Instructional Strategies and Freebies!: Teaching Thanksgiving and Resources to Help

A colleague relayed this story to me:

"I had a parent scold me for telling fifth graders we were going to replace the word "Pilgrim" with the more accurate Separatist or English colonist and we were going to say Wampanoag rather than Indian or even Native American. Native Americans are culturally diverse each with their own governments and cultures. While Native American is fine to use, in this case, it would be the same as calling a Separatist the more encompassing "European." Her ire was simple - she was taught Pilgrims and Indians and she enjoyed the crafts each November brought when she was in school. She still had her Pilgrim hat after all.

She was little consoled when I told her we were going to make cornhusk dolls and learn to grind corn into a meal and cook with it. That we were to play traditional English games and celebrate Harvest Home - the three day "Thanksgiving" festival the Separatists probably celebrated during what we think of as "The first Thanksgiving." We'll look at Edward Winslow's letter and students will draw their own conclusions about who really invited the Wampanoag to the festivities. Students will learn about source documents, bias, and to critically think when interpreting them.

Excerpt from letter: "Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a more special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labours. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king, Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted. And they went out and killed five deer which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our Governor and upon the Captain and others." https://clas.wayne.edu/news/what-the-first-thanksgiving-dinner-actually-looked-like-29739. Retrieved November 1, 2022

What do you think? Anyway...

Mostly, we will learn that as time goes on and facts are revealed - history realigns. It doesn't change - we just gather more evidence over time, so we know more. I guess this is unacceptable to some parents. Most are fine with it. Many are even refreshed, but how did we get to a place where so many people won't let students look at evidence and decide their truth based on facts?

Other things I'm going to do that have yet to be controversial, but November is still early. We researched our Native tribes and invited them to come and talk to our class. We are going to learn to tell traditional stories and one mom is going to make us her tribe's version of tacos! We'll learn who the Separatists are and why they came. We'll learn about the rich history of harvest festivals and the rich history of giving thanks or Thanksgiving celebrations.

Thanksgiving offers a great starting point to learn about the culture of America's first people, and that can be done without vilifying anyone. None of our students were Separatists in the 1600s. And what happened in history is not for us to arbitrarily alter or to hold our students responsible for - not even unintentionally.

What are you talking about? I'd never do that, you say. When presenting material that can be controversial it is imperative to speak generally. In this instance, for example, "we" did not come to this country, "the Separatists" did. The people they found were not wild and unc

ultured. They had deep, diverse, cultures, they had monetary and trade systems, they had governments. Some had even traveled away from the Americans. This is an excellent time to emphasize that different is not bad or lesser than - just different."

Lastly, sharing November with Native American Heritage Month is a great thing. When colonists went to new lands they encountered new people. As history passed, good and bad, cultures changed and morphed and will continue to do so until the end of time. This is not condoning what happened to the Native Americans or vilifying anyone who lives today - but asking that we let our students learn and grown.

Celebrate November - learn about your local Native population. Gather with them. Have a harvest festival. Eat a turkey and give thanks. Share traditions. After all, since the beginning of time, through what we call the "First Thanksgiving" and beyond to how we celebrate today - the meaning behind the holiday is to give thanks - and that's a good thing.

Great Resources to Help You In Your Classroom

Turn-Key Lessons