Best Free Thanksgiving Lessons and Activities (2024)

Thanksgiving is a day to reflect with gratitude on the blessings of our lives. It’s one of the most beloved American holidays, celebrated by people of all religions and backgrounds, and ideal for incorporating into your curriculum.

However, our understanding of the day has changed over the years. While some of the following Thanksgiving lessons, activities, and games include familiar elements such as turkey and pumpkin pie, others inquire into the historical record and modern social perspectives, helping students gain a fuller, more authentic understanding.

Before diving into the following free Thanksgiving lessons, activities, and games, educators can get an overview of the changing way Thanksgiving is taught through the articles listed below under Thanksgiving Perspectives, Past and Present.

Thanksgiving Perspectives, Past and Present

Time: The Way American Kids Are Learning About the “First Thanksgiving” Is Changing
Should we be teaching students myth or history? This excellent article is a great starting point for teachers to learn the truth, the myths, and the historical interpretations surrounding the first Thanksgiving. Best to read before planning your lesson.

Teaching the Real Story of the "First Thanksgiving"
Education World explores the stereotypes, myths, and half-truths that pervade our Thanksgiving lore. The article also extends seven simple, practical, and positive strategies for teaching Thanksgiving while honoring both the history and cultural practices of the holiday.

Native educators say Thanksgiving lessons can be accurate, respectful, and fun
If you’re wondering whether there’s anything suitable left to teach about Thanksgiving, don’t despair. This article details simple steps you can take right now to make your Thanksgiving lessons accurate and inclusive.

Best Free Thanksgiving Lessons and Activities

Plimoth Patuxet Museum Teacher Toolkit
A five-unit curriculum that takes a deep dive into the first Thanksgiving. The standards-aligned lessons comprise sections on the Patuxet people, leadership and diplomacy, the crucial role of corn, the celebration as a historical event, and ways to think about giving thanks. Included in this comprehensive resource are vocabulary, themes, historical notes, and bibliography.

StoryCorps: The Great Thanksgiving Listen
The nonprofit organization Storycorps has been capturing the voices and stories of Americans since 2003. Storycorps’ Great Thanksgiving Listen invites young people to take part in this oral history project by recording an interview with an elder, mentor, friend, or anyone they admire. The Educator Toolkit provides step-by-step guidance on every aspect of the Great Thanksgiving Listen and includes printable handouts for students.

Lesson plan: After helping Pilgrims, today's Wampanoag tribe fight for their ancestral lands
A lesson for grades 6-12 that teaches about the Wampanoag people of today in the context of their historical role at the first Thanksgiving. Choose from among topics such as Thanksgiving history as told by the Wampanoag, land disputes, and gambling, then ask the provided questions. Lesson available as a Google Doc. Note the correct link for the first item under “Additional Resources.”

Thanksgiving printables from Makebeliefscomix
MakeBeliefsComix is about helping kids to imagine and create within a highly supportive online environment. This simple Thanksgiving printable invites students to imagine what the best Thanksgiving might be, and what they would be thankful for. The related Gratitude printables offer gratitude prompts, and invites young learners to follow suit. The site’s gentle vibe is welcoming to kids of all ages and abilities.

The Circle of Life and the Clambake
The Circle of Life and the Clambake tells the story of how the Wampanoag people first understood about the circle of life. Featuring the giant Maushop, this brief story is full of powerful ideas that relate more than ever to our current world. Have your students read the story, then ask them to compare and contrast today’s society with the society depicted in the story.

Best Free Thanksgiving Games and Interactives

Plimoth Patuxet Museums: Activities and Games
Living like people of the 17th century is an excellent way to learn social history. Talk like a pilgrim, cook 17th-century food with modern recipes, and ponder 11 tricky riddles. Fun for students and teachers alike.

• Best Free Indigenous Peoples Day Lessons and Activities
• Best Free AI Image Generators
• Best Free Winter Holiday Lessons and Activities