TeachersFirst's Thanksgiving Resources
Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections
Take a look at these rich resources, sure to make you thankful! This collection includes Thanksgiving resources for all grades in a variety of subjects. Teach your students about the "true" Thanksgiving story; use this time as an opportunity to help your students learn about Native Americans; take your students on a virtual trip to Plimouth Plantation; or try many other seasonal resources and activities.
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Plimouth Plantation Just for Kids - Plimouth Plantation
Grades
K to 5
tag(s): pilgrims (17), thanksgiving (25)
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. Share the stories on your interactive whiteboard or projector.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Facts for Features: Thanksgiving Day 2010 - U.S. Census Bureau
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): thanksgiving (25)
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. Gobble, Gobble! Perhaps create an infographic to display your favorite data. An interesting question to ask: what other data would you like to learn from the U.S. census the next time they do one?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thanksgiving Story Starters - ABC Teach
Grades
1 to 5tag(s): thanksgiving (25)
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Thanksgiving in American Memory - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Make this site the basis for a scavenger hunt for Thanksgiving information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thanksgiving History - Fourth World Documentation Project
Grades
3 to 5tag(s): thanksgiving (25)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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You are the Historian Investigating the First Thanksgiving - Plimouth Plantation
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): pilgrims (17), thanksgiving (25)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The First Thanksgiving - Scholastic
Grades
2 to 8tag(s): pilgrims (17), thanksgiving (25)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Popcorn Pickles, Popcorn Stew
Grades
1 to 6tag(s): agriculture (39)
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.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History of Thanksgiving - History Channel
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): holidays (118), pilgrims (17), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a way to introduce the Thanksgiving holidays in a way that is both educational and fun for students. Share the site with students on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Examine the interesting facts for interesting and little known information, or bring up the document entitled "a Thanksgiving proclamation." Have students read the document aloud, in turns or by volunteers. The document will help students understand the actual v. the myth of Thanksgiving. The site can also be saved as a favorite on classroom computers to be used as a learning center if that method is more appropriate for your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Activities for ESL Students - International TESL Journal
Grades
1 to 12In the Classroom
This site is excellent for ESL teachers looking for new ideas and activities to use in their classroom. During down-time, have students complete the grammar quizzes, at their respective levels, helping them practice English in a fun way.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc. - The American Heritage Education Foundation
Grades
K to 12The elementary topics range from Colonial America to U.S. Presidents (with a focus on George Washington) to the History of Thanksgiving to The Pledge of Allegiance and MANY others. The middle school topics include the Declaration of Independence, Our National Documents, The Gettysburg Address, Religious Expression in School, and several others. The high school topics vary from the Mayflower, to Federalists 47, the First Amendment, and more. Each grade level also includes lessons on character education.
In addition to the wonderful lesson plans, the site also highlights the four themes of the foundation: Unity, Progress, Freedom, and Responsibility. There are also links to some fantastic social studies sites and a wealth of research information about America. Some of the lesson plans and printables require Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): colonial america (89), constitution (64), gettysburg (24), gettysburg address (15), presidents (89), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Obviously, the lesson plans are useful for all grade levels. Take advantage of these free resources. Many include printable activities for your students to try out. Although the site isn't highly interactive, it does have some great ideas to incorporate into your class to bring history alive.Make the lesson plans more "technologically advanced" by having students create a wiki or blog entry. Have your high school students complete the lesson on the First Amendment and then have them have a virtual debate about the First Amendment via a class wiki. Have your elementary students complete the lesson on U.S. Presidents and then have each student write a blog entry pretending to be one of the presidents (a great mini-research project). Have your middle school students complete the lesson on the Gettysburg Address and then try to create their own "Address" to talk about the current state of our nation. Have them share their "Address" on a video using YouTube or or TeacherTube (explained here).
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Native American Crafts Unit - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): crafts (29), native americans (48), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Try using this unit with a study of Thanksgiving, colonial settlements, or Native Americans of the eastern U.S. Share the hands-on crafts and be sure to take digital pictures. Ask students to write explanations of the crafts on your class wiki (with the accompanying pictures)! Or include the link to directions for one of these crafts on your class web page for students to try as a summer activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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