As the holidays approach, you may be looking for some ways to keep things light and fun while still keeping the learning going. Check out these Thanksgiving-themed titles aligned with free resources across all the major subjects. From turkey crafts that sneak in measurement and geometry to exploring the science behind parade balloons, or diving into the history of the Wampanoag and Plimoth colony, these books and activities offer a learning buffet to dig into all school year.
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Shape Up That Turkey
In Turkey Trouble, Thanksgiving is approaching and Turkey tries on a series of increasingly silly disguises to avoid becoming dinner. This funny, fast-moving story can be a springboard for hands-on math. After reading, kids can measure materials to create their own turkey disguises (estimating, comparing lengths, and converting to metric units), use geometry and spatial reasoning to build disguises from shape cutouts or identify symmetry in Turkey’s transformations. Reinforce geometry terms ( like “flip,” “rotate,” “parallel,” “symmetrical”). In a co-op setting, practice graphing by voting on the best disguises and charting the results.
Free Turkey Disguise Challenge
Evan-Moor Financial Literacy Lessons – Grades 6 – 8
(Teacher’s Resource Book)
Real-world math activities and hands-on projects help kids explore real-life choices related to paying bills, earning money at a job, saving for retirement, and more.
Plan a Thanksgiving Feast
In Full House: An Invitation to Fractions, readers watch a cozy inn fill room by room as guests arrive, each new visitor offering a friendly, story-based introduction to fractional parts. After reading and exploring how the whole divides into equal pieces, you can transition straight into a real-world challenge: planning and budgeting a Thanksgiving dinner. Shopping and budgeting activities help kids learn to work within constraints while planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Head over to TPT for a selection of free activities for a variety of grade levels.
Experiment with Bread
In Bread Lab!, a young girl and her aunt turn the kitchen into a science lab as they mix flour, water, salt and a “starter” to uncover the magic (and microbes) behind why bread rises. After reading, with this
accompanying free study guide, your family can get hands-on with activities such as: dissecting wheat kernels, comparing white vs. whole-wheat, grinding flour, making bread in a bag, tweaking yeast or sugar amounts, and observing the results.
Free Bread Activity Pack: Here, you’ll find resources on the history of bread production; steps for baking bread; breads around the world; a game looking at bread making; and tasty recipes.
Evan- Moor History Pockets: Life in Plymouth Colony Grades 1-3
Explore the daily experiences of the Pilgrims through simple cut-and-paste mini-books, lift-the-flap pages, maps, crafts, and writing prompts.
Compare Two Different Worlds
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving invites readers to step into daily life in both Wampanoag and Pilgrim communities. After exploring these contrasting worlds, kids can chart the differences and similarities using these free resources:
A Clash of Cultures: Text comparing Native American and European colonist viewpoints and cultures.
Free “You Are the Historian” Games: Investigate the first Thanksgiving and the Mayflower Compact.
Design a Parade Float
After meeting the inventor behind the Macy’s parade balloons in Balloons Over Broadway, kids can create their own floats. Check out this free STEM activity for ideas. Extend the learning by having kids investigate buoyancy, air pressure, and lift by testing their balloon creations, experimenting with different materials and shapes to see what floats best, or exploring simple mechanical design using string, sticks, and paper puppets. Lastly, you can learn more about the history of the parade and floats in this free slideshow.
Craft a Persuasive Letter
In Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving, kids meet the woman whose determined writing helped save Thanksgiving. After following her attempts to convince leaders, kids can jump into their own persuasive challenge: writing a clear, compelling letter that makes a case for something they care about.
Use the following free persuasive letter writing templates to help organize writing with: polite greeting and introduction; clear statement of request; persuasive reasons with supporting details; and strong closing that calls for action.
