ESL-Library

Welcome to our eighth Flashcard Friday post where we’ll give you ideas and invite suggestions for using flashcards in the classroom. As all teachers know, there is more to using flashcards than flashing pictures before your students’ eyes.

Flashcards for Thanksgiving

Are you going to be talking about Thanksgiving in your language classes next week? Our Thanksgiving collection of flashcards covers a wide variety of flashcards, including table settings, foods for a feast, and extended family members. You will find words such as “yam”, “china cabinet” and “butter knife”. Below you will find some ideas for using our Thanksgiving Flashcards collection. You may want to print the cards with and without the words on the bottom so that you can try some of the different suggestions. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for related lesson content on Thanksgiving.

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Shopping for Thanksgiving

Print out a large version of the Turkey Dinner flashcard. Ask your students what they will need to buy for Thanksgiving dinner. Make a large list on the board. Categorize the list into different shopping aisles or stores, such as produce, meat section, breads.

What are you thankful for?

Tell the students they are gathered around the thanksgiving table. Give each student a flashcard from the collection. Ask students what they are thankful for. They must say they are thankful for the word on the card they receive, and then explain why they are thankful for this. (There may be a few flashcards that you will want to remove from the set if they don’t make sense for this activity.)

For example:

Teacher: Marina, what are you thankful for? (passes student a card)
Marina: I’m thankful for …cranberries.
Teacher: Cranberries! Why are you thankful for cranberries?
Marina: Because they are tasty and sweet. I love sweet things.
Teacher: Oh, you have a sweet tooth.

If you are working with young learners, have each student draw one new flashcard that shows something they are thankful for.

Set the Table

Ask students what they need to set the table for a thanksgiving feast. Hold up the flashcards that are part of the dinner setting (you can also find these in the Dining Room flashcard section).  Ask students where the items go on the table.
For example
Teacher: What else do we need to set the table? (hold up the “butter knife” flashcard)
Student: We need a butter knife.
Teacher: Great. Where does the butter knife go?
Student: In the butter!
Teacher: For a formal dinner, place the butter knife on the bread plate.
Student B: Yes, and place it diagonally on the plate.

After you work through all of the cards related to the dinner table, ask students if there is anything missing (or ask students to draw one more item that should be in the dinner table setting).

Thanksgiving Pictionary

In this game have students take turns up at the whiteboard. Separate the class into two teams. Show one student from each team a flashcard. The students have to draw the flashcard. The student who guesses the flashcard first gets a point for his or her team. The winning team gets to work together to draw a thanksgiving feast on the whiteboard.

Reality Flashcards

You’ve heard about reality TV, but what about reality flashcards? Invite your students to bring the cards to life by telling true stories related to the cards. Hold up a card and ask the class this question: “Who has a real life story about this word?” True life stories will help your students remember the words. After the story time, ask the students which story was the most memorable and why. Encourage the other students to ask the storyteller at least three questions.

For example:
The teacher pulls out the “apple pie” flashcard.
Student A: I have a story! My grandma makes an apple pie for my grandpa’s birthday every year. When we were younger we helped her make it. My grandpa likes vanilla ice cream with his pie.
Student B: Is apple pie your favourite kind of pie too?
Student A: No, I like cherry pie the best.
Student C: When is your grandfather’s birthday?
Student A: I think it’s in June.
Student D: How old is your grandfather?
Student A: I think he’s about 85.

If no student volunteers to tell a story, try a different card or tell a real life story of your own and have the students ask you questions.

About ESL-Library Flashcards

The ESL-Library flashcards can be printed with or without words. You can also print them in different sizes and in colour or black and white. If you have young learners, print them in black and white and have them colour the flashcards. Watch a demo of the ESL-Library’s Flashcard Library. If you haven’t seen our flashcards, be sure to check them out! Our flashcards are drawn by professional artists who have worked with our team for many years. The flashcards are available in English, French, and Spanish. If there is a flashcard set you need that is not in our library, please contact us.

Related Thanksgiving English Lessons and Activities in the ESL-Library
Holidays: Thanksgiving (beginner)
Holidays: Thanksgiving (high intermediate)
Thanksgiving Podcast
Flashcards: Family
Everyday Dialogues: A Grocery List
Warm Up: Watcha Makin’ (FREE on our blog)
Warm Up: Holiday Guest (FREE on our blog)

Please share your own ideas, lessons, and activities related to Thanksgiving in the comments below.

Tara Benwell

Tara Benwell is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry. She is the media director and head writer for ESL-Library. Her debut novel, The Proper Order of Things is available on Amazon and in the iBookstore.   Website: http://www.tarabenwell.com   Twitter: @tarabenwell