Pilgrims, Native Americans, Thanksgiving...Oh My!

We learned about the First Thanksgiving this week!  

This story tells the Thanksgiving story at the perfect level for preschoolers.  

We got to pick out Native American Names.  It was fun to hear what they wanted their name to be.  We took attendance by using our Native American names.  

Our class made pumpkin pies for our art project.  You need to give them a smell.  We even put whipped cream on top!

The next day we made real pumpkin pies to get ready for our Thanksgiving party. We followed a recipe and got to help mix the ingredients.  

Since we learned about Native Americans, we made headbands.  

This was a fun way to talk about patterning.

The class decorated our turkey with colorful feathers!  We used lick 'em stickers.  Ask your child how they tasted.  

 Our finished turkey!

The kids had fun retelling the story of the first Thanksgiving.

Number caterpillars

Pilgrims

We talked about pilgrims this week!

We read the book, "Pilgrim Cat" by Carol Antoinette Peacock. In this book a young pilgrim girl becomes very attached to a "mouser" on the ship and keeps it as her pet. This book is sure to be a classic and a fun read for any family or a great addition to classroom study of the pilgrims. Cats were know to be on the Mayflower but I had never seen one used in such a simple but creative way in the telling of the Pilgrims Story. This book tells of their difficult journey and that hardships followed during the first winter in way children can relate to much more easily because of the girl and her cat. You will learn how Squanto helped the pilgrims and how they survived because of the kindness of the Indians. The style of speach the girl in this book uses will give children a better idea of the way pilgrims talked but it is simple and not overdone. The book ends with a Wampanoag and pilgrim feast. Your children may be surprised at the menu. This is not just another turkey and pumpkin pie Thanksgiving book. 

We learned how to talk like a pilgrim too!  The kids really liked these.  Ask them about it! 
We say, "Hi, how are you?"  Pilgrims say, "Good morrow!"
We say, "Excuse me!"  Pilgrims say, "Pray pardon me!"
We say, "Goodbye!"  Pilgrims say, "God bye to you!"
Fireplace - hearth
Cat - mouser
Pants - breeches
Skirt - petticoat
Backwards - arsy varsy (this was their favorite!!)

Here is a song we sang.  This gave the whole thanksgiving story in one song!  (:
"The First Thanksgiving"
(tune:  The Muffin Man)
The Pilgrims came to America.
America, America.
The Pilgrims came to America
a long, long time ago.

They sailed on the Mayflower.
the Mayflower, the Mayflower.
The sailed on the Mayflower
a long, long time ago.

They made friends with the Native Americans
The Native Americans,  the Native Americans.
They made friends with the Native Americans
a long, long time ago.

They planted seeds.  The corn grew tall.
The corn grew tall. The corn grew tall.
They planted seeds.  The corn grew tall
a long, long time ago.

They had a great Thanksgiving feast
Thanksgiving feast, Thanksgiving feast
a long, long time ago.

We made the ship, Mayflower as our art project.  The kids did a great job! 

We took the Lincoln Logs out too!  The kids really liked building with these.  I didn't realize how many children don't know Lincoln Logs.