Anticipatory Set:

For the next forty minutes we will be traveling back in time to Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.   The year is 1621, when the pilgrims and the Indians met. You will learn how both the Indians and the Pilgrims taught each other new skills so that their lives would be more plentiful. AIl of you are going to become a character from this time period. You will each research the characters and then write a biography for the character you are assigned. After you have written your biography you will design a period outfit for your character related to this event in history. When both of these tasks are completed you will completely transform into your character by putting on the outfIt and reading your biography to the other group members. It is important to learn about these characters, their accomplishments, and how they changed the world because they were the ones who started the very first Thanksgiving, and it is still practiced today. Do you know the true meaning of Thanksgiving? The Pilgrims and the Indians did!  

Presentation:

Have the teacher to show the learners a map of the United States and highlight the area where the first settlers arrived to demonstrate the approximate area where Thanksgiving originated. The teacher will read The book "This 1st Day of Thanksgiving".

Input/Mode of Instruction:  Reading/Listening/Writing

Each student will read a passage from one of the history books on their character. While one student reads, the other students will take notes, using their graphic organizers.
 

Steps for Hands on Activity:

1.  Each student will be assigned a character from the following:

• Squanto
• Massasoit
• John Winthrop
• William Bradford
• Each student will read a short passage about  her/his assigned character.


2. While one of the students is reading ,the other students will take notes, using their graphic organizers, on the important ideas they hear.
3. They will then write a biography using notes from their graphic organizer.
4. Students will create an outfit that would represent their character in this time period.
5. Students will read the biography to the rest of the members in their group while while wearing their outfit.

Closure/Reflection:

The learners will be asked the following questions:

1.) How were all the characters alike?
2.) How were the characters different?
3. ) Which character do you like best?
4.) Which character do you think had the greatest impact on U.S. history and why?