Thanksgiving on Thursday

 We did a week on Thanksgiving, it was really neat.

1.Corn Pudding from Random House activities

2. Cranberry Sauce
Ok, this was in my plan, but guess what? Unless it's Christmas-time, you can't find cranberries! Note to self: by some and freeze for this activity next time!

3. Review who the Pilgrims were. Where were they leaving? Why? What would you take with you?
I taped off a 6x 6 square on the floor. I crammed the kids in there while I gave them all the above background information. We talked about how it would have been dark, and someone might be sick, and someone's baby might be crying, and you're all hungry, and all your belongings are in here with you too. Not much fun, huh?



4. Talk about being sloshed around.
Fill a one-liter plastic bottle about half full with mineral oil. Add a few drops of food coloring, and then fill the rest of the bottle with water. Add a small plastic object to represent the Mayflower. Screw the top on tightly and tape. Ask the students to make waves by shaking, rocking, and rolling the bottle.

5. Talk about the Mayflower Compact
We didnt really

6.Pilgrim hats
Boys
Girls
I suggest making a sample ahead of time. One of them took a little bit of brains to put together!



7. Make Butter

1. Fill baby food jars (or small prescription bottles) half full of whipping cream and screw the lids on tightly.
2. Show them how to shake the bottles in order to whip the cream.
3. After about five minutes the cream will be whipped, and after another couple of minutes, lumps of yellow butter will form. Continue shaking until most of the cream has formed into a ball.
4. Rinse off the liquid whey and add a little salt, if desired. Then spread the butter on crackers for tasting.

The key part here, is once it's made that ball, and has liquid around it, it's done! Don't keep shaking, it just redistributes it and it takes ...not like butter!



8. Read Sarah Morton's Day

9. Food, including 5 pieces of corn


10. Thanksgiving Cornucopia


Extras:
Turkey jokes-Let's celebrate Thanksgiving book
turkey color by number
Turkey Hokey Pokey
Turkey handprint

Additional Books to Read:
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Mayflower
The Pilgrims of Plimoth
On the Mayflower
The First Thanksgiving





My previous posts on this subject are:

Forming a Co-op
Magic Tree House Index
Dinosaurs Part 1
Dinosaurs Part 2
Vikings
Ninjas
Pirates Part 1
Pirates Part 2
Knights Part 1
Knights Part 2
Ancient Rome & Pompeii Part 1
Ancient Rome & Pompeii Part 2
Ancient Greece & Olympics Part 1
Ancient Greece & Olympics Part 2
Day of the Dragon King; Ancient China
Ancient Egypt Part 1: Mummies
Ancient Egypt Part 2: Pyramids
Gorillas In The Morning
Tigers At Twilight
Polar Bears At Bedtime
Lions at Lunchtime
Afternoon on the Amazon