1. Turkeys and Scarecrows Bulletin Boards
I sent home a turkey for the kids to decorate with their parents any way that they chose, and then the children brought them back to share. They told the class about their turkeys and tried to write about what was on the turkeys this week. I put the turkeys, along with some cute scarecrows we made, on a bulletin board. I think it turned out pretty cute! Sorry I am passing this idea on to you so late, but maybe you can use it next year! I am including the master today as a free download! Next year I will try to include the directions for the scarecrow as well. The problem is that I have so many ideas to pass along that my blogs get WAY too long- and then I suspect that folks don’t have time to read them all the way through!
2. Pilgrim Boy and Girl Color Word Worksheets
I decided to go ahead and try to draw a pilgrim girl and boy so that I could add to my collection of clip art that I could use to make things. And my first two creations are a couple of color word worksheets for the holiday! Hopefully, it’s not too late for at least a few of you to make use of them. Otherwise, maybe you can save them for next year. I copied mine on colored xerox paper so that the children could color the white parts white rather than just skip them. I also copied the girl on one side and the boy on the other, so that the kids could do the person of his or her choice, or even both sides if they are quick workers! We did them when the kids were finished with their pilgrim hats, which are a nice project but rather quick. So it was nice for them to have something else to work on when they were all done with their hats!
3. Thanksgiving Guided Drawing
A few weeks ago I wrote a little bit about guided drawing with our farm animal unit. I love to do guided drawing, so I did it again this week with my class! The trick is to describe each shape to the children, one piece at a time. Tell them that they cannot draw “ahead” of you, or guess what is coming next. They must wait for you to give the directions before drawing each piece. The children are always so pleased with their creations! Here’s my instructions for the Pilgrim Boy, Girl and Turkey to try for yourself!
4. A Thanksgiving Sound Effects Story
I have been looking for a great way to tell the story of the first Thanksgiving and keep the children actively involved, and it occurred to me that a “Sound Effects Story” might be just the thing that we need! So I decided to go ahead and write one, and I am including it as a free download! This is supposed to be the real story of the first Thanksgiving, so it is a non-fiction story with some child produced sound effects added into it just for fun and for focus.
If you are unfamiliar with the term, “Sound Effects Story,” here is a quick explanation: In a “sound effects story,” the children are supposed to listen carefully to the reader and listen for certain words to be said. When these words are read, the children should make the indicated sound and/or movement. This helps to capture and keep the attention of the active and auditory learners.
5. F-I-G-H-T, We don’t fight!!
My kids are LOVING the “Fight” song on Sing and Spell Volume 5! My goodness, do they love to boogie or WHAT? And, it is a great reminder of what to do when conflicts arise! Just look at the lyrics:
F-I-G-H-T, We don’t fight!
F-I-G-H-T, We don’t fight!
Talk it over. Walk away.
Find another game to play!
Talk it over. Walk away.
Find another game to play!
F-I-G-H-T, We don’t fight!
F-I-G-H-T, We don’t fight!
So now, when there is a problem between some children, we try to figure out what they could have done differently by thinking about the song. In fact, I have a confession to make. I did not need them to learn to spell or read the word, “fight.” I just wanted a song that I could use to remind them of some different methods of conflict resolution, and that’s why I wrote it. I thought of the idea many years ago while watching our local high school’s football games and their cheerleaders chant, “F-I-G-H-T! Go, fight, win!” : )
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