8th Grade Thanksgiving Lesson

FREE!!! 21 journal prompts and/or discussion starters with Thanksgiving themed prompts and visuals for ELA and history/social studies. .

This PowerPoint lesson bundle provides digital pre-reading resources, historical background info, vocabulary word study, practice, and assessment for the 2 GRATITUDE THEMED short stories; perfect for Thanksgiving:

*TWO THANKSGIVING DAY GENTLEMEN by O. Henry

*THANK YOU MA’AM by Langston Hughes

* PDF LINKS to texts are included

GOAL: to prepare each student to read rigorous, grade-level literature by front-loading story elements and vocabulary critical to comprehension and aligned to standards

AUDIENCE: whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeshool classrooms

PDF FILE. Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing 8 printable worksheets to be used with the PPT lesson! These printables include Connotation and Grammar sort, Word Study, Vocabulary Organizer, and Vocabulary Quiz with optional word bank and answer key.

POWERPOINT:

1. **Author Bio:** To connect vocabulary with real-world context, we provide author biographies related to each short story. This adds depth to the lesson, allowing students to appreciate the words in the context of the author's life experience.

2. **Setting**: highly informative slides include maps, historical images and intriguing video links to prepare students to have a deeper understanding of the location and time period in which the story takes place. This is a crucial element when preparing students to read outside their own worldview.

3. **Vocab with Concise Definitions :** Our PowerPoint lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context as it appears in the text.

4.**Bold Photos:** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

5.**Parts of Speech:** Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

6. **Grammar Review & Sort** Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

7. **Connotation Review & Sort** Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

8.**Context Clues Sentences:** Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

9.**Quizlet Practice:** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice sets tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

10**PDF file** 9 organizers, activities, and quizzes

11 **Fun Fact** photos and video links are inserted throughout to bring important elements of the story into context and aid comprehension

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:
· Introduce new story
· Provide backstory to text
· Stimulate group discussion/prediction
· Create predictions about text7
· Use as distance learning resource
· Post on webpage for review
· Add to electronic notebooks
· Provide test review
· Prompt Writing or Research assignments
· Grammar study / parts of speech
· Discuss Word Connotation

PRINTABLE USES: word walls and interactive notebooks

These lessons are also available in Google Slides.

Increase critical thinking skills with this Thanksgiving-themed Costa's Levels of Inquiry activity! Students will categorize questions based on Costa’s Level 1, 2, and 3, promoting deeper understanding of Thanksgiving traditions and ELA skills. Perfect for engaging middle and high school students in critical analysis and creative thinking during the holiday season!

What's Included

• 10 Thanksgiving-themed questions for categorizing into Costa's Level of Questioning
• Answer key

Find this in...

✨AVID Bundle

✨Costa Bundle

✨November Early Finisher Packet

Celebrate fall in your ELA class with this beautifully-made powerpoint presentation covering figurative language devices, sensory details, and allusion in a Fun, Fall-themed Format! (Oh yes, and alliteration too!)

Powerpoint Presentation Includes:

- Review of the difference between figurative and literal language

- Definition of each type of figurative language device, sensory details, and allusion with fun pictures and examples

- 20 slides of practice

- Blank student answer sheet

- Full answer key

This powerpoint presentation takes about 30 minutes to teach and is the perfect way to review figurative language with your students prior to a poetry, short story, or writing unit!

_____________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great fall products for your ELA classroom by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Fall Themed Figurative Language Task Cards

⭐ Halloween Escape Room

⭐ Halloween Figurative Language Practice

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's Obituary - Halloween Lesson Plan

⭐ Shakespeare's "Death Lines" Activity

⭐ Edgar Allan Poe Short Story BUNDLE

⭐Fall Themed Collaborative Writing Activity

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This special education, Thanksgiving Day, adapted social studies unit explains what Thanksgiving Day is, how we can celebrate it, and gives a definition of common or traditional Thanksgiving terms. Also included in this print-and-go bundle is a lesson plan for the week. Students will end this unit with a better understanding of our history and traditions of Thanksgiving Day. There are two levels included in this unit. Visuals are paired with text throughout the activities. This unit can be used for special education, preschool or kindergarten classrooms.

Thanksgiving Unit

Lesson Plan Included

Reading/LA

Vocabulary Cards: Level 1 and 2

Vocabulary Tracing

First Thanksgiving Book

Vocabulary Definition Match: Level 1 and 2

Thanksgiving Vs Not Thanksgiving Sort

Story Comprehension: Level 1 and 2

Math

Find and Count: Level 1 and 2

Counting: Level 1 and 2

Addition: Level 1 and 2

Subtraction: Level 1 and 2

Money (find the total): Level 1 and 2

Fine Motor

Symbol to Symbol Match: Level 1 and 2

Line Tracing

Cutting Practice: Level 1 and 2

Color by Number: Level 1 and 2

Color by Number: Level 1 and 2

This product is part of YEAR LONG HOLIDAY UNIT BUNDLE.

Holidays Included:

1. Back to School
2. Veteran's Day
3. Thanksgiving
4. Christmas
5. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
6. Valentine's Day
7. St. Patrick's Day
8. Groundhog Day
9. Summer
10. Columbus Day

What's in a bundle?

• Unit Lesson Plans
• Holiday Book
• Adapted Holiday Book
• Vocabulary Words
• Comprehension Practice
• Tracing
• Matching
• Counting
• Cutting
• Coloring

Each Unit includes a few of the following:

• Patterns
• Adding
• Subtracting
• Money
• Graphing
• More or Less Than
• Shapes

Check Out this MASSIVE Bundle HERE!!!

What is Thanksgiving? - A HISTORY MINI-LESSON

This 10 slide digital PowerPoint Lesson answers basic questions about the holiday. Created in a question/answer format, the historical information is clear and concise; perfect for a brief reminder of the original story. The historical information is brought to life with bold photos and an embedded video link for the visual learner.

• When is Thanksgiving?
• Where is Thanksgiving celebrated?
• When did Thanksgiving become a holiday?
• Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
• What was the first Thanksgiving?
• Why is Thanksgiving important?

AVID Thanksgiving Activity - Speed Philosophical Chairs Debate for Team Building: Use this speed philosophical chairs icebreaker to promote debate through dialogue and public speaking/listening in your classroom as well as get students in the Thanksgiving spirit! Students will not only learn what speed philosophical chairs is but they will enjoy some exciting dialogue through 20 fun debate topics.

For example, students will choose to agree or disagree with the statement, "You should not start decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving."

⭐Save 30% with this AVID BUNDLE!⭐

⭐Save 30% with this Public Speaking Bundle!⭐

⭐Save 30% with this Speed Philosophical Chairs Bundle!⭐

What's Included:

• A teach slide for "the why" of speed philosophical chairs
• A slide which includes the rules of engagement for students
• A slide for the steps of this speed philosophical chairs activity
• 20 speed philosophical chairs Halloween themed debate statements
• A 5 minute silent timer embedded in each slide

The Steps:

1. A central statement will be announced to the class and we will define the two sides

of the debate (Agree/Disagree).

2. You will move to the side

of the room with the position that you intend to defend.

3. A timer will be set for 5 minutes, and the debate will start between the two groups.

4. Be concise and attempt to keep you contributions to less than 30 seconds each. The goal is to have an up-tempo debate, where the arguments for and against the prompt are batted back and forth with quick, verbal strokes. When the timer goes off, the conversation is immediately over.

5. A new prompt is displayed and we start another round of quick debates.

*These resources are available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.

Check out other AVID resources HERE!

Check out more Speed Philosophical Chairs resources HERE!

Check out more Public Speaking resources HERE!

Check out more Collaboration resources HERE!

Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen By O. Henry: This introductory Google Slide lesson provides digital pre-reading information for the story’s author and genre. Bold photo visuals and engaging video clips support the story details. The lesson includes an in-depth vocabulary study, practice, assessment, and printable organizers.

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

**PDF link to short story is included**

Google Slides:

1. **Author Biography** We provide author biographies for each short story. This adds depth to the lesson, allowing students to appreciate the story in the context of the author's life experience.

2. **Setting**Highly informative slides include maps, historical images and intriguing video links allowing students to have a deeper understanding of the location and time-period in which the story takes place. This is a crucial element when preparing students to read outside their own worldview.

3.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

4. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides (promptly, salvation, bounty, reverence, gorged, wayfarer, agony, succeed, fuchsia, "much obliged)

5.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

6. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

**Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

**Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide. After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

**Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!

The Thanksgiving Visitor By Truman Capote: This introductory PowerPoint lesson provides digital pre-reading information for the story’s author and genre. Bold photo visuals and engaging video clips support the story details. The lesson includes an in-depth vocabulary study, practice, assessment, and printable organizers.

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

**Audio link to text is included**

PowerPoint Slides:

1. **Author Biography** We provide author biographies for each short story. This adds depth to the lesson, allowing students to appreciate the story in the context of the author's life experience.

2. **Setting**Highly informative slides include maps, historical images and intriguing video links allowing students to have a deeper understanding of the location and time-period in which the story takes place. This is a crucial element when preparing students to read outside their own worldview.

3.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

4. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides (shiftless, surly, goad, menagerie, quibble, mirth, sacrilegious, skittered, suffused, relegated)

5.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

6. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

**Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

**Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide. After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

**Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in Google Slides.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!

The Thanksgiving Visitor By Truman Capote: This introductory Google Slide lesson provides digital pre-reading information for the story’s author and genre. Bold photo visuals and engaging video clips support the story details. The lesson includes an in-depth vocabulary study, practice, assessment, and printable organizers.

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

*AUDIO BOOK LINK INCLUDED

Google Slides:

1. **Author Biography** We provide author biographies for each short story. This adds depth to the lesson, allowing students to appreciate the story in the context of the author's life experience.

2. **Setting**Highly informative slides include maps, historical images and intriguing video links allowing students to have a deeper understanding of the location and time-period in which the story takes place. This is a crucial element when preparing students to read outside their own worldview.

3.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

4. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides(relegated, suffused, skittered, sacrilegious, mirth, quibble, menagerie, goad, surly, shiftless)

5.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

6. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

**Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

**Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide. After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

**Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!

Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen By O. Henry: This introductory PowerPoint lesson provides digital pre-reading information for the story’s author and genre. Bold photo visuals and engaging video clips support the story details. The lesson includes an in-depth vocabulary study, practice, assessment, and printable organizers.

This standard-aligned material is for use with whole group, small group, or independent work for regular ed, learning support, ESL or virtual/homeschool classrooms

**PDF link to short story is included**

PowerPoint Slides:

1. **Author Biography** We provide author biographies for each short story. This adds depth to the lesson, allowing students to appreciate the story in the context of the author's life experience.

2. **Setting**Highly informative slides include maps, historical images and intriguing video links allowing students to have a deeper understanding of the location and time-period in which the story takes place. This is a crucial element when preparing students to read outside their own worldview.

3.**Bold Photos: ** Visual learners will thrive with our visually appealing slides, featuring bold and relevant images that help reinforce vocabulary concepts and make learning more engaging.

4. **Vocab with Concise Definitions and Part of Speech: ** Our lesson provides clear and concise definitions for challenging vocabulary words, ensuring that students understand the meaning of each word in context. Understanding the parts of speech is crucial for effective language comprehension. Our lesson includes sections dedicated to identifying the part of speech for each vocabulary word.

Vibrant Vocab slides: promptly, salvation, bounty, reverence, gorged, wayfarer, agony, succeed, fuchsia, "much obliged"

5.**Quizlet Practice Link ** Reinforce learning and encourage self-assessment with Quizlet practice tailored to the vocabulary words covered in the lesson. This interactive tool allows students to review and quiz themselves.

6. **Fun Fact Images and Videos** These features highlight unique elements of the text to aid comprehension

PDF FILE.

Plus, each ZIP file comes with a PDF folder containing printable worksheets to be used with the lesson!

**Grammar Sort**

Strengthen language skills with integrated grammar review sections, ensuring students can apply the vocabulary words correctly in their own writing and communication.

**Connotation Sort**

Dive deeper into vocabulary nuances by exploring the connotations of words, helping students grasp the subtle shades of meaning and usage.

**Context Clues Sentences, Word Bank and Key: **

Our lesson includes carefully curated sentences that employ context clues, enabling students to decipher word meanings from surrounding text. This fosters independent comprehension skills. These worksheets can be used for practice or assessment.

**Vocabulary Organizer**

This worksheet allows the students to infer the meaning from the animated vocabulary slide. After students complete the organizer, it is a great reference sheet.

**Synonym and Antonym Word Study**

The graphic organizer allows the students to explore the variations in meaning of the new vocabulary word.

DIGITAL USES IN THE CLASSROOM:

· Introduce new story

· Provide backstory to text

· Stimulate group discussion

· Create predictions about text

· Use as distance learning resource

· Post on webpage for review

· Add to electronic notebooks

· Provide test review

· Prompt Writing or Research assignments

· Grammar study / parts of speech

· Discuss Word Connotation

Please be sure to view the preview and watch the video for detailed images and descriptions of the lesson.

This lesson is also available in Google Slides.

Enjoy!

-From Kiwious About Vocab!

This Google Slide Lesson in Gratitude Writing Prompts package provides 15 notable quotations for students to ponder, analyze and critique in a written paragraph format. The quotes express thankfulness and gratitude; perfect for Thanksgiving.

Goal: This month-long collection of higher-level thinking quotes will provide a catalyst for summarizing, paraphrasing, using synonyms, antonyms and thesaurus words in an organized sequence of complete sentences using the templates provided.

Audience: Whole class, small group, regular education, special education, ELL, virtual/home school.

PRODUCT CONTAINS:

*PDF FILE: daily directions, teacher suggestions, hints and tips to improve written responses, printable writing templates,

*GOOGLE SLIDE LESSON: fifteen soothing and aesthetic quotation slides to be used daily or printed for the classroom selected specifically for student analysis

SEE what teachers are saying...

“What a wonderful and relaxing way to start each morning! I love the quotes!! This resources set my kids up for success and gave me a very specific method to improve their writing.“

This lesson is also available in PowerPoint!

This Lesson in Gratitude Writing Prompts package provides 15 notable quotations for students to ponder, analyze and critique in a written paragraph format. The quotes express thankfulness and gratitude; perfect for Thanksgiving.

Goal: This month-long collection of higher-level thinking quotes will provide a catalyst for summarizing, paraphrasing, using synonyms, antonyms and thesaurus words in an organized sequence of complete sentences using the templates provided.

Audience: Whole class, small group, regular education, special education, ELL, virtual/home school.

PRODUCT CONTAINS:

*PDF FILE: daily directions, teacher suggestions, hints and tips to improve written responses, printable writing templates,

*PPT LESSON: fifteen soothing and aesthetic quotation slides to be used daily or printed for the classroom selected specifically for student analysis

SEE what teachers are saying...

“What a wonderful and relaxing way to start each morning! I love the quotes!! This resources set my kids up for success and gave me a very specific method to improve their writing.“

What is Thanksgiving? - A HISTORY MINI-LESSON

This 10 slide digital Google Slide Lesson answers basic questions about the holiday. Created in a question/answer format, the historical information is clear and concise; perfect for a brief reminder of the original story. The historical information is brought to life with bold photos and an embedded video link for the visual learner.

• When is Thanksgiving?
• Where is Thanksgiving celebrated?
• When did Thanksgiving become a holiday?
• Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
• What was the first Thanksgiving?
• Why is Thanksgiving important?