{"id":46938,"date":"2015-11-16T11:06:44","date_gmt":"2015-11-16T16:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/?p=46938"},"modified":"2025-01-29T05:16:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T10:16:11","slug":"esl-thanksgiving-lesson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/educator-english\/esl-thanksgiving-lesson\/","title":{"rendered":"2-Day ESL Thanksgiving Lesson for All Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>While Thanksgiving is celebrated in both the United States and in Canada, the holidays take place one month apart and have different histories.<\/p>\n<p>The two-day lesson below is better geared towards a celebration of American Thanksgiving, but feel free to adapt it for a Canadian Thanksgiving lesson as well.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Day\u00a01: What Is Thanksgiving?<\/h2>\n<p>The first day of this lesson is all about introducing Thanksgiving to your students. Remember: Some of them may have never heard about the holiday, so it&#8217;s important to present all angles of the celebration. For the most part, on Wednesday you&#8217;ll be looking at the celebration; on Thursday, you&#8217;ll be delving further into the history of the holiday.<\/p>\n<p>First, present\u00a0Thanksgiving. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/english\/educator\/blog\/esl-visual-aids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Use images<\/a> to show different ways of celebrating, and ask students what they know about the holiday. Help students arrive at a definition that adheres to the following idea:<\/p>\n<p><em>Thanksgiving is an American holiday that celebrates the harvest. It&#8217;s a day for giving thanks. Most Americans celebrate with a big family meal featuring roast turkey.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>You can also show lots of fun thanksgiving clips from the FluentU library.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><p><strong>FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p> \r\n<p>You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/fluentu-learn-language-videos\/id917892175\">the iOS app<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.fluentflix.fluentu&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=US\">Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><i><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/SimpleText.jpg\" alt=\"FluentU Ad\" \/>\r\n  <p style=\"text-align: center\">\r\n    <button class=\"btn-blue\" style=\"border: none;font-size: 18px;text-align: center;padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;cursor: pointer\">\r\n      Try FluentU for FREE!\r\n    <\/button>\r\n  <\/p>\r\n<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n<p>W<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ith\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/schools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">FluentU<\/span><\/a>,<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> you can get your students fully enthused about special cultural days and more with relevant native content at your fingertips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>For ESL Beginners<\/h3>\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve presented the general notion of Thanksgiving, delve further into traditions using a worksheet. This will also allow you to present Thanksgiving vocabulary to your students.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few of our favorites:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.education.com\/worksheet\/article\/thanksgiving-word-search-2-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here&#8217;s a second word search<\/a> you could use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.islcollective.com\/english-esl-worksheets\/vocabulary-practice\/pictionary-picture-dictionary-poster\/nouns\/thanksgiving-pictionary\/13443\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This Thanksgiving pictionary worksheet<\/a> could be used to incorporate the game into the classroom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theteachersguide.com\/thanksgiving\/favoritethanksgivingfoodfavoritebargraphblank.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This Thanksgiving bar graph<\/a>\u00a0allows students to rank their favorite Thanksgiving foods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Encourage students to explore the vocabulary as much as possible, using images of Thanksgiving feasts to help\u00a0them <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/english\/educator\/blog\/esl-speaking-activities-for-adults\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">to participate orally<\/a> as well as in their worksheets. Once they\u00a0have an idea of the elements that should be on the Thanksgiving table, students will be able to more easily move on to the next step of the lesson.<\/p>\n<h3>For Intermediate ESL Learners<\/h3>\n<p>Try encouraging students to participate in class with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.education.com\/worksheet\/article\/readers-theater-thanksgiving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this reader<\/a>, which uses a playacting format to explain some of the traditions of Thanksgiving. After going through the reader,\u00a0encourage students to give some ideas of what they think Thanksgiving is all about based on what they&#8217;ve read and what they already knew.<\/p>\n<p>Feel free to use a vocabulary sheet, either one from the beginners section or from the\u00a0&#8220;other resources&#8221; section below, to reinforce the acquired vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p>You can then ask intermediate students to complete <a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/thanksgiving-acrostic-poem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this Thanksgiving acrostic<\/a>\u00a0or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/for-thanksgiving-add-the-nouns-and-adjectives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this Mad Libs-type exercise<\/a>\u00a0to practice their new vocabulary words.<\/p>\n<h3>For Advanced ESL Students<\/h3>\n<p>Present Thanksgiving using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=x6x66sKK-rQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this funny farmer vs. turkey video<\/a>. After having seen the video, ask your students to explain what they think Thanksgiving is about\u2014based on the clip and their own experiences. You could also use pop culture references to introduce the Thanksgiving meal, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QJY6L52RhUs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">scenes from &#8220;Friends&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0or other television shows featuring the holidays (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GjVvwbU9drA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">like these 10<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Once you have gone over the basics, give students <a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/thanksgiving-puzzle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this Thanksgiving crossword<\/a> as an exercise to reinforce the information they have learned.<\/p>\n<h3>Decorating the Classroom for Thanksgiving<\/h3>\n<p>Finish off the class by creating Thanksgiving decorations for the classroom, which will be used for the celebration tomorrow.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.education.com\/worksheet\/article\/color-cornucopia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here&#8217;s a Thanksgiving cornucopia<\/a>\u00a0students can color in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.softschools.com\/themes\/thanksgiving\/coloring_pages\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here are a few other coloring pages<\/a> to use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.parents.com\/holiday\/thanksgiving\/crafts\/thanksgiving-crafts-for-toddlers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">This is a great resource for Thanksgiving crafts<\/a> to try with your class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Be sure, as you&#8217;re decorating, to encourage your students to speak to one another in English. Present the crafts that you have chosen in English, including the tools they will need to complete them. Also propose the right structure so that students can ask for the materials they need as they work.<\/p>\n<h3>Thanksgiving Homework<\/h3>\n<p>Give students a writing exercise for homework, answering the prompt, &#8220;What am I thankful for?&#8221; Be sure to take at least 3-5 minutes to introduce the prompt and define the word &#8220;thankful&#8221; as needed. Be aware that, culturally speaking, the idea of saying what you are thankful for is not something that is immediately apparent for everyone, so take your time with this explanation.<\/p>\n<p>You could make it a bit more interesting for the students by using\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/thanksgiving-lined-writing-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this Thanksgiving lined paper<\/a>!\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.education.com\/worksheet\/article\/thankful-turkey-craft\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This &#8220;thankful turkey&#8221; worksheet<\/a>\u00a0is a fun way to include an art project as well.<\/p>\n<h3>Other Resources for Your Thanksgiving ESL Lesson<\/h3>\n<p>Here are a few other great resources to explore Thanksgiving traditions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/bogglesworldesl.com\/thanksgiving_worksheets.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This roundup of Thanksgiving worksheets<\/a>\u00a0will give you a few more ideas for in-class work or homework.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/the-wild-turkey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This wild turkey reading exercise<\/a> might work well with your intermediate or advanced groups.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/write-a-thanksgiving-story\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This Thanksgiving disaster<\/a> prompt is fun to use with intermediate and advanced learners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>There are exercises in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dltk-holidays.com\/thanksgiving\/m-crossword.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">these Thanksgiving crosswords<\/a> that can be used with any level.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adweek.com\/socialtimes\/10-fun-thanksgiving-videos-to-celebrate-turkey-day\/86339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This roundup of Thanksgiving videos<\/a> might be helpful with your class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Day 2: The History of Thanksgiving<\/h2>\n<p>On the second day of the lesson, you&#8217;ll explore the history of Thanksgiving in greater detail.<\/p>\n<h3>History of Thanksgiving Videos<\/h3>\n<p>Start out with a video; choose one that will suit the level of your class from the following options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=faUYJ9fMiGg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This history of Thanksgiving<\/a>\u00a0video, told by Plymouth Rock (yes, a rock) is geared towards kids.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Yh_0t4EcsjE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This story of Thanksgiving<\/a> video is also targeted for children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Be sure to discuss the elements of the video after (or during) viewing as needed.<\/p>\n<h3>Thanksgiving ESL Reading Comprehension Activity<\/h3>\n<p>Next, encourage students to delve a bit deeper with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/educator-english\/esl-reading-comprehension-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reading comprehension exercises<\/a>. For this, you\u00a0have a few options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/the-first-thanksgiving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This first Thanksgiving reading exercise<\/a> is great for intermediate or advanced learners, though you may have to modify the questions a bit to suit the level of your class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/thanksgiving-in-the-19th-century\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This Thanksgiving in the 19th century worksheet<\/a> can be used with all groups, provided you do the legwork to adapt it properly to the level of your class.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/the-mayflower\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This Mayflower reading comprehension exercise<\/a> is interesting to try as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/the-pilgrims-first-year-in-the-new-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This reading<\/a> explores the first year that the Pilgrims spent in the New World, and this reading talks about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.k12reader.com\/worksheet\/the-wampanoag-tribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wampanoag tribe<\/a>. You may wish to give one reading to each half of the class if you are working with an advanced group, then have them share their findings with one another.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.softschools.com\/themes\/thanksgiving\/history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This history of Thanksgiving<\/a> is a bit dry, but it presents all the facts clearly, making it a good resource when paired with interesting and thoughtful reading comprehension questions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Share What You Are Thankful For<\/h3>\n<p>Finally, encourage students to express what they are thankful for. Either ask them to read what they wrote for homework or ask them to share orally. Explain that this is a tradition that is usually done around the Thanksgiving dinner table.<\/p>\n<p>If allowed by your school, you could end with a class party, at which point the sharing would take place. For a class party, consider including some traditional Thanksgiving flavors, like cranberry sauce on crackers, pumpkin cookies or small turkey sandwiches.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Thanksgiving is a wonderful\u00a0holiday to explore\u00a0with your ESL students, as in addition to\u00a0teaching American culture, you get to spend time focusing on gratitude\u2014a value that benefits all!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>And One More Thing...<\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\nIf you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials<\/a>, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_1990\" style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1990\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1990\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/English-5.png\" alt=\"learn-english-with-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1990\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.<\/p><\/div>\r\n<p>\r\nThe FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_1991\" style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1991\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1991\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/English-2.png\" alt=\"learn-english-with-subtitled-television-show-clips\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1991\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.<\/p><\/div>\r\n<p>\r\nFor example, when you tap on the word \"searching,\" you see this:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_1959\" style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1959\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1959 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/English-6.png\" alt=\"learn-conversational-english-with-interactive-captioned-dialogue\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1959\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>\r\nLearn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you\u2019re learning.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<div id=\"attachment_1996\" style=\"width: 317px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1996\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1996 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/English-7.png\" alt=\"practice-english-with-adaptive-quizzes\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1996\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n<p>\r\nThe best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you\u2019re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words\u2014and reminds you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While Thanksgiving is celebrated in both the United States and in Canada, the holidays take place one month apart and have different histories. The two-day lesson below is better geared&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":249046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"2-Day ESL Thanksgiving Lesson for All Levels | FluentU English Educator Blog","description":"Looking for ESL lesson ideas for Thanksgiving? Here's a 2-day Thanksgiving lesson with modifications for use with beginner, intermediate or advanced students. This lesson includes tips and resources to help run an interesting and informative lesson for your students."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[246,248],"tags":[],"coauthors":[275],"class_list":["post-46938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-educator-english","category-english-teaching-activities"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46938"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":247918,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46938\/revisions\/247918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46938"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=46938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}