Happy Thanksgiving!

Author: Maddie Van Beek

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As you all know, last Thursday was Thanksgiving! Today, we are going to research the history of Thanksgiving, test out Squanto’s gardening methods, and learn how to track our daily diets! 

We all picture the first Thanksgiving as a day spent with the pilgrims and the Native Americans chowing down on a Thanksgiving feast. Did you know that there were actually several “first Thanksgivings?” 

Learn more about the American history of Thanksgiving!

American History of Thanksgiving

What were the other “first Thanksgivings?” 

Did you know November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month? What a great time to learn more about Native American history and culture, especially as we celebrate Thanksgiving! 

More information on Native American histories and tribes: 

Native American Tribes

While Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and celebrate an abundance of food, it is also important to remember the roots of Thanksgiving. We don’t often remember the Wampanoag’s point of view during the first Thanksgiving. Take some time to consider how the Wampanoag’s might have felt when the first white settlers arrived. 

Quickwrite: Write in the perspective of a member of the Wampanoag tribe when the white settlers arrived at Plymouth. How do you feel? 

A Wampanoag Viewpoint

The Wampanoags were the Native American tribe that befriended the settlers and accompanied them in the “first Thanksgiving” meal. Squanto was one of the Wampanoags that is well known for aiding the settlers in their time of need. One way Squanto helped out was to assist them in growing corn by using fish. Check out Squanto’s gardening methods!

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Hypothesize: How might fish emulsion help or harm the growth of a corn plant? Will it really make that much of a difference? 

YOU WILL NEED:

• Water
• Corn seeds
• Fish emulsion
• Milk cartons 
• Scissors
• Soil

YOU WILL DO:

1. Use the scissors to cut the top off of two half-pint milk cartons (ask an adult for help).
2. Fill both cartons with soil. 
3. Read and follow the directions on your corn seed packet to plant one seed in each carton. 
4. Push the corn seed 1-2 inches into the surface of the soil. 
5. Label one milk carton “Control” and one milk carton “Variable.” 
6. Your control plant will be watered only with plain water. 
7. Your variable plant will be watered with a mixture of water and fish emulsion. 
8. Follow the package instructions on the fish emulsion to dilute it with water. 
9. Water your Control plant with water and your variable plant with the diluted fish emulsion. 
10. Place both plants in the sun. 
11. Water both plants each day and record your observations in a daily log. 
12. Measure both plants’ growth each day and record. 
13. What differences do you see in the two plants? 
14. Create a graph at the end of your experiment to show the differences in growth. 
15. Reflect: How did the fish emulsion make a difference in the growth of the variable plant? Why do you think this is? 

Now that we’ve talked about GROWING food, let’s think about EATING food! 

Did you know that the average American eats over 4,000 calories on Thanksgiving day?! Wow! To put that in perspective, the average diet is only about 2,000 calories/day. 

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Calories in a Thanksgiving meal: 

Here’s an idea of how many calories you should have in a day:

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calories/empty-calories-amount.html

Keep in mind that physical activity increases your caloric need! Think of your body like a car--let’s say your car holds 15 gallons of gas. You fill it up with 15 gallons. If your car just sits in the garage, it doesn’t lose any gas, but if you go for a drive, it burns gas. Is your tank still full after a 200-mile drive? No! If you want your gas tank to be full, you would have to refuel. It’s the same way with your body! For example, if my daily caloric need is 2,000 calories, and I burn 500 calories on a run, then I should actually consume 2,500 calories so my body still gets the calories it needs to stay fueled.

Here’s more information about what you can do to have a healthy, balanced diet: 

Example of a Food Plan

How many calories are in your daily schedule? 

Are you eating a balanced diet? 

Create a food diary to see what your diet is really like! The point is not for you to count every calorie you eat--the point is that when we pay attention to what we put into our bodies, we are more conscious of what we are consuming. Being cognizant of the way you eat will help you make healthy choices for YOUR body! 

Predict: 

How many calories do you think you eat in a normal day? 

Do you think you have a balanced diet? 

What do you think you eat too much of? 

What do you think you don’t get enough of? 

Each day for one week, write down everything you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Each time you write down a food, determine whether it is a fruit, vegetable, grain, dairy, protein or fat. 

At the end of the week, look back at your food chart and reflect on your diet. About what percentage of your diet is protein? Fat? Does your daily diet look like the My Plate recommendation? Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? Being conscious of your diet is the first step to taking care of a happy, healthy body! 




Other References:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp286-03.shtml

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/thanksgiving/celebration.html#

http://www.tolatsga.org/Compacts.html#Wampanoag