Thanksgiving/November Unit

Indians & Pilgrims:
"Pilgrims Planted"
Discuss how the Pilgrims came to a New Land and learned from the Indians.  They learned how to plant vegetables, fish and hunt for meat to eat. 

"Indian Corn"
Indian Corn

Cut squares of orange, yellow and brown consruction paper to glue on the Indian Corn.  Show an example of Indian Corn and point it out at the market or grocery store.

Teepee Tracing Sheet & Teepee Traingle
Shape Recognition.

Teepee Triangle

Teepee Tracing

Build a teepee in the backyard.  You can find many different ideas on how to build your teepee from google search.  Host a bonfire and pop corn and cook potatoes under the fire.  You can cook like the Indians and coat the potatoes in mud or you can simply use aluminum foil.

Make Indian headbands.  Cut a strip of brown paper and let your chid decorte it with crayons, markers or paint.  Illustrate designs they might choose to put on their headbands by reminding them of the teepee tracing activity.  After the headband is decorted, use permanant marker to write the words, "I am thankful for..." across the headband.  Give your child(ren) three or four feathers to color and ask them what they are thankful for and write each response on a feather.

Paper Bag Crafts
With large grocery sacs you can mak Indian Vests - don't forget the fringe and the war paint! You can also make Pilgrim hats for both boys and girls.  (I know this may not be "PC" but it's a homemade preschool, remember?!)

Songs and Rhymes about Piligrims and Indians:

I'm a Little Pilgrim
(Melody: I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little pilgrim on the run
Here is my knife and here is my gun
When I go out hunting hear me shout-
"Deer and turkey -better watch out!"

I'm a Little Indian
(Melody: I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little Indian on the go
Here is my arrow and here is my bow
When I go out hunting, hear me shout-
"Bear and buffalo - better watch out!"

Indians and Pilgrims
(Sung to "row, row, row your boat")

beat, beat, beat the drum.
beat it loud and clear.
to tell brave Indians everywhere
that hunting time is ner

cut, cut, cut the logs,
make them long and short
to help the pilgrims build a house
a warm and friendly fort.

Little Pilgrim
(Sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle")

Little Pilgrim dressed in gray
on that first Thanksgiving Day.
Little Indian dressed in brown,
Came to visit Plymouth Town
They both came to eat and pray
on that frst Thanksgiving Day.

Other Resources:
 Planting Corn Color


Thanks Color Sheet






Turkeys:

"Paper Plate Turkey"
Turkey Puppet

Read "10 Fat Turkeys" or other books about Turkeys from the library.

Paint your child's handprint and decorate it as a turkey when it's dry.  You may choose to use the following template:
Turkey Hand Print Card

Visit the Bear Hollow Zoo and "hunt" for the turkey.

Songs and Rhymes about Turkeys:
Take liberty to make up your own actions and movements to the words of all the songs. Use your turkey puppets too!

Hello Mr. Turkey
(Sung to:  "If You're Happy and You Know It")

Hello, Mr. Turkey how are you?
Hello, Mr. Turkey how are you?
His feet go wobble, wobble
And his head goes Gobble, Boggle.

Hello, Mr. Turkey how are you?

The Turkey Son
(Sung to: "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little turkey
Short and Fat
Thansgiving Day is coming
Now what do you thinkf that?
I had better run as ast as I can
Or your mommy will roast me in a pan!

I'm a Little Turkey
(Sung to: "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a litte turkey; I like to play
I'm very hungry; I eat all day
When I se the hunter with his gun
Then I know it's time to run!

Turkey on the Farm
(Melody:  People on the Bus)

The turkey o the famr goes gobble, gobble, gobble
Gobble, gobble, gobble - Gobble, gobble, gobble
The turkey o the famr goes gobble, gobble, gobble
All around the barn!

(Insert wobble for gobble in the second verse)


Five Little Turkeys

Five little turkeys by the barn door,
One waddled off, then there were four.
Four little turkeys out under the tree.
One waddled o, the ther ewee three.
Three little turkeys with nothing to do.
One waddled off, the there were two.
Two little turkeys in the noonday sun,
One waddled off, then here was on.
One little turkey - better run aay!

Soon will come Thanksgiving Day.

Three Little Turkeys

One little, two little, three little turkeys
Gobbling aroun and acting perky
Look at Mr. Turkey Lurkey
On Thanksgiving Day!

Other turkey resources:
Hidden Turkeys