Thanksgiving Gratitude, Learning Ideas, and Books for Kids

This post may contain affiliate links.

Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful and facilitate gratitude with our children. As my kids learn about about Thanksgiving, I’m reminded to consciously teach my children the truth, the myths, and the stereotypes of Native Americans and the First Thanksgiving. So, I’ll recommend Thanksgiving books and teaching ideas to help you with that as well.

Thanksgiving Gratitude Ideas

Thankful Book from Small Types

 

Thankful Tree from Family Fun 

Thanksgiving Garland from Tangled and True

 

 Pumpkin Pie Spinner from Parents Magazine


Thanksgiving Table Cloth from Mostly Food and Crafts

Learning About Thanksgiving

 Are You Teaching the REAL Story of Thanksgiving?

excerpt:

  • “Provide knowledge about contemporary Native Americans to balance historical information. Teaching about Native Americans exclusively from a historical perspective may perpetuate the idea that they exist only in the past.”
  • “Prepare units about specific tribes rather than units about ‘Native Americans.’ For example, develop a unit about the people of Nambe Pueblo, the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, the Potawotami. Ideally, choose a tribe with a historical or contemporary role in the local community. Such a unit will provide children with culturally specific knowledge (pertaining to a single group) rather than overgeneralized stereotypes.”
  • “Locate and use books that show contemporary children of all colors engaged in their usual, daily activities (for example, playing basketball or riding bicycles) as well as traditional activities. Make the books easily accessible to children throughout the school year. Three excellent titles on the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico are Pueblo Storyteller by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith; Pueblo Boy: Growing Up In Two Worlds by Marcia Keegan; andChildren of Clay by Rina Swentzell.”
  • “Cook ethnic foods but be careful not to imply that all members of a particular group eat a specific food.”
  • “Be specific about which tribes use particular items, when discussing cultural artifacts (such as clothing or housing) and traditional foods. The Plains tribes use feathered headdresses, for example, but not all other tribes use them.”
  • “Critique a Thanksgiving poster depicting the tradtitional, stereotyped Pilgrim and Indian figures, especially when teaching older elementary school children. Take care to select a picture that most children are familiar with, such as those shown on grocery bags or holiday greeting cards. Critically analyze the poster, noting the many tribes the artist has combined into one general image that fails to provide accurate information about any single tribe.”
  • “At Thanksgiving, shift the focus away from reenacting the ‘First Thanksgiving.’ Instead, focus on items children can be thankful for in their own lives, and on their families’ celebrations of Thanksgiving at home.”

Thanksgiving Story Bracelet from Little Wonders’ Days   

 

If You Sailed on the Mayflower Journal from Stephanie’s Mommy Brain

 

Boat Race to the New World from One Charming Party

Avoiding Stereotypes of Native Americans by Teachers.net / Diane Tells His Name, Oglala Lakota

excerpt:

  • “Understand the term “Native American” includes all peoples indigenous to the Western Hemisphere.
  • Present Native American Peoples as appropriate role models to children.
  • Use books and materials which are written and illustrated by Native American people as primary source materials: speeches, songs, poems, and writings, which show the linguistic skill of a people who have come from an oral tradition.
  • When teaching ABC’s, avoid “I is for Indian” and “E is for Eskimo.”
  • Avoid rhymes or songs that use Native Americans as counting devices, i.e. “One little, two little, three little…”
  • Present Native American Peoples as having unique, separate, and distinct cultures, languages, beliefs, traditions, and customs.
  • Avoid craft activities that trivialize Native American dress, dance, and beliefs, i.e. toilet-paper roll kachinas or “Indian dolls,” paper bag and construction paper costumes and headdresses. Research authentic methods and have the proper materials.
  • Realize that many songs, dances, legends, and ceremonies of Native American Peoples are considered sacred and should not be “invented” or portrayed as an activity.
  • If your educational institution employs images or references to Native American peoples as mascots, i.e. “Redskins,” “Indians,” “Chiefs,” “Braves,” etc., urge your administration to abandon these offensive names.
  • Teach Native American history as a regular part of American History and discuss what went wrong or right.

The First Thanksgiving Feast slideshow and information from Scholastic 

Teaching Young Children About Native Americans 

Deconstructing the Myths of the First Thanksgiving (Oyate.org)

Thanksgiving Books Then and Now

Samuel Eaton’s Day: A Day in the Life by Kate Waters

Guests by Michael Dorris

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Treehouse) by Mary Pope Osborne

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Jake Swamp

The Four Seasons of Corn: A Winnebago Tradition by Sally Hunter

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O’Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac

The Journey of Jaspar Jonathan Pierce (My Name is America) by Ann Rinaldi

. . .

It’s Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood

Milly and the Macy’s Parade by Shana Corey

And Two More Things

Thanksgiving Conversation Cards from Happy Home Fairy

I freelance blog, did you know that? I blog over at Imagine Toys. Visit my Thanksgiving posts there — one shares many fun Thanksgiving games for kids and the other is about practicing daily gratitude with kids.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Melissa  

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply to Melissa Taylor Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

16 Comments