This is an ongoing series of harvest lesson plans created for a kindergarten classroom. In this installment, the class will be learning about Thanksgiving, specifically the Indian People. The children will learn about facts through games, math and language skills and art projects.
Monday
In this installment of the harvest lesson plan series, the class will be study about Native Americans (the Indian Nation or People) and their contribution to the first Thanksgiving. The story of the first Thanksgiving can beyond the Kindergarten children when presented in a “history lesson” style that includes names, dates and events. As important as those facts are to the history of America, Kindergarten children will have the next 12 years of their schooling to learn those things.
For now, in this lesson, we will learn about the fun things that the pilgrims and Indians did. Here are some things that you will need for today’s lesson:
Colored photos of Native Americans (these photos can be found in picture books located in your local library)
Brown construction paper
AdvertisementAssorted colors of construction paper, cut into the shape of feathers
3 ft. yarn pieces or shoe strings
AdvertisementColored tiles
Small bowls or tubs
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Circle Time Discussion
Show photos of the Indian People.
Explain to the children that Native Americans lived in North America long before the Pilgrims came.
Explain that Indian People lived in villages, in homes that differed in each area. Indian People from the east lived in wigwams, Indian People from the west lived in homes made of bricks of dried mud called adobe. (Show pictures of different styles of Indian Nation homes.)
Using a map of the United States, point out to the children where the “East” is and where the first Thanksgiving took place.
Math Skills
Tile Count-counting by tens
Provide a dish or tub.
Instruct children to create pattern with the colored tiles.
Teach children to count by ten’s.
Language Skills
Discuss the differences between the Native American Indians who lived in various places around America.
Examine the map of the U.S.
Where did they hunt?
Where did they fish?
What did they live in?
What did they eat?
Write all of the words and terms on a chart for discussion in a later lesson.
Keep the map of the United States available for the children to view at their leisure.
Suggested Reading
Little Indian by Peggy Parish
Let’s Find Out About Thanksgiving by Martha and Charles Shapp
This post is part of the series: Kindergarten Harvest Lesson Plans: Indians
This is a series of harvest themed lesson plans created for the kindergarten classroom. In this portion of the lesson plans, the children will learn about Indians and their contribution to the first Thanksgiving. Facts will be presented in the form of activities, skill development and art projects.
