Overview: A great extension to teaching children about the first Thanksgiving is to include what life was like for the children at that time. Through the use of a few resources, students will learn how life in the early 1600s was for children of that time and the role they played in the preparations for the first Thanksgiving. Opportunities for students to then apply that knowledge can be found under the "materials" section below.
Recommended Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, First, Second, Third
Information for Learning:
The following site offers information on how Puritan and Native American children lived:
The following books offer information on how Puritan and Native American children lived:
If I Were at the First Thanksgiving--This is a very informative book written from a child's perspective.
If You Were a Kid at the First Thanksgiving--A story of a Puritan boy and a Native American girl who become friends. A read aloud of the story can be found here.
Materials:
Children at Plymouth Colony Venn Diagram--This Venn Diagram features three circles for students to compare and contrast the life of a Native American child, a Puritan girl, and a Puritan boy.
"I am a Puritan boy" Writing Prompt--Students color a picture of a Puritan boy and write a paragraph about what his life would have been like during the time of the first Thanksgiving.
"I am a Puritan girl" Writing Prompt--Students color a picture of a Puritan girl and write a paragraph about what her life would have been like during the time of the first Thanksgiving.
"I am a Native American child" Writing Prompt--Students color a picture of a Native American child and write a paragraph about what his/her life would have been like during the time of the first Thanksgiving.
