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Key Stage 1 Beyond Living Memory: Commemorating History
Thanksgiving Day

Traditionally, the first Thanksgiving Day occurred in 1621 when the Plymouth Pilgrim community joined in a feast with Native Peoples to celebrate the first harvest. Take part in role-play, practical tasks and creative activities inspired by this annual family orientated day of turkey dinners and parades in USA.

block outcomes

Session 1 Journey to a new land

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Objectives

History

  • Discover events beyond living memory that are significant globally: events commemorated through festivals.

English

  • Develop understanding through speculating, imaging and exploring ideas.

Geography

  • Name and locate continents and oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries and oceans.
  • Use simple compass directions.

Lesson Planning

What would it be like to have to leave the known & journey to the unknown?  Children empathise by imagining a journey into space to an unknown planet – what would you need to take?

Teaching Outcomes
 To empathize with the First Pilgrim families through imaginative exploration of a current day escape to a ‘New World’.
To locate Continents, (Europe, N America); Ocean (Atlantic); Countries (USA, England in UK); Towns (Plymouth); Places (Plymouth Rock) using world map, globe and atlases.

Children will:

  • Think about the 'who, why, where, and when' elements of the first pilgrims in 1620.
  • Imagine and explore emotions and feelings possibly felt by the pilgrims through re-enactments of events and imagining the landscape of the New World.

Provided Resources

  • Script to be read after the story Whatever Next by Jill Murphy
  • This is the Way the Pilgrims Sailed song

You Will Need

  • Whatever Next by Jill Murphy
  • The Story of the Pilgrims by Katherine Ross
  • Feelings and emotions wall to list responses
  • Rocket and star shaped cookies and/or healthy snacks
  • Water to drink

Session 2 Folk hero Squanto

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Objectives

History

  • Discover events beyond living memory that are significant globally.
  • Identify similarities & differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources.

Design and Technology

  • Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (cutting, shaping, joining and finishing).
  • Know the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet.
  • Understand where food comes from.

Lesson Planning

New ways and life style for Pilgrims, helped by Squanto and indigenous population, Wampanog Tribe.  

Teaching Outcomes
 To find out about life for the Pilgrim Families and the Wampanog People in the 1620s.
To consolidate their learning through a series of practical tasks relevant to life for the Pilgrim Families and the Wampanog People in the 1620s.

Children will:

  • Learn about life for the first pilgrims and the Wampanog people 400 years ago through various practical and creative tasks.
  • Generate questions and find answers using information sources.

Provided Resources

  • Information sheet with carousel of activities

You Will Need

  • The Story of the Pilgrims by Katherine Ross
  • World map and atlas for map of North America
  • Small white boards and pens
  • Interactive white board
  • Flip chart
  • Card strips for question captions (if chosen)
  • Books, photographs and other sources of information to answer questions
  • Items for practical tasks

Session 3 Learning from others

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Objectives

History

  • Discover events beyond living memory that are significant globally.
  • Identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources.

Design and Technology

  • Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (cutting, shaping, joining and finishing).
  • Know the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet.
  • Understand where food comes from.

English

  • Develop understanding through speculating, hypothesizing, imaging and exploring idea.
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, roleplay, improvisations, debates.

Lesson Planning

Pilgrims and Native peoples interact together and teach each other new skills. Hot seat Pilgrim and Native peoples; experience practical and creative tasks.

Teaching Outcomes
 To find out about everyday life for the Pilgrim Families and the Wampanog People in the 1620s.
To consolidate learning through a series of practical, creative tasks.
To give voice to their understanding of life as the Pilgrim Families, learning how to survive in unfamiliar country guided by very different people.

Children will:

  • Learn about life for the first pilgrims and the Wampanog people through various practical, creative tasks
  • Generate questions and find answers using information sources.
  • Use dramatic techniques, including working in role to explore ideas.

Provided Resources

  • Information sheet with carousel of activities

You Will Need

  • Books, photographs and other sources of information to answer questions
  • Materials for practical tasks

Session 4 Performance time!

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Objectives

History

  • Discover events beyond living memory that are significant globally.
  • Identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
  • Ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories/other sources.

English

  • Develop understanding through speculating, hypothesizing, imaging and exploring idea.
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, roleplay, improvisations, debates.

Lesson Planning

Children present their learning to invited audience. Watch present day traditional parade.

Teaching Outcomes
 To inform others what chn found out about everyday life for the Pilgrim Families and the Wampanog People in the 1620s.
To participate in performance.

Children will:

  • Recap their learning to decide what information should be dramatised for audience.
  • Present a performance to an invited audience.

Provided Resources

This session does not need any provided resources.

You Will Need

  • Resources used in previous sessions and created items, paintings, question and answer sheets
  • Thanksgiving Day’ by Anne and Lizzie Rockwell
  • Scrap paper and sticky notes
  • Blu-tack
  • Long length of wall paper or lining paper
  • Simple Thanksgiving food to eat together

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