Objective: The student will learn about different cultures’ approaches to the traditional U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
Resources: Teacher: Access to several teachers. Students: none.
Teacher Preparation: Talk to several teachers, asking them to write a paragraph describing their Thanksgiving holiday, focusing on a particular food or activity that is traditional for their family, and how that relates to their ethnic background.
1. Procedure: Share the teacher’s descriptions with the class.
2. Have a discussion focusing on student’s Thanksgiving traditions.
Variations/Options: Teachers could actually visit your class to share with the class and answer questions; markers could be placed on a globe indicating students’ ancestry; Note: This activity could be done in the afternoon before the school vacation begins, the time when students are least focused on school work and thinking mostly about the holiday.