Thanksgiving Ideas and Links for Christian Educators

Click for the Thanksgiving Preparation Countdown Check List

What a great time of year to teach! Take a walk with a leaf identification guide, visit an apple orchard (we provide the lesson plan!).

Go on a Nature Walk: Take the Leaf Identification Guide and see how many leaves you can identify. Color the pictures and even play a game of “Leaf Bingo” by trying to find one of each. Check state and local parks, or even a town park, for walking trails that are suitable for your whole family. Take pictures.

Learn About Photosynthesis: Free lesson from the Light unit study, Photosynthesis.

Visit an Apple Orchard: Use the Heart of Wisdom Apple Orchard Field Trip Planner.

Make Leaf Rubbings. Place the leaves flat on a hard surface. Cover the leaf with thin white or light colored paper. Peel the paper off a crayon and lay the crayon flat lengthwise over the paper and the leaf. Rub lightly to see the image of the leaf on the paper. Use different colors for different leaves to get a colorful picture. Compare, contrast, describe and write about the characteristics of different leaves.

Learn About Seasons: Help preschoolers divide a paper into fourths and draw a tree season in each square. See Season Unit Studies.

Write a Fall Poem: Have your students write poems and then have them cut out a leaf and paste their poem onto the leaf.

Keep an Autumn Journal: How does autumn make you feel? For a fun, creative activity, consider keeping a special fall journal where you can jot down all of the changes you see over the next few weeks. Write down which trees changed colors first. What colors did you see and where? How quickly did the leaves change? Add drawings of leaves or descriptions of the weather, what the local wildlife is up to, etc. Think of descriptive words and phrases and write your own autumn poem. Be creative!

Thanksgiving Links for Educators

1. The Thanksgiving Story
   The story of the first Thanksgiving in America with Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians. Includes Bible verses.

2. The REAL Story of Thanksgiving (MP3)
   Rush Limbaugh reads and adds to the story history books leave out.

3. A Walking Tour of Plimoth Plantation
   Take a walking tour through Plimoth (Plymouth) Plantation, the first permanent European settlement in southern New England.

4. A Homespun Thanksgiving
   Great ideas and beautiful graphics from Homeschooled-Kids.com.

5. Was the first Thanksgiving a Feast of Tabernacles Celebration?
   Read about this Bible holiday and how it points to Christ.

6. The First Thanksgiving
   Chuck Missler examines the roots of our Thanksgiving tradition, and shows how God was working in the lives of Indian and Pilgrim alike to preserve His faithful.

7. Thanksgiving Resources on the Web for Educators
   Some of these pages have been created by schools for the specific purpose of using them in the classroom. They may contain some modern day information and fun activities revolving around this holiday.

8. America’s Judeo-Christian Heritage, Thanksgiving, The Puritans, And Prayer
   Though it’s a uniquely American tradition, the roots of Thanksgiving go back to ancient Israel.

9. Celebrating Thanksgiving: Fall Wreaths
   Fall leaves, ribbon, and a hay wreath are the easy supplies for making a beautiful autumn decoration. You can hang this on your door and let the kids give them as gifts. Makes a great activity when investigating autumn and the life cycle of deciduous trees.

10. Thanksgiving Web Quest
    Answers the questions: Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? How did the holiday begin? Who declared Thanksgiving a national holiday? What was the first Thanksgiving like? Who attended the first Thanksgiving? Why is Thanksgiving always celebrated in the fall?

11. Thanksgiving: A Study in the Scriptures
    Bible study on thanksgiving. Includes history of the holiday.

12. Thanksgiving Fun Foods & Recipes for Kids
    Make a cornucopia with Bugles corn snacks and Trix, turkeys out of toast, crackers or Oreos.

13. When Is Your Thanksgiving Day?
    A Thanksgiving Day article from the Good News Broadcasting Association.

14. Thanksgiving Quilt
    Grade Level: K–2. Make a quilt with felt squares.

15. Make a Thanksgiving Tree
    A craft to help children think about what they are thankful for.
16. Thanksgiving Crafts for Sunday School
    Several crafts focusing on being grateful and the Pilgrims.

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