Thanksgiving Traditions Reading Worksheet
Grade 3 • Reading Comprehension
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Date:
Score: /12
Informational Text
The Harvest Feast: The Story of Thanksgiving
Read the passage carefully, then answer the questions below.
1. The Autumn Gathering: In the autumn of 1621, English colonists called Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native people came together in Plymouth, Massachusetts. After surviving a harsh winter, the Pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest of corn, squash, and beans with Wampanoag help. They held a three-day harvest feast filled with shared food, outdoor games, and archery contests.
2. Making It Official: For over two hundred years, different towns and states celebrated Thanksgiving on various dates. In the 1800s, writer and magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for seventeen years for a unified holiday. In 1863, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to foster peace and unity across the nation.
3. Modern Traditions: Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Families and friends gather across the country to share a bountiful meal. Traditional foods include roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Many families also watch lively parades featuring giant helium balloons or cheer at football games.
4. The Spirit of Gratitude: Above all, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. The word gratitude means noticing and appreciating the good things and helpful people in our lives. Many communities celebrate by volunteering at local food pantries or sharing meals with neighbors so everyone can enjoy the holiday.
Part 1: Key Ideas & Details (Questions 1–4)
- What is the main idea of paragraph 1?
A. Pilgrims only ate pumpkin pie in Plymouth.
B. Pilgrims and Wampanoag people celebrated a harvest together.
C. Winter was the easiest season for the colonists.
D. Archery was the only activity at the 1621 gathering.
- Who wrote letters to five different presidents asking for a national holiday?
A. Abraham Lincoln
B. Sarah Josepha Hale
C. A Plymouth farmer
D. A parade director
- In paragraph 4, what is the best meaning of the word gratitude?
A. Being thankful and appreciative
B. Cooking an extremely large dinner
C. Traveling far away for a feast
D. Watching sports with family
- According to paragraph 1, how long did the 1621 harvest gathering last?
A. One day
B. Three days
C. One week
D. Two months
Thanksgiving Reading Comprehension • Grade 3 Page 1 of 2 • Continue on Page 2 for Questions 5–12
The Harvest Feast • Questions 5–12
Student Name:
Part 2: Comprehension & Written Responses
- Which Native American nation celebrated the 1621 harvest with the Pilgrims?
A. The Cherokee
B. The Navajo
C. The Wampanoag
D. The Iroquois
- Number these events from 1 to 4 in the order they happened in history:
President Lincoln declares an official holiday.
The Pilgrims and Wampanoag share a feast.
Sarah Josepha Hale writes letters to presidents.
Families today watch parade floats and eat turkey.
- Why did the Pilgrims and Wampanoag people hold a gathering in autumn 1621?
A. To choose a new president
B. To celebrate a good harvest after a hard winter
C. To build large sailing ships
D. To prepare for a football game
- When is Thanksgiving celebrated in the United States today?
A. The fourth Thursday of November
B. The first Monday of November
C. The last Friday of October
D. November 1st every year
- According to paragraph 3, which of these is NOT mentioned as a modern tradition?
A. Watching parade balloons
B. Eating pumpkin pie
C. Cheering for football
D. Going camping in the snow
- Fill in the blanks with details from the passage:
a. Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for years before the holiday became official.
b. President Lincoln declared the holiday during the American War.
- Why did President Abraham Lincoln declare Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863?
Write 1 complete sentence using evidence from paragraph 2.
- What is one way people help others during Thanksgiving, and what is one thing you feel grateful for?
Write 2 complete sentences explaining your thoughts.
Thanksgiving Reading Comprehension • Grade 3 Page 2 of 2 • End of Assessment
Thanksgiving Traditions Answer Key
Educator Resource • Answer Key
The Harvest Feast: Reading Comprehension
Grade Level: Grade 3 (Lexile 650L–740L)
Total Points: 12 Points Possible
Target CCSS Standards: RI.3.1 (Key Details) RI.3.2 (Main Idea) RI.3.4 (Vocabulary) RI.3.5 (Text Structure)
1 pt per question
Part 1: Key Ideas & Details (Questions 1–4)
1. Main Idea RI.3.2
Answer: B — Pilgrims and Wampanoag people celebrated a harvest together.
2. Key Individual RI.3.1
Answer: B — Sarah Josepha Hale wrote letters to 5 presidents.
3. Context Vocabulary RI.3.4
Answer: A — Gratitude means being thankful and appreciative.
4. Detail Recall RI.3.1
Answer: B — The 1621 feast lasted for three days.
Part 2: Comprehension & Detail Analysis (Questions 5–10)
5. Native Nation RI.3.1
Answer: C — The Wampanoag nation.
6. Chronology (1–4) RI.3.5
Order: [3] Lincoln declares holiday (1863) • [1] Pilgrims & Wampanoag feast (1621) • [2] Hale writes letters • [4] Modern parade floats.
7. Cause & Effect RI.3.3
Answer: B — To celebrate a good harvest after a hard winter.
8. Modern Timing RI.3.1
Answer: A — The fourth Thursday of November.
9. Exclusion Detail RI.3.1
Answer: D — Going camping in the snow is not mentioned.
10. Fill-in-the-Blank RI.3.1
a. seventeen (or 17) years
b. American Civil War
Constructed Response Rubric & Exemplars (Questions 11–12)
11. Lincoln's Purpose (Short Constructed Response) RI.3.1 • 1 Point
Exemplar Student Response: "President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863 to foster peace and bring unity to the country during the Civil War."
Scoring Criteria: Full credit (1 pt) for citing unity, hope, or peace during the Civil War. Accept paraphrased responses in complete or near-complete sentences.
12. Community Gratitude & Personal Reflection W.3.8 / RI.3.4 • 1 Point
Exemplar Student Response: "People help others by volunteering at food pantries or sharing meals with neighbors. One thing I feel grateful for is my family because they always take care of me."
Scoring Criteria: Full credit (1 pt) requires two parts: (1) accurately identifying community support (food drives, volunteering, sharing food) and (2) writing a thoughtful personal statement of gratitude.
Teaching Tips & Differentiation
Support for Developing Readers: Allow students to highlight paragraph numbers in matching colors before answering. Pair students to read aloud in partners.
Extension for Advanced Learners: Have students research Sarah Josepha Hale's other famous work (she wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb") or write a 3-sentence thank-you letter to a school helper.
The Harvest Feast • Grade 3 Reading Comprehension Teacher Answer Key & Scoring Guide • Form A
