Taylor Fisher

Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s):
A. Goal(s) Students will demonstrate their knowledge on what their families do for
Thanksgiving, and at least two traditions that they take part in.
B. Objective(s) Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge and
understanding of the importance of Thanksgiving and their family traditions.
C. Standard(s) 2.1.4 Identify and describe community celebrations, symbols and
traditions and explain why they are important.
II. Materials:
Unit foldable.
Traditions sheet.
Posters of Mayflower, Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the First Thanksgiving.

*Already had lessons over the Mayflower, Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the First
Thanksgiving*

III. Anticipatory Set

Every year my family and I go to my both sets of my grandparents houses for
Thanksgiving. We play a lot of card games, like Bid, and sit around and talk about
everything. We have a lot of good food, but my two favorite foods at Thanksgiving are my
Aunts fudge and my other grandmas chicken noodles. At supper, everyone goes around
and shares something they are thankful for. We stay there until really late at night. I love
spending time with my family, that is one of the main reasons I love Thanksgiving.
IV. Purpose: Today we will learn why Thanksgiving is important, and explain what traditions
students and their families or loved ones do on Thanksgiving
PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
Adaptation to Diverse Students:
 - Thomas has trouble sitting still and focusing when he is at the carpet, so I will
have him sit right next to me and he will sit in a chair.
- I am making the students create visuals. Students who learn through seeing
will be able to grasp the concept I want students to learn easier.
- This lesson creates opportunities to add in other activities that will cater to
students multiple intelligences.
Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)
- We celebrate Thanksgiving to show what we are thankful for and it is a time to gather
together with family and friends, that is why it is important. Everyone celebrates
Thanksgiving in different ways.
- I shared with you my story of how I celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I told you
where we go, some of the things we eat, my favorite part and what my family and I do. I
also told you some of the traditions we have done every year: play Bid, tell what we are
thankful for, and the fact that we have Thanksgiving at my grandparents.
- I want to hear all of the same details from you guys, but from your own stories. Today
you guys are going to fill out the last flap on your foldables. You are going to work on the
My Thanksgiving/Traditions flap. (Hold up foldable while explaining) On the top half
of your paper, you are going to write about what your family or friends do for
Thanksgiving. I want to know how you celebrate it. I want you to write about what food
you eat, maybe some games you play, and what you like most about Thanksgiving. You
have to add at least two traditions that you and your family continue each year.
- After you are done writing about your Thanksgiving and traditions, you are going to
raise your hand and I will bring you your paper on traditions that you guys filled out last
Tuesday. The paper that I mean is the one where we wrote the definition of a tradition
and you wrote a paragraph with three examples of traditions. You are going to glue that
paper on the bottom half of your foldable.
- Does anyone have any questions about what you are suppose to do? (Answer
questions, if any).
- If you get done before I tell you to clean up, you may go back and work on other flaps of
your foldable that you have not finished.
 - When I call your name, come up and get your foldable, quietly go back to your seat, and
get started right away.
- Walk around while the students work to answer questions and make sure the students are
staying on task.
V. Check for understanding:
Either back at the carpet, or at their desks depending on the time, We are going to look
at some of your classmates work/what they wrote (have 2-3 students share theirs).
Does anyone have any final questions about anything we learned in this Thanksgiving
unit? (answer questions, if any).
VII. Review learning outcomes / Closure
From the looks of what you wrote, I can tell you guys were able to explain why
Thanksgiving is celebrated, what you do for Thanksgiving, and one to two examples of
traditions that you continue to take part in.
Thank you for working hard for me and I hope you enjoyed learning about the Pilgrims,
Wampanoags, the First Thanksgiving and traditions.
Report if they lost a letter or gained one and why (check if they get the extra recess).
PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT
Formative: Students questions/responses and observation while they are working.
Summative: The unit foldable.
REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Blooms Taxonomy:
b. Gardners Multiple Intelligences:
7. What activities could I do to get the students more involved?
8. What management strategies could I try next lesson?