Thanksgiving Discussion Prompts and Pause Points

Thanksgiving Discussion Prompts and Pause Point

Before the Movie

What do you know about the story of Thanksgiving? (Tap prior knowledge)

What is something new you hope to learn about Thanksgiving (Set goals)

During the Movie (Pause Points)

Stop at the following times in the movie and ask questions or prompt a discussion to keep students focused and to assess their understanding before moving on:

Timecode: 3:09: Why was life challenging for the Separatists once they reached Wampanoag territory? (Identify cause/effect)

Timecode: 5:00: Why was Plymouth’s harvest to celebrate autumn significant to both the settlers and the Wampanoag? (Draw conclusions)

Timecode: 6:16: Why did Abraham Lincoln establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday? (Make inferences)

After the Movie

Look at the four related movies at the bottom of the page. Explain how each is connected to the Thanksgiving topic. (Make connections)

What are some actions you could take to honor the different perspectives of all people involved in the first Thanksgiving? (Reflect)

BrainPOP recommends reading the movie description that appears on the Thanksgiving Topic Page. to your class or have students read independently. Then have them watch the movie once through without pausing. Then, watch it again as class, this time using the discussion prompts.

*BrainPOP’s Discussion Questions and Prompts align to CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards.