Hello, my friends!

I had plans—great plans!—to put together a comprehensive Thanksgiving Unit for you all to enjoy in the days approaching the holiday this year. However, you know what they say about plans. As our family has been going through Covid the past several weeks (or more accurately, covid has been going through our family) plans have changed! Lol. Thankfully, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully life will be returning to our version of normal very soon. However, I didn’t want to wait until then to try and get this together, as Thanksgiving is approaching quickly! 

The good news for you is that there are many resources available on-line to help you create a special Thanksgiving homeschool experience. Some years, we have gone all out and done entire units, other years (like this one) I just throw in one or two extra activities to celebrate the holiday. So, here are a few of the things we have done & enjoyed in the past. I hope you enjoy them too. Happiest of Thanksgivings to you all! 

A few of the Thanksgiving Homeschool Books we have used:

• “Squanto: Friend of The Pilgrims” by Clyde Robert Bulla,  A simplistic chapter book that tells the story of Squanto (Tisquantum)’s life.
• “Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving” by Joseph Bruchac, Illustrated by Greg Shed, A beautifully illustrated picture book for kids, told from Squanto’s perspective. 
• “Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower’s Young Mary Chilton” by Wendy Lawton  The story of what it was like to be one of the pilgrims, as told from a young, teenage girl’s perspective. 
• “Thanksgiving on Thursday” a Magic Treehouse Book by Mary Pope Osborne

Also, fun for younger children: 

• “In November” by Cynthia Rylant
• “Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving” by James Dean
• “The Thank You Book” (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems
• “Thank You, Omu!” By One Mora (Not a thanksgiving book, but a great book about sharing and showing thanks.)

Writing Prompts:

• It was the night before Thanksgiving and …
• Thanksgiving told from the turkey’s perspective
• This year, I am most thankful….
• Imagine you were on the Mayflower
• What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition and why?
• Thanksgiving Acrostic Poem 
• How many words can you make out of the letters in “Thanksgiving”
• List of 10* things I am thankful for 

*note: I adjust the number according to the age / writing level of the child completing it

Other:

• Research the original Thanksgiving menu, bonus if you can find & execute a recipe
• Research games kids would have played in 1621
• Find out when Thanksgiving became a nationally recognized holiday. And, was it always celebrated on the the same Thursday in November?

 

Download a template for a Thanksgiving Acrostic Here Thanksgiving-Acrostic

Lined paper with a thanksgiving theme. Can be used with writing activities:  Give Thanks Paper and Thanksgiving Turkey Writing Paper