Introduction

Why is Thanksgiving Important?

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, but there

is a lot of meaning to it more than just turkey
and pumpkin pie. The day is about giving thanks
for all of our blessings and remembering all of
the good things in our life. Many people thank
God and bring a religious aspect to the day while
others who are not religious simply set the day
aside to give thanks.

Do you know the

story?

Its a wonderful
story!!

Thanksgiving
Pre-reading activities

For each of the sentences about

thanksgiving, mark one of the columns.
True

False

Thanksgiving it is a Mexican holiday

It is celebrate on December.
Traditional meal in thanksgiving is
turkey.
Is it a religious activity?
Children enjoy thanksgiving.
Its about giving thanks for all things in
our life.

While-reading

activities

Dont
know

Text
Thanksgiving Day
In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is one of the biggest holidays
of the year. It is celebrated primarily in the United States and
Canada. In the United States it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday
of November. It is a day when families from all over the United States
get together (sometimes travelling long distances) and prepare
traditional dishes, watch football on TV and have a big meal.
A traditional meal usually consists of a stuffed oven roasted turkey as
the main dish. Other dishes like potatoes (in various forms) and
cranberry sauce are also considered traditional by most families.
Watching a football game on TV has also become part of the
Thanksgiving tradition for American families. Many also like to watch
the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade on TV, which is transmitted, live
from New York City.
The origins of this holiday in the United States go back to 1621 when
the Pilgrims and the native Indians sat together and enjoyed a feast
to celebrate a successful harvest. The Pilgrims were Europeans who
came to the United States seeking religious freedom. They founded a
colony at Plymouth in present day Massachusetts but would not have
survived without the help of the native Indians who lived there. They
continued this traditional feast for many years after that.
When the United States won its independence from England in 1776,
each state celebrated Thanksgiving on a different day. In 1863
President Abraham Lincoln, in an effort to unite the northern and
southern states, fixed Thanksgiving Day for the entire country as the
last Thursday of November. In 1941, President Franklin D Roosevelt
made Thanksgiving Day the fourth Thursday of November (not
necessarily the last one).

While-reading activities
Check the pictures related to Thanksgiving

After-reading activities

ANSWER NEXT
QUESTIONS. CHOOSE THE
CORRECT ANSWER
WHAT IS THE THANKSGIVINGS DAY?
Its a celebration in India.

Primarily

party

to

all

people in New Jersey

Its

one

of

the

biggest

holidays of the year in United

States and Canada

WHEN IS THIS SPECIAL DAY CELEBRATED IN THE UNITED STATES?

In the United States it is
celebrated

on

the

September the 24th.

From January 6th to February

18th every year.

fourth

Thursday of November.

WHY THIS ACTIVITY IS IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES IN USA?

This

activity

it

is

not

Because families spent a

Because

important for people in United

good

time

families from

States. They preferred going

movie

theatres,

on buses to a different places movies,

to play soccer.

together

at

Its

all

day

when

over the

watching United States get together

eating hot dogs (sometimes

and buying clothes.

distances)
traditional

travelling
and
dishes,

long

prepare
watch

football on TV and have a big

meal.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THIS HOLIDAY IN THE UNITED STATES?

in the United States go
back

to

Pilgrims
Indians

1621
and
sat

when
the

There

is not

information It was long time ago. Indians

the about that. People thinks is

native because a day, long time

together

and ago, it rains a lot.

was

angry

because

their

soccer team loses the finals.

People

They dont want to lose. For

enjoyed a feast to celebrate

were happy when raining

that reason they have this

a successful harvest.

ended.

holiday.

WHAT IS THE SPECIAL PLATE ON THIS DAY?

A

traditional

usually

Chicken, potatoes, hot dogs

There is not a traditional or

consists of a stuffed oven

and a many other things to

special plate on this day.

roasted turkey as the main

celebrate this incredible

People from United States do

experience with family and

not even spent time together.

dish.

Other

meal

dishes

like

potatoes (in various forms)

friends from all over the

They

preferred

and cranberry sauce are also

word (Asia, Australia and

home

and

considered

traditional

by

Europe).

to

stay

watch

at
TV

programs.

most families.

THANKS FOR
READING