Thanksgiving Resources for Teachers and Children

Thanksgiving is a fun holiday that is celebrated by millions of Americans each year. It has a very rich and storied history that is now an important part of our culture. For children, it can be especially exciting as it is the start of the Christmas season and the beginning of some time off from school. In the classroom, kids can learn about this important holiday by coloring pictures, participating in games or activities, and by learning about the background of Thanksgiving and how others celebrate it. Teachers can utilize many different resources during this time of year to teach kids about the history of Thanksgiving or just for fun. Whether it’s holiday gift baskets, homemade paintings, or pine cone turkeys, this is a time of year that everyone can enjoy. Here are some great resources for teachers and children for Thanksgiving:

Student Resources

• Scholastic – Background and information on the history behind Thanksgiving
• Lesson Plan – For grades 1-4, discussing the Mayflower and Plymouth
• Thanksgiving Menu: Then and Now – Interesting resource on the foods eaten both in the past and today for this holiday
• The First Thanksgiving – A lesson plan for kids grade 6-8 about the first Thanksgiving
• Kaboose – Lots of fun arts and crafts ideas for the holiday that kids can do for fun and to learn more

Pictures

• Thanksgiving Day – Pictures and clip art related to the holiday
• Mahalo – Comprehensive resource with several links to other Thanksgiving pictures
• Coloring Pictures – Some printable coloring pictures for kids to color related to Thanksgiving
• InMagine – Stock photos of Thanksgiving related things to be used to websites, arts, and crafts
• Classic Pictures – Nice, vintage themed clip art and drawings

Maps and Documents

• Thanksgiving Crop Map – This map shows what kinds of crops and other foods that are eaten for Thanksgiving are grown
• Original Thanksgiving Proclamation – Actual scan of the original document proclaiming Thanksgiving was to become a national holiday
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Route – Map of the route the floats follow in NYC for the annual parade
• Thanksgiving Named Cities – A map showing different cities in America with Thanksgiving like names
• Two Thanksgivings – Interesting story about the year FDR proclaimed Thanksgiving on a different day

Holiday Resources

• Thanksgiving Around the World – Many different cultures’ festivals giving their thanks for abundance and health from all over the world
• Thanksgiving in Canada – How the Canadians celebrate this special day
• Chusok – Korean Thanksgiving
• USAThanksgiving.com – Website celebrating the appreciation of Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts
• Thanksgiving Gift Baskets – A great resource for sending baskets anywhere for the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Food in the USA – Different foods and meals eaten by Americans on Thanksgiving, along with some background
   

Teacher Resources

• Teachervision – Large, comprehensive list of resources for teachers related to Thanksgiving
• The Teachers Corner – Printable pages, lesson plans, coloring pictures, and much more
• The Kiddy House – Easy to read list of links to sites for teachers
• Smithsonian – Reliable resource for teachers to use in order to tell kids about the history of Thanksgiving
• Diverse Resources – Very large list of resources for teachers in relation to Thanksgiving