This week, in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday, first grade students have been introduced to our second trimester social studies topic, Native Americans.   Leading up to the holiday, students have participated in several shared read alouds about the first Thanksgiving, learning the role of Native Americans and Pilgrims.  Reading aloud Squanto, A Friend to The Pilgrims,  students discovered how Squanto, a member of the Wampanoag tribe, helped the Pilgrims.  They defined key vocabulary terms including :  Wampanoag, traders, explorers, slave, settlers, crops, harvest, and celebration.  In response to our reading and discussion, students were asked to imagine they were a Pilgrim, and write a letter to Squanto thanking him for his help.  Today, students viewed a brief video about the Thanksgiving holiday, decorated and assembled turkeys highlighting things they are thankful for, and participated in our very own Thanksgiving feast.  Thank you families for your contributions and for joining us in celebrating today.  When we return from the break, we will begin learning about our first tribe, The Iroquois of The Northeast Woodlands.