Balloon Bash Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will discover how Thanksgiving got its start and identify how it has changed over time.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Thanksgiving, long ago and today

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, read a timeline, cause and effect

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a pie chart

 

Vocabulary:

harvest, feast, official, traditions

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.3 describe historical events; RI.2.10 read informational texts; W.2.2 writing; L.2.2 capitalization

 

Lexile level: 

530L

Download TEKS Standards
Download Common Core Standards

Provide students with some background on Thanksgiving.

 

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "The History of Thanksgiving”. After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one thing you learned about Thanksgiving?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. Are any students familiar with the Thanksgiving Day parade?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 2: “Think about how Thanksgiving has changed over time.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

 

Read together (20 min.)

Pass out the Read and Think printable. Use it to check comprehension as you read the issue together, pausing to ask the questions. 

 

Review vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured terms are harvest, feast, official, and traditions.

 

Assessment: Reading Quiz

Pass out the Reading Quiz to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules (20 min.)

Meet Tuyet, whose Vietnamese American family serves duck and not turkey. Tuyet learns that some of her classmates enjoy lamb, tofu, noodles, and enchiladas at Thanksgiving, but more importantly, they all share a feast with loved ones and gave thanks.

With the “My Thanksgiving Dinner” game, students work on capitalization skills while they build their dream dinner plate!

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on important ELA skills. Here's how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work printable to deepen students’ understanding of the terms harvest, feast, official, and traditions.

Editor’s Pick: Read a Timeline (15 min.)

ELA Focus: Cause and Effect (15 min.)

  • The Cause and Effect skill sheet will have students reflecting on how people’s actions led to Thanksgiving as we know it today.

Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on Thanksgiving:

  • “A Time for Thanks,” November 2022. Students will describe the benefits of gratitude.
  • “The Life of Tisquantum,” November 2018. This issue examines Tisquantum’s life and analyzes his character traits.

You can find a higher-Lexile-level and a lower-Lexile-level version of the article online here:

  • Higher Lexile level: 620L
  • Lower Lexile level: 470L