Thanksgiving Around the World

Introduction
Students have learned about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving in the United States. In this activity, students will research various Thanksgiving or autumn harvest festival traditions throughout the world.

Lesson Description
Students will read through various Web sites that discuss Thanksgiving or harvest festival celebrations in various countries around the world, from Canada to Korea. Students will then answer four questions about the basic nature of those traditions. To immerse them in the cultures of these traditions, students will research the recipes of the various traditional foods discussed and then create a multi-cultural Thanksgiving menu.

Instructional Objectives:

1. Students will learn about the origins and traditions of Thanksgiving-related traditions throughout the world.
2. Students will research traditional foods used in Thanksgiving festivals in order to better understand other cultures.

1. All of the traditions involve food of some kind. In most traditions, emphasis is placed on the family. Most occur in the latter part of the year. Many last for several days at a time.
2. Chinese Moon Festival: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
   Indian Pongal Festival: Celebrated on the same days as Bihu, Lohri, and Bhogi.
   Vietnamese Tet Trung-Thu: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
   Jewish Succoth: 15th day of the Jewish month Tishri
   Nigerian and Ghanaian Yam Festival: Beginning of August at the end of the rainy season
   Korean Chusok: 15th day of the 8th lunar month
   Canadian Thanksgiving: 2nd Monday in October
   
3. In China, the fall festival centers on the moon. The Vietnamese also have traditions about the moon and the Moon Lady.
4. Moon cakes and other special treats, yams, meals with freshly harvested ingredients, special rice cakes, and other special Thanksgiving foods are all associated with Harvest festivals.
5. Students' recipe books and menus will vary, but should include moon cakes, rice cakes, yams, freshly harvested foods, and other traditional foods they discover. Encourage students to be creative and to develop interesting and detailed menus.

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