THANKSGIVING ELA MINI UNIT | Read Write STEM Art Integration Activities

Easily incorporate THEMATICALLY RIGOROUS LEARNING into your classroom routine with this no-prep, 32-page The First Thanksgiving Mini Unit for Middle Grades (Grades 4-8)! This mini-unit includes everything you need to celebrate Thanksgiving and Fall with your students in your ELA classroom-reading, writing, art, STEM, and early finisher worksheets.

The following Thanksgiving ELA Mini Unit Resources are included:

•Nonfiction reading passage about the First Thanksgiving with CCSS-aligned questions & answer key.

•3 writing prompts (1 narrative, 1 informative, 1 opinion) in 2 formats (choice board and prompt with lines)

•Choice Board Art Activity that focuses on gratitude (with rubric). Students will brainstorm Who, What, Where, When, and Why they are thankful. After choosing one from their brainstorm list, they will use the Choice Board to select an artform to create that represents their selection.

•Thanksgiving Dinner Table STEAM activity. Students will construct a “dinner table” from paper that can support canned goods..

•Thanksgiving Crack the Code Worksheet

•Thanksgiving Word Mine Worksheet

•Thanksgiving Alphabet Game: earn points by thinking of Thanksgiving words

•Writing tools: Revising/editing checklists, color-coding charts

•9 writing papers

•Video links for background knowledge and extension

•Teacher directions

•Supply request letter

Writing Additional Information

Writing Prompts are provided in two formats:

•Prompt Choice Board: All prompts on one page

•Prompt With Lines: Students respond to prompts on provided lines

Writing Tools that are included:

•Revising and editing checklists for each type of writing are included.

•Color-coding Chart: Students color code writing to ensure it has all required elements...and help the teacher with grading!

•9 Writing papers: Thankful B&W, Thanks multi language Color, Thanksgiving B&W, Fall squares Color, Fall lace Color, Leaves Color, Turkey frame with lines Color, Turkey frame with lines B&W, Pumpkin with lines B&W

Ways to Use

•Pick and choose which activities you want to do...or do them all!

•Integrate art into your reading and writing lessons.

•Have a Thanksgiving Celebration Day...or week!

•Set up stations around your room.

•Rotate from room to room to complete one activity in each room.

•Do one activity each day for a week.

•Use for Fun Friday, Morning Meeting, or for your curriculum-based activity.

•Do activities as a whole class.

•Can even be used by a sub!

•Do you teach art? This includes 4 easy-to-implement art activities.

•Do you teach gifted? This provides great enrichment!

How I Use in My Classroom

I like to work with other teachers in my school and let the students rotate from room to room. We start by watching the videos. Students then rotate to the following activities for approximately 1 hour each.

•Room 1: Reading

•Room 2: Writing

•Room 3: Research

•Room 4: STEM

Related Resources

Check out the “Thanksgiving and Fall” section of the Megan Memories store for these related resources:

Thanksgiving Resources:

• Minute to Win It
• STEM Challenges
• Reading, Writing, Art
• Norman Rockwell ELA Unit
• Creation Stations (great for MakerSpace!)
• Fun Sheets
• Thanksgiving MEGA Unit!
• The ULTIMATE Thanksgiving Party Game!

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