For Kids

This holiday always falls on the 4th Thursday in November

From: The Teacher's Desk (by permission)
History: A cornucopia, also called a horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance taken from an ancient legend. Thousands of years ago, the people of Greece believed that their god, Zeus, was reared by a beautiful maiden. As the story goes, she fed the infant Zeus an endless supply of goat's milk from a cornucopia, or goat's horn.

As centuries passed, most people forgot this ancient legend, but the cornucopia remained a symbol of an endless supply of food or drink. Today, the cornucopia is a symbol of Thanksgiving. 

Read how it all started:

• You be the historian flash site

• 13 Colonies

Games & Sites for Kids: 
Free Thanksgiving Online Games, Activities, Puzzles, and more

Recipes: Today, in the United States, corn bread is often served as part of a Thanksgiving feast, but corn was unknown to the early American settlers. The Woodland Indians introduced the pilgrims, the new settlers, to corn. 

Try this site to find everything turkey, including a 100 year old recipe and a whole bunch of fun!  

Our Holiday Gift to You!

For Teachers
Lesson Plans & Activities

Pilgrims

Lesson Plans for Colonial America - Pilgrims & Puritans

Native Americans

Thanksgiving - A Focus on Clothing (mini-unit)

Why Do We Have Thanksgiving?

The First Thanksgiving (PK-2nd)

Lesson Plans for Woodland Indians 

A mix of both

Free Thanksgiving Presentations in PowerPoint format

Imagine Me at the First Thanksgiving (PK-2nd)

Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Gratitude (PK-2nd)

History of Thanksgiving Day: historical reading, KWL and comprehension activities, a role-playing journal activity, and a crossword puzzle.
Download: National Edition Texas Edition
National Edition (ESL Spanish) Texas Edition (ESL Spanish)

Yakaberry

Free Thanksgiving Templates

November Holidays

Thanksgiving (Awesome Library)

Thanksgiving History (mini-unit)

Thanksgiving (mini-unit)

Thanksgiving Time Machine

Thanksgiving Unit 

The First Thanksgiving

The Origins of Thanksgiving (myths)