. Get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
Your class will "eat up” these free resources all related to Fall and Thanksgiving. All of these activities are ready for your interactive whiteboard (or projector).

Provide this link in your fall newsletter as free (educational) activities for students to use during the fall break.

Mayflower History Grade 2 to 12 - Caleb Johnson- 8385

The Mayflower comes alive as you explore the passenger list with accompanying personal history and genealogy. Click on the Pilgrim History link for a history of Thanksgiving and other Mayflower-era topics, including authentic recipes.

In the Classroom:
Only a visit to a far away museum could get any better than having the full-text primary sources which are available with a click on the left menu. The Mayflower experience would come to life as students fictitiously become one of the voyagers. Perhaps students could adopt a Mayflower ‘ancestor’ and write how they are alike or unlike. Around Thanksgiving, teachers may want to try some of the original recipes for an authentic Mayflower ‘flavor’ to their lesson plans.

A Thanksgiving Dinner Everyone Will Gobble Up Grade 5 to 8 - Ms. Amaris and Mrs. Milano- 7188

This unique WebQuest asks students to create a Thanksgiving menu. The lesson was designed for a "Family and Consumer Science" classroom, but could easily be adapted to fit other subject areas. The tasks required include creating a menu, calculating recipes based on the number of people attending the dinner, creating a shopping list and several creative writing assignments. A detailed rubric is also provided.

In the Classroom:
This lesson could be used in science or health class (food pyramid), math class (calculating portions and adapting recipes), language arts (numerous writing activities are included) or family and consumer science! And if you do not have time to complete the entire WebQuest, just pick and choose which activities will work best in your classroom.

Happy Thanksgiving Grade K to 3 - - 7187

This site offers teachers numerous ideas to utilize in the classroom. The site includes literature, songs, poems, vocabulary words, crafts, pocket chart stories, charts, specific language arts activities, math challenges, journal writing and more! This is a "one-stop site" for Thanksgiving in any K-3 classroom.

In the Classroom:
The teacher of K-3 can find activities in every subject area at this unique (helpful) site. Students will especially enjoy the fun songs and poems!

Thanksgiving Story Starters Grade 1 to 5 - ABC Teach- 7184

Use these entertaining prompts to start your class blog entries or writing activities for Thanksgiving.aybe even write a script for a Thanksgiving podcast?

History of Thanksgiving Grade 3 to 6 - History Channel- 6242

Find out what was on the menu for the first Thanksgiving, debunk some common holiday myths, and listen to pilgrim interviews. This informational multi-media site also features a beautifully designed video that details the history of this American institution – perfect for individual viewing. Note: this site "pauses" before opening. Be patient.

White House Kids Learn About Traditions Grade 2 to 6 - White House- 8366

View pictures and read lively text about three seasons at the White House: Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving. Currently, President George and First Lady Laura Bush’s dog, Barney, has his own section on this site. For a fresh view of holiday life in the White House, watch the Barney cam and read (or act) the Barney scripts and tours of the festivities. Traditional holiday fun is presented in such a way that all students, regardless of religious background, will not be offended. Various activities on this site require Windows Media Player, QuickTime, or Real Player.

In the Classroom:
Teachers may want to use the script for each Barney Cam as a Readers’ Theatre while the video is projected onto a screen. Teachers can use a Venn Diagram to illustrate differences/similarities of cross-culture holidays or make comparisons on a personal level. As a creative writing assignment, students could create their own drama using their personal pets and favorite holiday instead.

National Women's History Museum Grade 7 to 12 - National Women's History Museum- 8784

The National Women's History Museum site includes a rich collection of resources. Although the collection is certainly deep on issues related to women's suffrage, there is also information on women in World War II, women and education, women and the Progressive movement, and women spies. There are good photographs of artifacts from the women's movement, and a nice collection of lesson plans, grouped by grade level.

In the Classroom:
Of course, the site would be useful to students doing research on the women's movement in general, or on the role of women during several important historical eras. In the "educational resources" section, there is a collection of quotations from women that would be great for creating displays for women's history month. There is also a group of quizzes that could be adapted for classroom use. The section focused on the women of Jamestown includes the stories of Native American women as well as the role of early European settler women and could supplement the usual Thanksgiving lessons on the new American colonies.

Thanksgiving Clip Art Grade 1 to 8 - kidsdomain- 5396

Use this small but good-quality collection of free seasonal clip art to spice up your classroom worksheets and handouts. Can be used in school publications and on Web pages.

Oneida Culture - The Three Sisters Cookbook Grade 4 to 8 - Oneida Nation- 4733

Corn, beans, and squash were three vegetables essential to the Oneida way of life. This web page includes a number of Native American recipes that use these three either singly or in combinations. If your Thanksgiving project includes Native American recipes, why not try one of these?

Native American Crafts Unit Grade 3 to 6 - TeachersFirst- 165

This is a collection of craft projects based on toys or articles that Native American or colonial children might have used. There are complete instructions for each item, with illustrations.

In the Classroom:
Try using this unit with a study of Thanksgiving, colonial settlements, or Native Americans of the eastern U.S.

My Newsletter Maker Holiday Edition Grade K to 8 - POC Technologies- 8682

Use this online tool to create eye-catching newsletters for your classroom, for students to write for their families, or for your student club. Follow the easy step by step directions to pick a fall or winter theme, add text, photos and borders. Most likely, the themes change over the course of the year, so check back again in spring. Save the newsletter on the site or email to share the latest news. This site requires Flash. Get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page..

In the Classroom:
This site would work well for an individual or pairs of students to create a newsletter on a class topic or theme. Be sure to turn off your pop-up blocker so you can “see” all the site content. The content available is seasonal, but the options allow plenty of flexibility. At Thanksgiving, elementary teachers will appreciate this tool as a way students can create Thankful lists. Note that the program does NOT save your work, so allow enough time to complete and print the newsletters in one sitting.

Who Were The Pilgrims Grade 1 to 6 - Plimoth Plantation- 7190

This informative website presents the students with information on numerous "Pilgrim" topics. There are authentic pictures and a lot of information. Topics include "Who Were The Pilgrims", "Who Were The Wampanoag", "The Mayflower", "Building a Home" and more!

In the Classroom:
A teacher could use this website for research projects. There is also a link to "just for teachers" with tips, standards and additional links.

Plimouth Plantation Just for Kids Grade 1 to 5 - Plimouth Plantation- 7186

Hear and see the language of the pilgrims, try recipes, make crafts, read stories, and more with these kids activities from Plimouth Plantation. Note: the sound files for the Pilgrim talk require FLASH, and you must turn up your computer's volume!

In the Classroom:
Share this link on your teacher web site for November or try some of the activities in your elementary classroom. The stories would make great read-alouds during Thanksgiving week.

The Pilgrim's Journey - A Child's Adventure Grade 2 to 5 - Linda Patton- 7179

This WebQuest activity asks students to research The Mayflower, write a journal and create a final project. Some choices for the final project include creating a skit, wearing authentic clothing during an oral presentation and more! This WebQuest is ready to go, well designed and "kid-friendly".

In the Classroom:
If a teacher doesn't have time to do the entire WebQuest, they could easily use the parts that are useful in their classroom. This website provides a helpful "Teacher's Page" and creative "Extension Activities". A detailed rubric is provided.

Popcorn Pickles, Popcorn Stew Grade 1 to 6 - - 6874

This multi-level lesson plan explores the topic of corn from the agricultural point of view; students learn vocabulary, the growth process, products, and the history of popcorn. The plan includes a variety of children's books about corn and popcorn and appropriate links.

In the Classroom:
Include this lesson as part of your study of Thanksgiving or in a science unit on plants. Be sure to include some of the related links on your teacher web page for students to visit at home or during indoor recess.

Activities for ESL Students Grade 1 to 12 - International TESL Journal- 5709

Nice collection of teacher-created interactive tests, quizzes, exercises and puzzles, spanning multiple skill levels and topics. Includes crossword puzzles to be done online for all ESL levels and by word-type or subject (Ex. Thanksgiving words).