Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

Nov. 21, 2022, 9:24 p.m.

The history of the presidential turkey pardon

Summary

Americans are expected to gobble up more than 40 million turkeys between now and the end of the year. But two massive birds will escape the holiday season thanks to presidential intervention. Stephanie Sy has a look at the history behind the turkey pardon. For a transcript of this story, click here . You may also choose another story from the newscast by clicking on the image below. Then answer the following questions.

Five Facts

  • Who are the individuals or groups of people mentioned in the story?
  • What is the main idea of the piece?
  • Where and When does the story take place?
  • Why did the event(s) discussed occur?
  • How do you think the NewsHour’s producers decided to produce a story about this topic?

Focus Questions

See, Think, Wonder : What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more? Media literacy : What additional questions do you have about the way the story was produced (made)?

For More

What students can do: Learn about current issues facing the Wampanoag people, the descendants of the Native American tribes who welcomed and helped the Pilgrims in this lesson plan .

Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.

Recent Daily News Lessons

Screenshot 2026-07-24 at 11.19.56 AM

Daily News Lesson

Breakthroughs in Chinese AI models threaten U.S. lead in tech race

Chinese AI models are threatening to take over the American lead in the tech race

Red, White & Blue To-Do Pomp & Parade in Philadelphia

Daily News Lesson

America at a Crossroads: A look at America's founding from the room where independence was declared

Judy Woodruff visits Independence Hall to commemorate America's 250th anniversary with historians Lindsay Chervinsky and Ron Chernow.

Screenshot 2026-07-21 at 10.25.25 AM

Daily News Lesson

America at a Crossroads: What political satire can reveal about the strength of a democracy

Political satire can reveal a hidden strength of the democracy of a country

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward