Thanksgiving Fun

Hennessy, B. G., Illus. Lynne Cravath. One Little Two Little Three Little Pilgrims. New York: Penguin Books, 2001.

Johnston, T., Illus. Vanessa Brantly-Newton. Thanksgiving for Emily Ann. New York: Cartwheel Books, 2014.

Setting the scene:
"Good Evening everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! Who can tell me what they are thankful for? "
...
"Those are all great answers!"

Get into character:"Well Emily Ann doesn't like Thanksgiving at all! I'm going to read you a story so you can see for yourself just how much she doesn't like Thanksgiving."

Telling the Story:

[Read Thanksgiving for Emily Ann]

"Looks like Emily found some things to be thankful for, after all! Now I'm going to show you another story about what Thanksgiving was like for the pilgrims and Native Americans, back when it all began." [Read One Little Two little Three Little Pilgrims.]

Props:

Shakers filled with beans and corn, to show kids some of the original foods at the feast, and how they can be used in a musical way.

Other things you may wish to include (be creative!)

"I’m thankful for my pets and for Mother Nature. Let me teach you a song about some of the things I am most thankful for!"

Pow Wow song:

Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel [Username]. Pow wow/Thanksgiving song/Fall Song/Native Americans/Jack Hartmann [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnGtg8CblWs

—Call & Response, with actions

o   Add the drum beat—Tah ti-ti Tah ti-ti…

o   Add shakers

*Parent Tip: There are so many ways to make musical instruments at home. Try exploring sounds by filling water bottles with different dry beans or vegetables

Turkey hunt—“You are going on a turkey hunt in the library! There are 8 turkeys hiding in the play area. When you find a turkey, look at the color of his belly. Find the line in the poem that matches and write down his letter. When you are all done, you will have a secret Thanksgiving message. Please leave the turkeys in their hiding spots so other children can find them, too. When you figure out the secret Thanksgiving message, come to the desk and you can get a special stamp!”

Credit must be given to the Mommy and Me Bookclub blog for the poem. I have taken literary license, and have reformatted the activity for a hunt for older children.

“Ten Fat Turkeys.” Mommy and Me Bookclub. http://preschoolbookclub.blogspot.com/2011/11/ten-fat-turkeys.html