Thanksgiving Thoughts and Freebies

It is Turkey Time again!  Just a few weeks to focus on the holiday and bring a touch of thankfulness to our classrooms.  Have you ever thought that Thanksgiving and the history behind it wasn't in your standards and something that you couldn't teach?  

What about using the theme in your shared reading time? Use the historical perspective during your ELA block.  There are wonderful non-fiction resources online!

And of course poetry and reader's theater always fit in our lessons!

The best place to start is The First Thanksgiving by Scholastic.  You can find a guide for lessons, 12 reader's theaters. video, virtual field trips, etc.  

Read Write Think offers great lesson plans:

Packing the Pilgrim's Trunk for K-2

America Celebrates Thanksgiving Today for 5-8

Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving for 9-12

My favorite activity for the little ones is the Thanksgiving bracelet.  Students can retell the story of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower by using the beads.  They love taking these home to share with family.  Send the story home with the bracelet.

Download Story 

Use these books to help them understand the story.

Thanksgiving Poem "Giving Thanks" 

Download Poem

Here are last year's poems!!

More to come on the Mayflower, so check back soon!

Engaging Young Readers

I have been thinking about our young readers and how we can encourage them to enjoy books.  Finding just right books for younger readers (DRA levels 4-16) can be difficult.  The following books are about toys and will appeal to boys and girls.  You can use the links to promote the books and get ideas for using them in your classroom. 

Monkey and Me, by Emily Gravett, is about a little girl and her toy monkey.  The author reads the book aloud here.

Traction Man is Here, by Mini Grey, is a rowdy ride for young readers.  Traction Man is an action figure who takes readers on an adventure within a little boy's imagination.
Traction Man Is Here! (Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards (Awards))

Cool Cars and Trucks, by Sean Kenny, is a hands-on book for young children who like to build with LEGO’s.  The author talks about the book here.   He has another book, Cool Robots.