Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Window Display- The Native American dolls were purchased from a craft store and the canoe from Plymouth Village, MA.
Bulletin Boards:
1.“We're Having a Gobbling Good Time in Kindergarten" and "Our Kindergarten Flock"- Decorate board with paper plate turkeys.
2.“Thankful Thoughts”- Children dictate what they are thankful for. Write on turkey feather and attach to large class turkey.
3. Native American Scene- Create Native Americans using brown paper bags, circles for heads,and mosaic tiles, beads, and feathers for dress details.Cut fringe in bottom of paper bags.Create wigwam by gluing tree branches on to butcher paper pattern. Glue blue glitter on to posterboard lake. Create canoes out of butcher paper.
Children worked in small groups to make
patterns on canoes by tracing pattern
blocks.The fishing poles are made out of
twigs and yarn.
4. "The Kindergarten Tribe"- Children draw Native American scenes on teepees using cray-pas.
5. "Turkeys in Disguise"- This idea comes from Mrs. Pohlmeyer's Kinder Page. Families worked together to disguise turkeys so they wouldn't get eaten for Thanksgiving!
Books:
Turkey Surprise by Peggy Archer
Clifford's Thanksgiving Visit by Norman Bridwell
A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting
Over the River and Through the Woods
by David Catrow
Happy Thanksgiving Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capulli
Gracias The Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley
My First Thanksgiving by Tomie DePaolo
10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav PilkeyThanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern
Thanksgiving Day by Anne Rockwell
by Nancy J. Skarmeas
The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli
Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks
by Margaret Sutherland
Giving Thanks: A Native American
Good Morning Message by Jake Swamp
Poems and Songs:
“Six Little Pilgrims”
There were six little pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day
And this is what I heard them say.
The first one said, “I’ll have a turkey leg.”
The second one said, “I’ll have a boiled egg.”
The third one said, “I’ll have some green peas.”
The fourth one said, “I’ll have cranberries, please.”
The fifth one said, “I’ll have pumpkin pie.”
The sixth one said, “I’ll have cake by and by.”
There were six little pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day
And that’s exactly what I heard them say.
~Author Unknown
“Thanksgiving”
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest is all gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway-
Thanksgiving comes again!
~Author Unknown
“A
(“ Pop Goes the Weasel” tune)
A turkey is a funny bird,
His head goes wobble, wobble.
And he knows just one word,
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
“I Eat
(“Frere Jacques” tune)
I eat turkey,
I eat turkey.
Yes, I do,
Yes, I do.
Turkey in my tummy,
Yummy, yummy, yummy.
Good for me,
Good for you.
*substitute turkey with other Thanksgiving food such as cranberry sauce, corn, and stuffing.
"Thank You"
("Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" tune)
"Thank you" are the words we say
Not just on Thanksgiving Day.
"Thank you" are two magic words.
Say them loud so they are heard.
"Thank you" are the words we say.
We give thanks in many ways!
"Turkey Trot"
("The Mulberry Bush" tune)
This is the way the turkey trots,
Turkey trots, turkey trots.
This is the way the turkey trots
On its way home.
*Students form a circle and act out underlined word. Substitute underlined word with walks, claps, and jumps.
"Thanksgiving Colors"
Orange is a pumpkin.
Yellow is the corn.
Brown is the turkey
With stuffing to adorn.
Red are the cranberries.
Green are the beans.
Five delicious colors-
In a feast of my dreams.
Writing:
“We Are Thankful” Class Book- Each child dictates what he/she is thankful for and draws a picture of it.
Journals- "What is your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving Day?"
Math:
Estimation:
1. Estimate how many feathers are in a ziplock bag.
2. Estimate how many candy corns are on a cornucopia pattern.
Patterns:
1. Native American headdresses using pattern blocks-Each child traces 2-3 blocks that have different shapes onto construction paper to form a pattern, cuts out, and glues on to headband. Attach paper feathers.
2. Create color patterns using feathers.
Color
Number Recognition:
1.
2. Cornucopia Workmats- Write numbers on several cornucopias and laminate. Children add plastic fruit to correspond to numbers written on cornucopias.
Addition/Subtraction:
Solve problems using a laminated paper turkey and feathers as counters.
Art:
1. Classroom tepee- Attach twine from ceiling to hula hoop lying flat on the floor. Have children paint a long strip of brown butcher paper with pictographs. Wrap paper around rope starting from ceiling and end at floor. I place Native American dolls, paper logs and fire,a basket of gourds and Indian corn inside the teepee.
2. Paper plate turkeys- Children color paper plates with markers and glue on turkey head pattern.
3. Coffee Filter turkey- Children dye coffee filters with food coloring and water and then add a turkey head pattern.
4. Paper Plate Native American or Pilgrim Faces
5. Indian Corn- Children glue colored tissue paper squares or paper mosaic tiles to a corn pattern. Add poem:
Colorful kernels look so bright-
Red, yellow, orange, and white.
Hang this up for all to see.
Happy Thanksgiving to you from me.
6. Handprint turkey- Paint child’s hand brown and each finger a different color. Make turkey handprint and attach the following poem:
This isn't just any turkey,
As anyone can see.
I made it with my hand,
Which is a part of me.
It comes with lots of love,
Especially to say,
I hope you have a very
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
7. Paper Bag Pilgrim or Native American- Cut and glue head pattern on to paper bag. Draw features on face and add construction paper details such as hats.
8. Grocery Bag Native American Vests- Cut holes for arms and head. Children paint bags.
9. Native American Necklaces- Children string dyed noodles.
10. Texture Turkey- Each child decorates a feather with various art supplies. Glue on to large class turkey.
Science:1. Examine Indian corn and gourds.
2. “Our Favorite Thanksgiving Food” graph.
3. Make stuffing or cornbread for Thanksgiving feast.
4. Thanksgiving Food Classification- Lay 2 hula hoops on floor. Place "healthy" card in one hoop and "unhealthy" in the other hoops. Children place food picture cards (turkey, corn, green beans, pie, candy, soda) in correct hoop.
3. Homemade Cranberry Sauce-
Place 1 bag of cranberries, 1 cup of water, 2 cups of sugar in pot. Heat and stir for 20 minutes. Yields 10 servings.
Games:
1. Pin the Tail on the Turkey
2. "Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Pie" (version of "Duck, Duck, Goose")- Seat students in a circle. Designate one child as the "pumpkin". That child walkes around circle, tapping each child on the head and saying "Pumpkin". When the child taps someone and says "Pie", that child jumps up and chases the Pumpkin around the circle, trying to catch him before he rerurns to his seat. If Pumpkin is caught, he goes in the "pie pan" in the middle of the circle until another Pumpkin is caught. If the Pie isn't caught, he becomes the Pumpkin for the next round.
