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3rd Grade Thanksgiving Resources

9 3rd grade Thanksgiving resources: 7 worksheets, 2 assessments, 1 workbook and more. How teachers use these

3rd Grade Thanksgiving Resources

9 3rd grade Thanksgiving resources: 7 worksheets, 2 assessments, 1 workbook and more. How teachers use these

Worksheet
Worksheet3rd GradeThanksgiving Words Search Worksheet

This Thanksgiving Words Search Worksheet gives 3rd graders a six-word holiday puzzle plus six write-the-word vocabulary sentences, with a full answer key for quick, no-prep November practice.

Worksheet
Worksheet3rd GradeThanksgiving Graph Worksheet

Students build a scaled bar graph from a class food survey in this Thanksgiving Graph Worksheet, then answer comparison questions about the data. Written for 3rd Grade, with an answer key included for fast checking.

Worksheet
Worksheet3rd GradeThanksgiving True or False Worksheet

This Thanksgiving true or false worksheet helps 3rd grade students check facts about the Pilgrims and the first harvest feast, then correct a false sentence. An answer key is included for quick grading.

Worksheet
Worksheet3rd GradePatriotic Holidays Worksheet

This Patriotic Holidays Worksheet gives 3rd Grade students date clues and meaning clues for four American holidays, plus a short writing prompt and an answer key, so learners build real calendar and civics knowledge.

Workbook
Workbook3rd GradeThanksgiving Mini Pack

Using this Thanksgiving Mini Pack, students learn about Thanksgiving through ten fun worksheets and two activities.

Assessment
Assessment3rd GradeThanksgiving Dinner Reading Comprehension Worksheet

This thanksgiving dinner reading comprehension worksheet gives 2nd graders a short holiday story with four multiple choice questions and one written response. An answer key is included, so comprehension practice takes no prep at all.

Worksheet
Worksheet3rd GradeThanksgiving Alphabetical Order Worksheet

This Thanksgiving Alphabetical Order Worksheet gives 3rd grade students three sets of holiday words to alphabetize to the second, third and fourth letter, plus a short explanation. An answer key is included.

Assessment
Assessment3rd GradeHoliday Time - Reading Comprehension Worksheet

The Holiday Time Reading Comprehension Worksheet gives 3rd graders an original Thanksgiving poem with cause, rhyme, sequence, and main idea questions. An answer key is included, so holiday poetry practice is ready to print.

From our teachers' playbook

Gobble up some learning!

What do 3rd graders learn about Thanksgiving?

Third graders learn the story behind the holiday: in 1621, the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag people shared a three-day harvest celebration. They learn that the Wampanoag helped the newcomers survive by showing them how to plant corn and find food. They also learn that President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, and that today it falls on the fourth Thursday of November. The click comes when students compare the first harvest feast to their own family traditions and see what has changed and what has stayed the same.

How we teach Thanksgiving in 3rd grade

Thanksgiving week is the perfect time to blend history, reading and math.

Read and respond

Read a passage about a Thanksgiving dinner together and answer questions using text evidence. Then compare the passage to the 1621 harvest celebration. A quick reading check plus a comparison makes history feel real.

Why it works: researchers who compared ten study methods found practice testing is one of the two that work best (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).

Thanksgiving Dinner Reading Comprehension WorksheetTry it withThanksgiving Dinner Reading Comprehension WorksheetAssessmentsOpen it →

Graph the feast

Survey the class on favorite Thanksgiving foods and build a bar graph together. Students then answer questions like "How many more chose pie than turkey?" Real data from their own class makes graphing meaningful.

Why it works: going from real objects to pictures to symbols is a core recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.

Thanksgiving Graph WorksheetTry it withThanksgiving Graph WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

True or false review

At the end of the week, mix questions from history, vocabulary and math into a true or false review. Have kids fix the false ones. Mixing topics keeps everyone thinking and shows what stuck.

Why it works: shuffled practice teaches kids to choose the right strategy, not just repeat one, and it improved test scores in research (Rohrer and Taylor, 2007).

Thanksgiving True or False WorksheetTry it withThanksgiving True or False WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Questions parents and teachers ask

How do you explain the first Thanksgiving to 3rd graders?

In 1621, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared a harvest feast that lasted three days. The Wampanoag had helped the Pilgrims learn to grow food in their new home.

When did Thanksgiving become a national holiday?

President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

What foods were at the first Thanksgiving?

Historians believe the meal likely included deer, wild birds like duck or turkey, corn, fish and shellfish. Pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes came later.

What are good Thanksgiving activities for 3rd grade?

Reading passages about the holiday's history, graphing favorite foods, writing gratitude lists and holiday word puzzles are all great choices.