TeachersFirst's Thanksgiving Resources
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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National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12
tag(s): explorers (66), native americans (93), primary sources (118), professional development (407), thanksgiving (22), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site for use with lessons on Thanksgiving, using primary sources, or when teaching about Native Americans. Consider using curation tools such as Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize resources for easy retrieval. Padlet and Wakelet are also handy when sharing information and resources with students. As you begin your lessons on American Indians, begin with a formative assessment to gauge your students' understanding of the topic. Use an easy online quiz tool such as Baamboozle, reviewed here, to engage students in your learning activities. As you continue in your lessons, continue to motivate and engage students using Wooclap, reviewed here, to review information either in class or as a homework activity. Instead of testing to assess knowledge upon completing your unit, offer students the opportunity to share their understanding of content in various ways. Examples include creating an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, an explainer video made using Clipchamp, reviewed here, and an interactive map built using Google My Maps, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Evaluating Art as Historical Evidence - Digital Inquiry Group
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): american revolution (82), art history (88), artists (82), assessment (149), china (62), civil rights (200), civil war (136), colonial america (94), comics and cartoons (53), declaration of independence (15), egypt (49), france (40), japan (56), mayans (11), mexico (30), native americans (93), nazis (8), thanksgiving (22), womens suffrage (46)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this list for use throughout the year with many different history lessons. Include these art activities to provide context and visual perspective to important events. Use a curation tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, to create an ongoing resource for students to use for review and as a guide for understanding history through a wider lens. For example, when using Padlet, choose the timeline feature and add a piece of art onto the timeline. Upload videos, text, and additional images to create an interactive timeline that tells a story through art. As a final project, ask students to share their learning using Sway, reviewed here to write a reflective piece on the use of art throughout any period in time. Have students include student work, images, links, maps, and more in Sway projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Native Knowledge 360 Education Initiative - Smithsonian Institute
Grades
K to 12tag(s): native americans (93), thanksgiving (22), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Replace some (or all) of your current written Native America resources with the genuine artifacts and stories available for viewing on this site. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to organize important information and resources found on this site to share with students. As students learn about Native Americans, instead of written or oral presentations, ask student groups to create quizzes for their classmates using a quiz-creation tool like Baamboozle, reviewed here. Baamboozle is a quick and easy resource for creating and sharing quizzes for teams of two. As a final project, transform and extend student technology and learning by using Book Creator, reviewed here, to create class books sharing information about Native Americans. Book Creator is a digital book creation site offering the ability to add images, text, video, and more. Be sure to share student-created books on your class website or blog after publication.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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All About the Holidays - PBS Learning Media
Grades
K to 12tag(s): 100thday (9), back to school (62), chinese new year (5), christmas (36), cinco de mayo (10), easter (10), elections (83), fathers day (12), fire prevention (16), flag day (5), halloween (32), hanukkah (12), hispanic (32), holidays (178), july 4th (12), Juneteenth (22), kwanzaa (11), labor day (5), martin luther king (45), mothers day (13), new years (5), pi (26), presidents (131), rosh hashanah (13), st patricks day (12), thanksgiving (22), valentines day (12), veterans (28), womens suffrage (46), yom kippur (13)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use as a resource for teaching material during holidays throughout the year. For each holiday use a bookmarking site such as Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize and share lesson materials, videos, and game sites for your students. Instead of worksheets or written reports, enhance student learning by asking them to create infographics sharing information about any holiday. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, is a very easy to use tool that includes pre-made templates. Don't keep student learning to yourself, share their knowledge through holiday podcasts for your entire school and community to hear. Spotify for Podcastors (was Anchor), reviewed here, features many kid-friendly tools to get you started with creating and sharing podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Americans - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): battles (18), native americans (93), thanksgiving (22), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Replace some of your current written Native America resources with the genuine artifacts and stories available for viewing on this site. Introduce the site to students on your interactive whiteboard to demonstrate the different features available and how to find them. After students have time to explore, create groups to do in-depth research within the four different featured areas. Create a Padlet, reviewed here, with four columns for students to share web and video resources found during their research. Instead of written or oral presentations, ask student groups to create quizzes for their classmates using a quiz-creation tool like Baamboozle, reviewed here. Baamboozle is a quick and easy resource for creating and sharing quizzes for teams of two. As a final project, transform student learning by using Book Creator, reviewed here, to create class books sharing information about Native Americans. Book Creator is a digital book creation site offering the ability to add images, text, video, and more. Be sure to share student-created books on your class website or blog after publication.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Left Brain Craft Brain - Anne Carey
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): architecture (63), blogs (64), coding (90), cooking (30), crafts (54), earth day (60), engineering (126), human body (94), magnetism (37), oceans (149), rockets (11), senses (20), stars (70), STEM (276)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for use when implementing STEAM activities. Use the search bar on the site to find activities for specific content. Have students create an online or printed comic demonstrating their activities using one of these tools Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here, or Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here. Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos of activities using their photos uploaded to moovly, reviewed here, and share them on a site such as TeacherTube reviewed here. Left Brain Craft Brain offers some excellent activities to use in conjunction with your Earth Day and Thanksgiving lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kid World Citizen - Becky Morales
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): back to school (62), chinese new year (5), christmas (36), cross cultural understanding (165), earth day (60), hanukkah (12), hispanic (32), holidays (178), italy (18), Juneteenth (22), mexico (30), native americans (93), ramadan (10), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use throughout the year when teaching about countries, holidays, and for cross-cultural literature resources. Choose a country to explore each month using resources found on the site. Learn about your students' backgrounds to find countries and regions to explore using activities on the site. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast your culture with that of a different country.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Classroom Materials - Primary Source Sets - Library of Congress
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): 20th century (62), authors (105), black history (130), civil war (136), constitution (89), evaluating sources (27), hispanic (32), history day (39), immigration (66), jefferson (19), lincoln (65), new deal (5), primary sources (118), Research (84), segregation (18), thanksgiving (22), veterans (28), washington (28), westward expansion (39), womens suffrage (46), wright brothers (16)
In the Classroom
When introducing a new unit, show students photos from the era (on the left menu) and have them describe what they see and what period they think it is. Find plenty of questions and activities (including a blank analysis organizer for students) in the Teacher's Guides. Also look at Library of Congress: for Teachers, reviewed here. Encourage your students to use this tool for projects. Challenge students to find a photo (legally permitted for reproduction), and then narrate the photo as if it is a news report. Have students create a multimedia presentation using Google Slides, reviewed here. Google Slides allows you to narrate a picture (choose Insert from the top menu, then audio) modifying student learning. Include this site on your class webpage for students and parents to access as a reference.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Year We Had Two Thanksgivings - Marist College
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): primary sources (118), roosevelt (15), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Use information from the article and documents as part of any lesson about Thanksgiving. Share the documents as part of a unit on primary resources. Print and share documents with students and challenge them to present an opposing point of view or write a reply from President Roosevelt. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast different points of view. Have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook "as" President Roosevelt or one of the writers of letters to the president.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Beyond The Bubble - Stanford History Education Group
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1920s (15), assessment (149), civil rights (200), civil war (136), cold war (31), colonial america (94), immigrants (33), immigration (66), racism (79), rubrics (35), slavery (78), thanksgiving (22), war of 1812 (15), womens suffrage (46)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this excellent site as a resource for Common Core social studies literacy assessments. Many of these activities (and videos) are ideal for your interactive whiteboard or projector. Share the interactive rubric BEFORE the lesson, so students are aware of exactly what is expected. Use activities and materials provided on the site to teach lessons in character education, bias, and racism. Create your own similiar activities. Explore this site during professional development sessions for ideas for rubrics and lesson planning. Click on tags for "same assessment type" to find additional assessments not in the main list.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations - Holidays on the Net
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): blogs (64), crafts (54), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Lead your students to this site filled with information. Research can determine the many myths and true information about Thanksgiving. Allow students to plan and make parts of their Thanksgiving feast. Find fun activities, crafts, decorations to make your celebration perfect with your students and families. Add at a center for timely fun information and research time. Link this to your class website or wiki for parent information and extensions at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plimoth Plantation - Plimoth Plantation
Grades
3 to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): colonial america (94), pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Change the commercial traditions of tradition and bring on a study of history. Fascinating worlds of primary resources are at your computer! Virtual field trips, historical sleuthing, genealogy, and so much more. Challenge your students to take a closer look and decide for themselves. Debate information lines the pages of this website. Have students keep a virtual journal about what they are learning (that is new to them) from Plimoth Plantation. Use an easy virtual journaling tool such as Penzu. With Penzu you can add images or your own artwork as illustrations. Study history not false information. Share this and other sections of the "http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/colony/index.cfm" TeachersFirst Colonial America tour as part of your study of the colonies so students can see what these historic locations look like today.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Facts for Features: Thanksgiving Day 2017 - U.S. Census Bureau
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): holidays (178), thanksgiving (22)
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 using Piktochart AI Inforgrapic Generator, reviewed here 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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Native American Crafts Unit - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): crafts (54), native americans (93), thanksgiving (22)
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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The Thanksgiving Story - Wilstar
Grades
3 to 6Note - there is a link to a YouTube video midway through the information on the page, students may need to be cautioned that it isn't part of the activity.
tag(s): holidays (178), pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
Create a quiz for the information on this site using, Slido, reviewed here, and give it to your students before studying Thanksgiving to assess prior knowledge. Use the story page on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) for students to highlight key words and write a main idea sentence or do practice comprehension or notetaking skills during Thanksgiving season. Older students can read the site on their own at a classroom center and complete the quiz at the end of their session. After reading the story, ask students to write their own story from the perspective of one of the first Thanksgiving participants. Create a class book using their stories using a site such as Bookemon, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Thanksgiving Day Vocabulary - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): thanksgiving (22), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector or make them available as links on your teacher public page. Have students (or groups) create their own illustrated dictionaries of terms using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. As you add more vocabulary lists during the year, have them select their favorite 6-10 terms from each list to add to their "book."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Who Were The Pilgrims - Plimoth Plantation
Grades
1 to 6On the right side of the website, there is a list of other relevant topics (Thanksgiving, Growing Food, What to Wear, Playing and Learning, What's for Dinner, and several others).
tag(s): colonial america (94), pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (22)
In the Classroom
A teacher could use this website for research projects. Incorporate this website into your lessons on pilgrims, the Mayflower, and Thanksgiving. Use this site to help prepare for Colonial Days at your school.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mayflower History - Caleb Johnson
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): genealogy (8), pilgrims (12), primary sources (118), thanksgiving (22)
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. Enhance student learning and bring the Mayflower experience to life with Fakebook, reviewed here. Have students set up fictitious Fakebook page and become one of the voyagers. Perhaps students could adopt a Mayflower 'ancestor' and write how they are alike or unlike by setting up two Fakebook pages. Around Thanksgiving, teachers may want to try some of the original recipes for an authentic Mayflower 'flavor' to their lesson plans.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
2 to 6tag(s): pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (22)
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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History of Thanksgiving - History Channel
Grades
3 to 6tag(s): holidays (178), pilgrims (12), thanksgiving (22)
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 little known information, or bring up the document entitled "a Thanksgiving proclamation," found here. Use eMargin, reviewed here, with the document to help students understand the meaning in this text. eMargin allows you to add notes, highlight portions of the web page, and more. 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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