Ancient Roots, Modern Holidays for Kids - Thanksgiving Illustration

Ancient Roots, Modern Holidays for Kids - Thanksgiving

For Kids: Thanksgiving 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.  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. Read how it all started:

Play some games!

You are the historian, investigating the First Thanksgiving: Interactive Thanksgiving

Try this site to find everything turkey and a whole lot of fun and stories, games and activities:
Free Thanksgiving Online Games, Activities, Puzzles, and more

For Teachers
Lesson Plans & Activities

Lesson Plans for Colonial America - Pilgrims & Puritans