Thanksgiving Chinese Lesson Plan for Kids: Two 45-Minute Lessons

You know the problem. Thanksgiving is close, and you want a Chinese lesson that feels like the season. But you also have a class to run. You do not have an evening to plan activities, find pictures and write a worksheet.

That is why I put this lesson together. It is not just a plan on paper. It comes with all the materials the lessons use: the flashcards, the worksheets, the craft and the rest. You get a full class, start to finish, in the same format as my regular lesson plans. Print, and teach.

What the two lessons cover

Lesson A: Thanksgiving Dinner.

Children learn the foods on the Thanksgiving table and practice 这是什么？ and 我最喜欢的感恩节食物是…. They set a paper feast table, trace a few words and finish with a short cheer.

Lesson B: Thankful and Harvest.

Children learn words about gratitude and the harvest, then practice 我感谢…. They make a Thankful Turkey and share one thing they are grateful for.

Each lesson runs 45 minutes. You can teach both in the same week or pick one.

Why teach Thanksgiving in a Chinese class?

Thanksgiving is not a Chinese festival. But for many of our children, it is the biggest family meal of the fall. They already know the turkey, the pie and the table full of people. Teaching those things in Chinese connects the language to something they love.

It also teaches a very useful sentence pattern. 我感谢… (“I am thankful for…”) works all year round, not just in November.

How each lesson is built

Every lesson follows the same three-part shape as our regular lesson plans, so it is easy to fit into your week.

• Warm-up (7 minutes): a short game that gets children talking right away.
• Learning (34 minutes): new words and one key sentence, then a hands-on task. Lesson A has a feast table. Lesson B has a craft.
• Wrap-up (4 minutes): a quick holiday finish, plus a task for early finishers.

The timings are already worked out, so you do not have to guess how long a craft will take.

Try one activity today: Mystery Basket

This is the warm-up from Lesson A, and you can use it in any class. Put a few items from the Thanksgiving table in a basket, such as a mini pumpkin, an ear of corn and some acorns, and cover it with a cloth. Take the items out one at a time and ask: 这是什么？ (What is it?) Accept answers in any language. Then, as a final clue, put on a paper pilgrim hat and ask the children what the items have in common. Let them guess the holiday, and tell them: 今天我们来学习感恩节。 (Today we are learning about Thanksgiving.)

It works because it is a game, so even a shy child will join. They hear the same question many times, and nobody is drilled.

A different kind of start and finish

Seasonal lessons do not need your usual circle time, weather talk or goodbye song. The Thanksgiving lessons open with a game and close with a holiday activity instead. Children come in to something new, and the class feels like a special event.

What is included

The Thanksgiving lesson comes as one package: the lesson plan, plus the printable materials it uses. The materials are taken from our Thanksgiving Theme Chinese Learning Pack. You get:

• Vocabulary flashcards
• Vocabulary tracing worksheets
• My Favorite Thanksgiving Food worksheet
• Turkey craft sheet
• Symmetry drawing worksheet
• Coloring pages

The lesson plan tells you when to use each one, so nothing is left to guess. You only need to add a few simple supplies: crayons, scissors, glue, a basket, and a few real items such as a mini pumpkin, an ear of corn and a paper pilgrim hat.

Teaching at home instead of a classroom?

You can use the same plan with one or two children. Teach Lesson A in the days before Thanksgiving. On the day, ask 这是什么？ about the dishes on your own table. At dinner, go around and let everyone say one 我感谢… sentence. Even five minutes of this is real Chinese in a family moment.

Want the words first?

If you would like to see the vocabulary before you teach, start with our guide to Thanksgiving in Chinese: words, food and activities for kids. It also covers how to say thank you in Chinese and gives you five easy activities to try at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get the Thanksgiving lesson, plan and materials together. Or, Browse all Chinese lesson plans for teachers.

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