THANKSGIVIN
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Lesson Plan: Thanksgiving Day Celebration
Objective: To celebrate Thanksgiving in an inclusive, respectful, and
engaging way by exploring gratitude, family, and community through hands-
on, play-based activities.
1. Morning Circle
- Activity: Introduce Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks and recognize
things we are grateful for, while highlighting that different families celebrate
in unique ways.
- Book: Read We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell—this story
introduces gratitude from a Cherokee perspective.
- Discussion: Talk about gratitude. Ask children, “What makes you feel
happy?” or “Who helps you feel safe?”
- Linguistic Inclusion: Teach the word “Thank You” in different languages
represented by students’ backgrounds, encouraging multilingual
appreciation.
2. Sensory Play Center
- Activity: “Harvest Basket” sensory bins with materials such as corn
kernels, dry leaves, mini pumpkins, and fabric “food” items.
- Purpose: Children can explore the sensory items, fostering motor skills and
cultural awareness of harvest and sharing traditions.
- Adaptations: Provide food items that reflect diverse family celebrations,
such as rice balls, tamales, and pita bread, promoting inclusivity.
3. Art Center: Family and Friends Handprint Turkey
- Activity: Create handprint turkeys on a large paper “family tree,” each
child adding their handprint as a feather.
- Purpose: Encourage a sense of community and belonging, representing
everyone’s contribution to the “class family.”
- Diversity Adaptation: While making turkeys, discuss how people eat
different foods or have various traditions. Allow children to share their family
traditions.
4. Dramatic Play Center
- Setup: A “Family Feast” setup with diverse pretend foods, utensils, and
placemats with family symbols.
- Activity: Role-play Thanksgiving meals, focusing on cooperation, sharing,
and inclusion.
- Guidance: Help children take turns “hosting” or “serving” and encourage
them to discuss who they would invite to their table and why, recognizing
diverse family structures.
- Cultural Props: Include props like various clothing or headwear from
diverse cultures to honor different family heritages and encourage respect
for all family types.
5. Music and Movement
- Activity: Teach a simple gratitude song (“If You’re Thankful and You Know
It, Clap Your Hands”) with movements and instruments like tambourines,
maracas, and drums.
- Purpose: Promote gross motor development and emotional expression
while fostering community through music.
- Adaptation: Use songs from diverse languages/cultures to include
children’s family traditions, ensuring every child sees a part of their culture
in the classroom.
6. Story Time and Reflection
- Book: Read Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora, a story of community sharing
and kindness.
- Discussion: Ask, “How did Omu make people feel?” and “What could we
share to make others happy?” Discuss community values and appreciation,
connecting to social studies goals of developing understanding of self,
family, and community.
7. Gratitude Wall
- Activity: Children draw pictures of what they are thankful for and tape
them to a “Gratitude Wall.”
- Purpose: Each child’s contribution helps build a visual representation of
gratitude and appreciation for family, friends, and other valued people.
- Linguistic Inclusion: Label each drawing with the child’s words in English
and any home language spoken, encouraging bilingual appreciation.
8. Outdoor Play
- Activity: Fall Harvest Scavenger Hunt where children find hidden paper
“harvest” items (like leaves, pumpkins, etc.) in the playground area.
- Purpose: Physical activity that builds motor skills and teamwork.
9. Closing Circle and Snack
- Activity: Reflect on the day and enjoy a snack, discussing what they
enjoyed and any new words or foods they learned about.
