Lesson Plan
Thanksgiving by ECSDM
Grade Levels
Elementary, 1st Grade
Description
This lesson is designed for special education students in first grade. Students will begin by exploring the idea of Thanksgiving. The students will explore the following essential question: "Who celebrated the first Thanksgiving?" They will be able to share their ideas using a graphic organizer in the SMART notebook software. In addition, students will read about past and present ways that the holiday was celebrated.
The students will use interactive materials in the SMART notebook as well as kinesthetic activities to learn about this special holiday.
Website(s)
Brainpop Jr
Materials and Resources
Thanksgiving.notebook
Duration
This lesson is divided into three parts, each portion lasting for approximately sixty minutes. The culminating activity is a classroom celebration of Thanksgiving, which could take an additional 30-45 minutes.
Learning Objectives
The students will:
- Draw an illustration of their Thanksgiving celebrations with their families.
- Use the SMART Board to create one symbol of the holiday.
- Identify Thanksgiving vocabulary with 80% accuracy.
Materials
- SMART Board
- SMART notebook
- Laptop
- Projector
- "The Very First Thanksgiving Day' by Rhonda Gowler Greene
- "Thanksgiving Day" by Gail Gibbons
- Internet Access
- Ingredients for pumpkin pie, butter, and cornbread
Step by Step Procedures
Part 1
- Looking at pictures of Thanksgiving, the students will share what they know about the holiday. Responses will be recorded in the SMART notebook.
- The teacher will read aloud "Thanksgiving Day" by Gail Gibbons. After the story is read, students will discuss information that they have learned and add it to the chart in the SMART notebook.
- Students and teacher will discuss the ways that they celebrate Thanksgiving in their families. They can use paper to draw a picture of their holiday celebrations.
Part 2
- The teacher will show the students how the first Thanksgiving came about. The students will watch the Thanksgiving movie on www.brainpopjr.com.
- Students will complete the "write about it" activity that accompanies the brainpop movie. This activity will allow the students to discuss symbols of the holiday.
- The teacher will help students review some basic vocabulary words using the SMART notebook software.
- The teacher will read aloud "The Very First Thanksgiving Day' by Rhonda Gowler Greene.
- Students will compare the similarities and differences between the Past and Present ways of celebrating Thanksgiving using the SMART notebook.
Part 3
- Students and teacher will celebrate Thanksgiving by preparing a feast for the class.
- Using the recipes on SMART notebook, the students and teacher will prepare pumpkin pie, butter, and corn bread.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on the following:
- Completion of a picture depicting their Thanksgiving celebration.
- Creation of one symbol of Thanksgiving.
- 80% accuracy of vocabulary terms.
