Overview

As part of a Learning Expedition about the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, 3rd graders from the Alice B. Beal Elementary Magnet School in Springfield, Massachusetts created these note cards.  

A case study investigation within this Learning Expedition focused on the “real” story of the first Thanksgiving, using multiple perspectives from varied texts and local experts to dispel myths and provide a more accurate portrayal.

Each card contains a student’s original artwork, which depicts an aspect of either Wampanoag or Pilgrim culture and/or history. The student-written text on the back of each card describes the relevance of the illustration and contributes to a bigger picture understanding of story behind the first Thanksgiving.

The note cards were bundled together and sold as gift boxes. The cards also became part of a service project: baskets of food were made by a local organization for families-in-need at Thanksgiving; a box set of these cards was included as a gift for each family.