Young children can engage in close reading, critical thinking, and historical thinking when age-appropriate texts are coupled with discipline-specific tasks. Prior knowledge is an impediment, though. Primary elementary learners simply do not have much of a historical schema. Because of primary elementary students' familiarity with Thanksgiving, this particular topic provides an entry for historical inquiry. For this study, the researcher, along with a first grade teacher, worked closely developing the curricular materials for a Thanksgiving-based unit. The efforts were largely rewarded with students' attention and criticality, yet areas for improvement are plentiful. Teachers and researchers can gain rich, nuanced understandings from close examinations of classroom-based learning.