A Walk Through History - The First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving History Kindergarten Lesson Plan
Photo Source: notimeforflashcards.com

We think this hands-on approach to the story of the first Thanksgiving {shared by Allison over at No Time For Flash Cards} is just the ticket to get your kinders excited about and engaged in the history of the holiday! Creating a life-sized timeline of the events, Allison invited her kiddos to come along on a journey to discover the important people and events that led to the first Thanksgiving feast!

What we love...

  • Students bodily move from one event to the next, tracing the path of the pilgrims and making a physical connection with history.
  • The path, from start to finish, has many events in between; reminding students that a lot of time passed and many hardships were endured before the pilgrims celebrated their survival and triumph at the first Thanksgiving feast.
  • Allison's discussion guide! The questions invite your kiddos to put themselves in the place of the pilgrims and really think about how they would feel, what they would do, how their lives are similar/different, etc.

The best part is prep for this activity is quite minimal. All you need is some colorful paper, a marker, and Allison's event list! Be sure to visit No Time For Flash Cards for the full lesson plan!