2. review the history of the Pilgrim's Thanksgiving with the Indians.

3. understand stories about the Pilgrims and the Thanksgiving of 1621.

2. Have the children talk about the hardships the passengers endured on the long voyage to America. Have them talk about what the thirty-three children on board the Mayflower did to pass the time. Have them brainstorm some suggestions of what these children could have done, remembering the period in time and the conditions of travel.

3. Have the children review the stories read to them that included information on how the Wampanoag Indians helped the Pilgrims the first year. Another source would be Squanto and the First Thanksgiving , by Joyce Kessel and Lisa Donze. Have the children make a list of how the Indians help the Plimoth settlers that first year. Make a bulletin board display of their pictures along with captions telling about the pictures.

4. Talk about the Thanksgiving celebrated by the Plimoth settlers and their Indian friends. Why was it celebrated? Review what the Thanksgiving feast was like. A good source is Steven Knoll's Oh, What a Thanksgiving . Afterward, the class might want to make a comparative chart of Thanksgiving then and our Thanksgiving now. Ideas to chart could be guests, menus, entertainment, cooking methods, sources of food, and preparation.

5. Groups of children might want to write a play or skits to be presented to the rest of the class or school portraying the events from sailing on the Mayflower to the Thanksgiving feast of 1621. The children will have to use books and other resources to find out about clothing, scenery, people, activities of the men, women, and children that first year, and the important part the Indians played in helping the colonists.

6. Have the children make a collage of things that they are thankful for in their lives and have them write about their collage. Have them try to remember what they said last year. What, if anything has been added to their list. Why? Do some reasons remain the same, change, or are added?

7. Have the children discuss the foods that the Plimoth settlers had at the Thanksgiving of 1621 and compare them to what we have today on Thanksgiving. What are the similarities and differences? Have the children decide and prepare some recipes from pumpkins, beans, corn, etc.--the staples of the Thanksgiving celebrated at Plimoth in 1621.

8. Using the recipes cooked by the class, have a class Thanksgiving feast celebrating what the class is thankful for as a class . The class is another example of a community and their thinking should reflect the class or school community. Have the children invite special school guests that have helped them in this school year so far. Have the children prepare a list of events and activities for this classroom celebration. If games are included, maybe the children can create or design their own games.

9. Discuss with the children that some people celebrate Thanksgiving in other ways. Discuss food drives and how some people give up all or part of their Thanksgiving Day to cook and serve those less fortunate or with greater needs. Have them try to think why someone would do this. How does this celebrate the idea of giving thanks? Maybe the children could collect food and clothing for a needy family. Have a person who has given up their Thanksgiving celebration to cook for more needy folks discuss with the class their experiences and their reasons for doing this.