ThanksGiving Lessons for Elementary Students

Math and Language Arts for Thanksgiving

Making learning fun has always been my mission! These fun learning games are geared for elementary age students of varying grade levels. Whether you are working on reading comprehension or math skills, there is something for every elementary school grade below-- Just download, print and play! Teacher instructions are included with all of the sets below. Follow along for more Thanksgiving themed activities all November long!

Thanksgiving Reading Comprehension Set

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​This colorful and engaging 19 piece set includes two games that cover three common core standards. The games can be used in learning centers, small groups or independently as they are self-correcting. The word book is interactive and asks the children to complete the pages by adding cut and paste pictures (included) as well as their own drawings. The word book and pictures can be laminated for use in a learning center with some dry erase crayons or markers. The book is non-fiction and tells a brief story of the pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.

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This 19 piece set includes a mini-book that guides children through the events of the first Thanksgiving. There are pieces that can be glued to the pages of the book or students can draw their own.  Also included are 7 simple sentence with coordinating picture cards that students can use to read and match together. An added challenge is to put them in the correct event order. This set is perfect for large groups, small groups, or individual instruction.

This set includes two games. No need for base ten blocks, but if you want to use them you can.
Game One: Count the turkeys on the ten frame and match it with the correct number in standard form.
Game Two: Count the base ten blocks pictured on the turkey, then find the turkey with the matching number in standard form on it.
These games are perfect for your kindergarten or first grade students.

Thanksgiving Base Ten and Ten Frame Games

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​This colorful Thanksgiving themed 46 piece set includes 2 Matching Games (Match the base ten block turkeys to their standard form number turkeys and Ten Frames matching game) and a Math Word Book that asks children to write the tens and ones on each page and then write the number they represent in word form using a word bank. (numbers 10-20)

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Older Students Get to Enjoy the Fun Too!

Thanksgiving Dinner Division

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​This set of 3 colorful Thanksgiving themed games contains 88 pieces (14 printable pages) of Thanksgiving division fun. Two levels of play insure that students of varying abilities will be able to play the games. The basic level teaches your students how to use repeated subtraction to divide the Thanksgiving foods evenly among the pilgrims in the game. The advanced level asks students to compare their sets to three division number sentences to determine which food matches the number sentence. These games are created with printable self-correcting labels for easy individual, small group or center based game play. Teacher notes for instruction and assembly are included.

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Teacher instructions included in this 88 piece set with varying ability levels.

Two Ways to PLAY!
Students are presented with food icons like a turkey leg, a bowl of cranberries, and pumpkin pie. They are challenged to split up the foods evenly between the pilgrims for each set- 2 pilgrims, 3 pilgrims, or 4 pilgrims.
Beginners match the food pictures with each pilgrim so that each one gets the same amount of each food within the set.
Advanced players find the matching division sentence for each food within the set.

Are you encouraging your older students to use better words in their writing? This set practices matching synonyms and antonyms of some commonly used words- Examples: Yummy matches with delicious (synonym) and bland (antonym).  Excited matches with eager (synonym) and bored (antonym). Each turkey has a set of matching tail feathers with a synonym and antonym printed on it. Students are challenged to find each turkey's match. (6 turkeys in all)

Thanksgiving Synonyms and Antonyms

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​This 15 piece, 8 page colorful Thanksgiving themed set is all ready to get your students excited about synonyms and antonyms. Your students will learn synonyms for words commonly used in writing and language around the Thanksgiving holiday by playing this engaging matching game. 1 follow up cut/paste activity and 1 follow-up writing assignment are also included. This learning set is common core compliant.

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This set also includes one re-printable blank turkey for you to write your own set of words and a follow-up challenge for students to re-write a short paragraph with more interesting words!

Thanksgiving Turkey Equivalent Fractions

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​This colorful set includes 20 pieces of turkey themed matching game fun! Match the fraction on the turkey to the equivalent fractions on the tail feathers. Both turkeys and tail feathers have fraction models on them to help your students match. Teacher notes, self-correcting answers and answer key included! This is a perfect addition to your math center!

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Match the fraction turkey with it's equivalent fraction tail feathers. The pictures on each turkey and tail feather make it easy to find the matches. Example 1/2 is matched with 2/4,  4/8,  and  3/6.  Other fractions included in this set are 3/4 , 1 /3 , 1/4 , and  2/3 .
This set is perfect for small group or individual practice or can be used as a fun whole class game in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.  This game is perfect for third through fifth grade students.

Check out my curriculum page for more fun hands-on learning games and activities! Happy Thanksgiving!