The Woman Who Gave Us Thanksgiving

Learning Guide

A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.

Mai’s Tips

1. Meet them where they are: If younger children struggle with writing, let them draw their holiday and dictate their reasons. The goal is the idea of persuasion, not perfect handwriting.
2. Focus on the 'why': When discussing persuasion, emphasize that it's about giving good reasons, not just asking. Ask, 'Why would that reason convince someone?'
3. The power of time: Hale's 17-year campaign is a big number. Help older kids grasp this by relating it to something they've wanted for a long time, or discussing how much patience that would take.
4. Not just words: Remind older children that campaigning can involve more than just letters—it can be speeches, organizing events or raising public awareness, all forms of persuasion.

Prep Before Session 5 min

• Print the 'Persuasive Letter Template' worksheet from the Spark pack.

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1Introduction 5 min

• Read the comic together: "The Woman Who Wouldn't Stop Writing." Then ask the big question: "Who made Thanksgiving a national holiday, and how long did it take?" Let your child answer in their own words. Wild guesses are welcome.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, and it has been celebrated every year since.
• President George Washington declared a national day of thanksgiving in 1789. It was a one-time day, not a yearly holiday.
• Before 1863, states celebrated Thanksgiving on different days, or not at all.
• If they ask: Did the Pilgrims celebrate Thanksgiving? They had a harvest feast in 1621, which inspired the idea, but it wasn't the official holiday we know today.
• It's working when: The child making a guess, even if it's far-fetched, shows engagement with the question.
• If they're stuck: If they're hesitant, offer a few wild possibilities to spark their imagination: 'Do you think it was a king? Or maybe a baker?'
• Easier: Just accept any guess without pressing for details. Focus on the 'who' or the 'how long' as separate ideas.

• Harder: Ask them to justify their guess: 'What makes you think that person might have made it a holiday?'

Done when: The child has given an answer about who made Thanksgiving a national holiday and how long it took.

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2Explore & Plan 8 min

• Build the timeline on the worksheet together. Mark these points:

  • 1846: Sarah Josepha Hale starts asking for a national Thanksgiving. She is the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, one of the most popular magazines in the country. Hale is credited with writing "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
  • Year after year she writes articles and letters. She writes to five presidents: Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan and Lincoln.
  • 1863: President Lincoln proclaims a national Thanksgiving Day. It has been celebrated every year since.

  Count the years together: 17. Then ask: "What kind of person keeps trying for so long?"

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879) was a writer and the editor of Godey's Lady's Book, a popular magazine.
• She is credited with writing the nursery rhyme 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.'
• From 1846 she campaigned for a national Thanksgiving. She wrote to Presidents Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchanan, who did not act and then to Lincoln on 28 September 1863. Lincoln's proclamation came five days later.
• If they ask: Why did it take so long? It was a big idea to get all the states to agree, and presidents had many other things to focus on, especially during the Civil War.

• If they ask: What is an editorial? It's an article in a newspaper or magazine that shares the editor's opinion and tries to convince readers.
• It's working when: The child showing surprise or admiration for Hale's long effort.
• If they're stuck: If they're not grasping the timeline, draw a simple line and mark 'start' and 'finish' with '17 years' in between.
• Easier: Mark only the start (1846) and the end (1863) on the timeline, and count the years together.
• Harder: Discuss what might have motivated Hale to keep going for 17 years despite not seeing immediate results.

Done when: The child has marked the start and end of Hale's campaign on the timeline and counted the years.

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3Discussion 6 min

• Explain the concepts of 'persuasion' and 'campaigning,' using everyday examples. Then, guide a conversation about Hale's use of these strategies.

  • Persuasion is when you try to convince someone to agree with your idea or do what you want, by giving them good reasons.
  • A campaign is a series of actions you take over time to make a big goal happen.
  • Can you think of a time you tried to persuade someone to do something or agree with you?
  • What reasons did you use? Were they good reasons?
  • How is what Sarah Josepha Hale did like your example, and how is it different?

  The core idea is that Hale changed minds and made things happen by consistently presenting good reasons (persuasion) over a long time (campaign). For older kids, you might discuss the difference between logical and emotional appeals; for younger kids, focus on giving good reasons.

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Persuasion involves presenting logical reasons, emotional appeals or evidence to change someone's mind.
• Hale used her writing skills and position as an editor to spread her message widely.
• If they ask: Is nagging the same as persuading? Nagging often doesn't give new reasons, it just repeats. Persuading offers new ideas or evidence.

• If they ask: Can I persuade someone without talking? Yes, you can write a letter, create a sign or even show them something, like a picture or a graph with facts.
• It's working when: The child providing examples of persuasion from their own life that include specific reasons.
• If they're stuck: Suggest a common scenario: 'What if you really want a new toy? How would you try to convince me?'
• Easier: Focus on simple 'giving reasons' examples, like 'I want to go to the park because it's sunny and I finished my chores.'
• Harder: Ask them to identify different types of reasons: 'Did you use a feeling, a fact or what you believed was fair?'

Done when: Student can explain what persuasion means in their own words and give an example of how someone might try to persuade another person.

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4Activity 9 min

• Challenge them to create their own holiday and write a persuasive letter using the provided worksheet. Guide them to brainstorm a holiday, think of three strong reasons and decide who they would send their letter to. Encourage creativity and strong arguments.

  • What new holiday would you create?
  • Who would you need to convince to make it a national holiday?
  • What are three strong reasons why this holiday should exist?

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Using specific examples and details can make arguments stronger.
• Hale's campaign showed that consistent, well-reasoned communication can lead to significant change.
• If they ask: What if my reasons aren't very good? That's okay! This is practice. The more you think about it, the better your reasons will become. Let's try to make them even stronger.
• If they ask: Who should I send my letter to? Someone who has the power to make your holiday real, like a mayor, a governor or even the President. Or maybe just someone in your family!
• It's working when: The child showing creativity in their holiday idea and attempting to articulate reasons, even if simple.

• If they're stuck: Help them brainstorm: 'What's something you love to do that doesn't have a holiday? A 'Cloud Gazing Day' or 'Pajama Party Day'?'
• Harder: Challenge them to think about counter-arguments: 'What might someone say against your holiday, and how would you respond?' Encourage proper letter structure (greeting, closing).

Done when: Student has completed their persuasive letter, including the holiday name, three reasons and who they would send it to, either by writing or drawing on the worksheet.

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5Summary 2 min

• Celebrate their finished letters and reflect on the Spark. Ask questions to help them connect Hale's story to their own experience and the broader impact of persistence and persuasion.

  • What was the most interesting or surprising thing you learned about Thanksgiving today?
  • What qualities do you think Sarah Josepha Hale had that helped her succeed?

Know Before You Teach

• Good to know: Persistence (never giving up) is a key trait of successful campaigners.
• Even one person's voice can make a difference if they are consistent and persuasive.
• Many national holidays have interesting historical origins and sometimes involved long campaigns.
• If they ask: Are there other holidays that took a long campaign? The first bill for Martin Luther King Jr. Day was proposed four days after he died in 1968. The holiday became law in 1983.
• It's working when: The child expressing an understanding of the impact of one person's actions or the importance of perseverance.
• If they're stuck: Reiterate: 'Imagine if Sarah Josepha Hale gave up after just one year. What would have happened?'

• Easier: Ask them: 'What was your favorite part of learning about Sarah Josepha Hale today?'
• Harder: Ask: 'How might Sarah Josepha Hale's campaign have been different if she lived today with email and social media?'

Done when: Student shares one key takeaway from the Spark, such as the power of persistence, persuasion or Sarah Josepha Hale's role.

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