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The thankful turkey
I’m a first year teacher at a San Fernando Valley elementary school. Our principal expects each of us to devise a unique idea to celebrate Thanksgiving. I’m too busy developing lesson plans for reading, science, and social studies to be bothered. It’s November and I’m already burned out. Please, help!
Frazzled
Dear Frazzled,
Thanksgiving is a special time for family gatherings and celebrating our national freedom. Conveying those key concepts to your students through your social studies curriculum is your key. Below are three ideas you can choose from:
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Here’s a way to connect reading with social studies. Read Ann McGovern’s book, “If you sailed on the Mayflower in 1620.” It’s a beautifully illustrated picture book for elementary aged students. It will spark discussion about the origin of the Pilgrims, their motivation coming to the New World, and how they survived in the strange new land on which they settled.
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When the Pilgrims first landed on Plymouth Rock, they cleared the land and planted crops. Here’s where you can integrate science into your social studies program. Teach your class about the parts of a corn plant. Distribute seeds to each student along with plastic cups, soil, and water. They are now Pilgrims planting their first crop.
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Have your class plan a Thanksgiving feast. The students must be organized into cooperative groups to plan the event. One “committee” will plan the decorations, another the main course, a third the side dishes, a fourth dessert, and the fifth entertainment. The sixth group, the welcoming committee, sends out invitations to all the parents who are invited for the Thanksgiving (lunch time) meal. (Make sure you clear this idea with your principal before you start, and invite her to the event.) You, your students, their parents, and your principal will have a ball.
Happy Thanksgiving,
LA Teacher
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