For many, Thanksgiving is a day for us to remember what we’re thankful for, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy the food and festivities that make this time of year special.
As we reflect on what we are grateful for, and celebrate our families’ traditions in familiar or new ways, let’s also consider the beginnings of this holiday. Incorporating ways to honor and learn about the true story of Thanksgiving, and the authentic stories and histories of Indigenous people in America, is a powerful way to give your family a new perspective.
Continue below for educational resources about the history of Thanksgiving, activities and books for encouraging thankfulness and gratitude, and tips on creating new family traditions.
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Learn About Thanksgiving
Explore a variety of resources, for families and educators alike, to incorporate culturally responsive lessons and historical context into your holiday activities.
Thanksgiving: Practicing Gratitude and Honoring the Real Story
Grades PreK-3
This Thanksgiving, help your child build critical thinking skills and give them a true understanding of all there is to be thankful for. Check out this article from PBS Kids for Parents with strategies for teaching about and honoring the true story of Thanksgiving without losing our family traditions.
The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story? | Smithsonian Institute
Grades 3-5
This interactive resource from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian provides evidence to help teachers and students dispel misconceptions and misunderstandings of the “First Thanksgiving.” Learn a more complete history by examining details, circumstances, choices, and events through sources that include Wampanoag perspectives. For additional resources to help you teach more accurately and think more broadly about the Thanksgiving story, check out these featured resources from the museum’s Thanksgiving collection.
The First True Thanksgiving | Secrets of Spanish Florida: Secrets of the Dead
Grades 6-8
Learn about the first “true” Thanksgiving in this video from Secrets of Spanish Florida: A Secrets of the Dead Special. Engage students through discussion questions and teaching tips that ask them to compare different Thanksgiving accounts, research the Native American tribes of St. Augustine, Florida and analyze historical maps of the region.
A History of Thanksgiving Interactive Lesson
Grades 6-12
Give Thanksgiving new meaning in your classroom. This self-paced lesson helps students explore the history behind the holiday through engaging, writing-based activities. Perfect for classroom use or at home for families to learn and reflect together.
The Surprising Origins of Thanksgiving Foods | Be Smart
Grades 6-12
Ever wonder where your favorite Thanksgiving foods come from? Well the truth may be closer to home than you think.
Less-Stress Celebrations
Thanksgiving can be a wonderful time for families to share traditions and spend time with each other – but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. These resources can help you navigate, adapt and celebrate this holiday season.
Finding Gratitude During Difficult Times
Grades PreK-3
Expressing gratitude, even when life gets tough, is vital to our emotional and physical health. When you are feeling down, challenge yourself to find ways to be grateful — start with these tips.
Simple Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Traditions
Grades PreK-3
Thanksgiving offers the perfect opportunity to take a moment and be grateful. Learn how these families made special traditions of their own.
Help Your Child Cope With Holiday Social Stress
Grades PreK-3
Here are some easy ways to support your sensitive child throughout the holiday season.
Activities, Books & More
Thankful Tree Centerpiece
Grades PreK-3
Celebrate the beauty of fall by creating a festive centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table! Your child will love to help draw, cut out, and color the paper leaves. This family activity will give them a chance to see just how much they have to be grateful for.
Picture Books to Help You Slow Down and Say Thanks
Grades PreK-4
In this season of Thanksgiving, consider picking up a good book to read aloud with your children and start your own conversation about what makes you feel grateful.
An Elwood City Thanksgiving Game
Grades K-5
Celebrate Thanksgiving with Arthur, his family, and some of his Elwood City neighbors in the all-new game An Elwood City Thanksgiving!
Design a Poster to Honor the Indigenous Lands You Live On
Grades K-8
Have you ever wondered about the Indigenous lands you live on? Spend some time as a family discovering the history and culture of the tribes who cultivated the lands you live on and design a poster to honor them.
Learn About Relatives as a Super Sleuth
Grades 1-8
The holidays are a great chance for children to learn about family culture. However, surrounded by faces they don’t see often, it may be intimidating to strike up a conversation. Sometimes a little helpful nudge is all they need to be more engaged. Encourage them to mingle and learn their family history by having them become super sleuths! The set up is super simple. In fact, older children can get involved to engage with their relatives too.
StoryCorps: The Great Thanksgiving Listen
Grades 6-12
The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that empowers young people—and people of all ages—to create an oral history of the contemporary United States by recording an interview with an elder, mentor, friend, or someone they admire. Interviews become part of the StoryCorps Archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Explore classroom-ready resources, including an Educator Toolkit, on PBS LearningMedia with the StoryCorps: The Great Thanksgiving Listen resources, or visit StoryCorps’ educator resource hub.