Large Group
Activities
| Welcome to my Thanksgiving unit page. I hope you will find some exciting ideas for you to use in your classroom for this special holiday. |
Large Group
Activities
 This
activity is my favorite one to do with my little
ones. We read a story about Thanksgiving, such as Thanksgiving Day by Gail Gibbons. After reading this informational book about Thanksgiving, we discuss how our lives and the lives of the pilgrims and indians are the same/different. I give them an opportunity to ask any questions they might have. My response to their questions is, "Wow, that is a really good question! Let's write them a letter and ask them." I give them the story about how I have a "special mail carrier friend" who has a mail truck that can send our letter back through time to long ago time. We write them a letter making sure to ask the questions they are interested in. I fold it up in and put it in a large manilla envelope. We address it. I assure them that my mail carrier friend is expecting me to bring the letter after school to be mailed. I take the letter home. My sweet husband :0) creates a response to their questions and writes it in his unfamiliar handwriting on chart paper. Then he takes a lighter and burns it around the edges to give it that ancient looking effect. I fold it up and put it in an envelope made out of a large, brown grocery bag. This also gives it that historic look. I usually let two or three days go by before getting the letter back. My principal is such a good sport. I give him the letter on the morning I want it delivered. He comes over the intercom and says, "Mrs. Broome, the mail carrier just delivered a special letter for the boys and girls in your class. It looks VERY old. I better bring it down to you now. I don't want anything to happen to it." By this time, the children are going BONKERS and are so excited. We read the address and take out the letter. They are amazed that it is burned around the edges and come up with some creative predictions as to what might have happened to it. We read the letter and discuss the answers to their questions. We leave it hanging in the classroom, because they are eager to tell anyone and everyone about the letter we received. This activity is very informative and super fun! Try it and let me know how it goes! :0) |
 My
students LOVE jokes and riddles. I created a reproducible with Thanksgiving
riddles. I read them the riddle in the box, we pause a minute to think
about the answer, and then we all state the answer. The students draw a
picture of the answer and label it with invented spelling. For a copy of
the Thanksgiving Riddles sheet click below.
|
 We
discuss the things that families do together to celebrate Thanksgiving.
I usually end this discussion with how we eat such delicious foods on this
day that people often end up with tummy aches. I ask them to name their
favorite food. We make a classroom book entitled "Now We Are Full." Each
page says In ____________ went the ________________. The first blank is
where the students name goes. the last blank is the name of the food. The
children draw a picture of themselves, including a large belly. We look
through magazines to find pictures of a food they enjoy. They glue a food
clipping on the picture of themselves as if it were inside their tummies.
The very last page says, "Now we are full!!" This book is a big hit with
the children. Click below for a reproducible of the book page.
|
 The
story, How
Many Days to America?, is a story of a family who leaves their home
to travel to America in hopes of a better life. The sacrifices that were
made by the family members touch the children. After reading the story,
discuss how the family could only bring the things they would need and
how they had to leave behind many of their special possessions. Relate
this also to the Pilgrims coming to America and how they had to make sacrifices.
This could also lead to a lesson on wants/needs. Have students write in
their journals about the three things they own that are most special to
them. |
 There
Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, a twist on There
Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, is a great story to read around
Thanksgiving. Read both titles and compare/contrast these two versions.
I bought a storytelling apron from Lakeshore Learning Materials to go along
with There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, complete with old
lady and foods to feed her. Check out the link to see a picture. I also
made an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly story prop for students to
feed her the animals as they came to each animal in the story. Click below
for directions to make the old lady and see a picture.
Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Story Prop |
 Discuss
how indians had names that described them, and they usually included a
describing word, an action word, and something in nature, such as an animal.
This would be a good time to discuss the ing ending found on action words.
Have students create their own indian names. Make an attempt to call the
students by their indian names throughout the day. |
 Before
reading A
Turkey for Thanksgiving, have students predict what the story might
be about by looking at the cover. Write predictions on markerboard or chart
paper. Read the story stopping after a few pages and asking for more predictions.
As students realize at the end that the turkey is a guest for dinner and
not a Thanksgiving dish, invite them to speculate what the turkey enjoyed
most at the Moose's Thanksgiving dinner. If you have access to Teacher's
Helper Magazine, Nov/Dec/Jan 1997-98, pg 9, students can write on the turkey
pattern what the turkey had for Thanksgiving dinner, and cut out turkey
feathers to glue on his back.. |
 Read
'Twas
the Night Before Thanksgiving, asking students to listen for rhyming
words. Have students write in their journals about how they would save
the turkeys from Farmer McNuggett. |
| An
old favorite that I'm sure many of you do is a Thanksgiving recipe book
with the recipes for turkey and other fixin's written by the children.
I always make a recipe book for each parent. Many share this with their
relatives at the Thanksgiving table and treasure it as a keepsake. |
| Ask
students if they have seen the Chick-Fil-A advertisements with the cows
encouraging people to eat more chicken. Ask them why they think the cows
would want people to choose chicken.Relate this to Thanksgiving. Have them
create a poster saying what Mr. Turkey would encourage others to eat. Click
below for a reproducible to use in your classroom.
|
 Addition:
Add numbers on turkey feathers. Match to correct feather with sum.
Reading:
Read teacher made book, I Am Thankful.
Page 1 - I am thankful for my family. Page 2 - I am thankful for my friends. Page 3 - I am thankful for good food. Page 4 - I am thankful for my home. Page 5 - I am thankful for my toys. Page 6 - I am thankful for my teachers. Page 7 - I am thankful for ME! I cut pictures out of magazines for each page, put pictures of the teachers who work with the children on page 6, and the last page has a reflective material for children to see themselves. |
| Sequencing:
Place the Thanksgiving picture cards in order to tell the story of Thanksgiving. |
| Beginning
Sounds: Place the food cutouts on the plate that shows its beginning sound. |
| Number
Words: Read the number word on the Mayflower. Place that number of pilgrims
on the boat. |
| Memory:
Turn over Thanksgiving picture cards. Try to find a match. |
| Listening:
Listen to Thanksgiving
Day. Draw a picture of past and present traditions. |
| ABC
order: Place the turkeys in order from A to Z. |
| Upper
to Lower: Match the Indian with a capital letter to the papoose with the
corresponding lowercase letter. |
| Measuring:
Use the pattern blocks to measure a feather. Click link below for feather
measuring reproducible.
|
| Color
Words: Read the color word spun on the spinner and place that color feather
on the turkey. Click on link below for directions to make turkey for this
game.
|
| Number
Sequence: Place drumstick cutouts in order form 1 to 25. |
| Creative
Writing: Write 3 things you are thankful for. |
| Fine
Motor: Put a Thanksgiving puzzle together. |
| Money:
Identify the amount of cents on the turkey. Place coins on the feathers
to add up to the amount. |
| Time:
Identify the time the turkey will be ready on each oven. Place the turkey
with the correct time on the corresponding oven. |
| Patterns:
Place beads on the Indian corn cutouts in a pattern. Click on link to see
picture.
|
| Rhyming
Words: Place rhyming pairs on the Indian feathers. |
| Reading
2: Read the Thanksgiving rebus sentences on sentence strips. |
| Retelling:
Use the flannelboard pieces to tell the story of Thanksgiving. |
| Sorting:
Sort the items the Pilgrims may have brought into these four categories:
clothes, toys, food, personal items. |
Mr.
Turkey
Tune "If You're Happy and
You Know It"
Gobble, gobble, gobble says
the bird.
Gobble, gobble, gobble
says the bird.
Mr. Turkey gobble, gobbles,
And his feet go wobble,
wobble.
Gobble, gobble, gobble
says the bird.
Smells
Like Thanksgiving
Tune "Are
You Sleeping"
Smells like Thanksgiving.
Smells like Thanksgiving.
MMmm so good.
MMmm so good.
I can smell the _______.
I can smell the _______.
MMmm so good.
MMmm so good.
Turkey Rap
Turkey, turkey, that's
what I say.
Give me turkey in any
way.
Turkey pudding, turkey
pies
Turkey burgers and turkey
fries.
Gobble, gobble, it will
say.
Don't make me your dinner
today!
Stuff it with bread,
stuff it with peas.
MOTHER!! .... NO MORE
turkey PLEASE!!
White meat, dark meat,
leg or wing,
Boy this turkey makes
me sing.
The pilgrims were hungry,
so they ate.
That's the story of
the turkey's fate.
May
Peace Be Everywhere
Tune of " The Battle
Hymn of the Republic"
I love to see the faces
of my
Friends and family.
I love to sit down with
them and
Eat pie and turkey.
I lvoe to get together
on this extra-special day,
A time to share and
care.
Happy, happy Thanksgiving,
Happy, happy Thanksgiving,
Happy, happy Thanksgiving,
May peace be everywhere.
Alberquerque
Tune of: "Clementine"
Alberquerque is my turkey
And he's feathered and
he's fine.
He wobbles and he gobbles,
And he's absolutely
mine!
He's the best pet you
could get yet.
Better than a dog or
cat.
He's my Alberquerque
turkey and
I'm awfully proud of
that.
My Albequerque turkey
is so happy
he's in bed.
Couse for our Thanksgiving
dinner
we had egg foo young
instead.
Mr.
Turkey
tune of "Clementine"
Mr. Turkey, Mr. Turkey,
Are you getting nice
and fat?
We are waiting for Thankgiving,
Now, what do you think
of that.
Mr. Turkey, Mr. Turkey,
Do you ever wonder why?
People eat you at Thanksgiving,
and not chicken pie.
Thanksgiving Books
Our
Thanksgiving
Blue's
Clues - We're Thankful
Silly
Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner
The
Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving
Dancing
With the Indians
Twas
the Night Before Thanksgiving
Over
the River and Through the Woods
Thanksgiving
at the Tappleton's
Sarah
Morton's Day
My
First Thanksgiving
Cranberry
Thanksgiving
On
the Mayflower
Thanksgiving
Is...
Today
is Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
is for Giving Thanks
A
Turkey for Thanksgiving
Gracias
the Thanksgiving Turkey
How
Many Days to America?
Clifford's
Thanksgiving Visit
Arthur's
Thanksgiving
The
Turkey Who Came to Dinner
How
Spider Saved Thanksgiving
The
Thanksgiving Story
Albert's
Thanksgiving
It's
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Cats
The
Squirrel's Thanksgiving
1,2,3
Thanksgiving
If you have
any questions about anything you see
in my Thanksgiving
unit, please send me an e-mail and
I'll respond
as quickly as I can. Thanks for visiting!
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