Thanksgiving Traditions

A long time ago, a group of people went aboard a ship and

started sailing to America. The name of this ship was the
Mayflower. The people on this ship were called pilgrims.
The pilgrims sailed day and night to make their voyage to
America. Once they finally reached America, they got off the boat at a place
called Plymouth Rock.

Although the Pilgrims were excited to have made it to America, there was a group
of people who were not as excited. The Indians had lived in this land for all of
their lives. They felt like the Pilgrims were trying to take over their territory.
There were many fights between the Pilgrims and the Indians.

One day, the Pilgrims and Indians had decided they did not want to fight anymore.
They ended up having a big feast together. This was the first time that Indians
and Pilgrims sat at the same table together and enjoyed each other’s company.

These days, we celebrate Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks for everything

around us. We usually have parties where each family member will bring a dish to
contribute. Typically, the host will make a large turkey for the whole gathering.
This is a day for friends and family to get together and appreciate each other.

Some schools do their own Thanksgiving celebration for the kids. They do crafts
to help get the children into the holiday spirit. One craft that is very common
during this time is to make a turkey using your hand. To do this, the first step is
to take your hand and place it flat on a piece of paper. From there, you simply
trace the outline of your hand onto the paper. When you lift your hand, you have
the outline of the turkey! The next step is to draw a little face onto the thumb,
and the last step is to color the finger parts so that they look like the turkey’s
feathers. That is how you make a turkey for Thanksgiving time!

Thanksgiving is a great holiday. Even though there are not any gifts involved, it is a great
time to spend some quality time with the people that you love. What is there not to like
about a holiday that is surrounded by the idea of eating great food and talking to great
people? Thanksgiving is a holiday that everyone can take advantage of.

Language Arts Worksheet From: © www.EnglishWorksheetsLand.com

Name ___________________________________
Thanksgiving Traditions Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why were the Indians not happy with the Pilgrims?

a. the Pilgrims would not share with them

b. the Indians did not like boats

c. they believed the Pilgrims were trying to take over their territory

2. What was the name of the Pilgrim’s ship?

a. The Mayflower

b. The Plymouth Rock

c. The Pilgrim

d. The Voyager

3. In the story, what is the last step of making a turkey with your hand?

a. color the finger parts

b. drawing a little face onto the thumb

c. trace the outline of the turkey

d. place your hand flat on the table

4. According to the story, what brought the Pilgrims and Indians together?

a. making turkeys with their hands b. having a big feast together

c. going on a boat ride d. fishing and hunting together

Language Arts Worksheet From: © www.EnglishWorksheetsLand.com

Name ___________________________________
Thanksgiving Traditions Free Response and Writing Activity

Write your answers in complete sentences.

1. What does the word “tradition” mean to you?

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2. Write 3 facts from the story you learned about Thanksgiving.

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3. What would make a perfect Thanksgiving Day for you or your family?

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4. Describe a tradition you or your family takes part in on Thanksgiving.

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Language Arts Worksheet From: © www.EnglishWorksheetsLand.com