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Lesson Plan
PBS

History of Juneteenth and Why It’s Now a National Holiday

For Teachers 6th - 12th
June 19 is now a United States federal holiday. Young historians examine the background of the first Juneteenth celebrations and why on June 15, 2021, Congress finally approved "Juneteenth National Independence Day" as a federal holiday.
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

The Emancipation Proclamation: Expanding The Goals Of The Civil War

For Teachers 8th
Should Juneteenth be recognized as a national holiday? To prepare to take a stance on this question, young historians first analyze the Emancipation Proclamation and compare it to Lincoln's first Inaugural Address. Scholars then read an...
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Activity
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Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Civic Holiday Work Sheets

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Everyone loves a day off, be it a national or statutory holiday or a civic holiday. The final resource in a 10-part civics series features 14 worksheets of the type given to young visitors at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum....
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Mexican Culture and History through Its National Holidays

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young historians have an opportunity to study the complex history and culture of Mexico by learning about several holidays: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), The Day of the Dead (El Dia de los...
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Website
ESRI

Juneteenth: An American History through Maps

For Students 6th - 12th
An interactive website traces the history of Juneteenth celebrations from their origin in Galveston, Texas, on June 19th to the present day.  Using interactive maps, learners can find information about the African-American population...
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Handout
C-SPAN

Virtual Presidents Exhibit

For Students 3rd - 12th
Scholars get a glimpse into the lives of all 46 Unites States presidents. An engaging timeline details each president's background and time in office. LInks send pupils to a website with more in-depth information.
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
While most Americans connect the celebration of Thanksgiving to a colonial celebration of pilgrims and Native Americans, the national holiday was actually the product of a war-time measure by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War....
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Handout
Plimoth Plantation

History In A New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth

For Students 4th - 12th Standards
Sixty-seven pages take scholars on a digital tour through the exhibit, History in a New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth. Crystal clear pictures accompanied by text offer a deep understanding of the...
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Lesson Plan
Teacher.org

The History of Thanksgiving

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
The first Thanksgiving is the focus of a lesson that boosts reading comprehension and interview skills. Half the class reads about Pilgrims while the other half reads about the Native American, Squanto. After answering questions, pupils...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Voyage on the Mayflower

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd Standards
After completing an online activity about the Mayflower, scholars draw a picture about what they know of the Thanksgiving holiday, including a one-sentence summary. A reading of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma is the...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd Standards
A lesson looks at the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe during the first Thanksgiving. Scholars compare and contrast information presented by an online activity then discuss their findings. Learners examine the two group's daily routines and...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

The First Thanksgiving Feast

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd Standards
Following an online activity, scholars listen to a read-aloud of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma. Pupils discuss their family traditions and complete a T-chart comparing the holiday then and now. Collages are made to...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

Thanksgiving Mourning

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Two primary sources, a speech, and an article provide tweens and teens with different perspectives of the American Thanksgiving holiday. After analyzing Wamsutta James' suppressed speech and Jacqueline Keeler's article, class members use...
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Lesson Plan
Midland Independent School District

Celebrating National Holidays

For Teachers K
There's more to holidays than just days off! Young historians explore the meaning behind national holidays in a five-part lesson. They focus on what holidays are and why they are celebrated, as well as learn the meaning of music in the...
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Lesson Plan
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Write an Election Day Letter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
For some, getting to the polls to vote is no easy task. Voting may mean needing to choose between a job and civic duty. But what if Election Day was a national holiday? After reading an article about the pros and cons of designating...
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Activity
Knight Ridder Productions

The Ultimate Holiday Activity Guide

For Teachers K - 12th
A 64-page packet, a day-to-day guide organized by months, contains information and activities that reinforce basic skills while celebrating aspects of everyday life.
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Taking a Stand: Woman Suffrage and Protest at the White House K-8

For Teachers 1st - 8th
A class discussion opens a lesson on women suffragettes. Learners imagine they are preparing to protest for women's voting rights. Scholars create a colorful poster to hold up high when marching in front of the White House.
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Women of Wonder: Who Do I Admire?

For Teachers 1st - 5th Standards
Celebrate superwomen during Women's History Month with a instructional activity that showcases a variety of female role models. Following a whole-class discussion on superheroes, role models, respect, and admiration, scholars listen to...
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Unit Plan
Macmillan Education

Your Year Covered

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Feeling stuck? Want to energize the class? Use activities such as quizzes and fill-in-the-blank worksheets to get class members' attention with a year's worth of holiday celebrations. From Mother's Day to Robert Burns's birthday,...
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Interactive
ABCya

New Year's Day Crossword Puzzle

For Students 3rd - 6th Standards
Three, two, one—Happy New Year! Ring in the magical moment between old and new years with an interactive crossword puzzle. Pupils read clues to guess words such as millennium, countdown, and fireworks.
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Interactive
ABCya

Christmas Lights

For Students Pre-K - 3rd
An interactive adds a bright touch to the holiday season with a learning game that challenges scholars to hang 250 Christmas lights. Once the outside of a house is decorated, participants have the choice to see their work light up to a...
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Article
Curated OER

How to Celebrate Kwanzaa on Your Campus

For Teachers K - Higher Ed
An article details everything you need to know about celebrating Kwanzaa at your school. An opening-day ceremony starts the seven-day holiday celebration followed a daily routine that includes a greeting, candle lighting, reciting an...
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Interactive
ABCya

Turkey Touchdown

For Students K - 5th Standards
Touchdown! A Thanksgiving Day, football-themed learning game challenges mathematicians to answer addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. After five correct answers, players aim and kick a field goal before the next...
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Interactive
ABCya

Thanksgiving Word Search

For Students 1st - 5th Standards
Scholars search through a crossword puzzle to locate a variety of words related to Thanksgiving. Either online or on paper, players highlight or circle their findings. Words disappear from a list after they've been located.