Thanksgiving

   Each day I read a story to the students.  I try to connect the story to our discussion for the day.  Currently my language development groups consists of 5 students at varying ability levels.  All of the students in the group are placed in the cognitive disabilities program.  I also try to connect our lessons with some aspect of daily living skills/functional living skills.

Day 1

-Discussion - why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

-Concept Web - write 'I'm glad I have' in the middle of the web; on the spokes students will write things they are thankful for.

Day 2

-Discussion - things associated with Thanksgiving.  Record responses on chart paper.  (turkey, Pilgrims, pumpkins, harvest, food, Native Americans, Mayflower, praying, etc.)

-Turkey project: take a wire coat hanger, bend into an oval with hook at the top.  Stretch one leg of brown or tan panty hose over the hanger, tie at the top.  Children cut out and glue on 3-4 feathers on each side of the hook.  Add 2 large white eyes with black pupils, orange triangle for the beak, red gobbler and 2 orange or yellow feet.  Hang up and enjoy!

Day 3

-Discussion - describe a turkey.  Students will create a list of the attributes of a turkey.   Students will record their answers on turkey paper.  (feathers, wings, wattle, gobble sound, colorful tail feathers)  Using some of the words from their list, students will write 1 or 2 sentences about turkeys.

-Pumpkin Turkey: Use the mini gourd pumpkin for the body.  Supply students with an assortment of materials for the tail feathers: feathers, pressed dried leaves, silk leaves or petals, construction paper.  Glue the tail feather item to a sturdy toothpick.  When dry insert the toothpick into the mini pumpkin.  Arrange to make a tail.  Draw a head on brown tagboard or construction paper.  Add wiggle eyes, an orange beak and red wattle.  Glue a toothpick to the back of the head.  Insert when dry.  

Day 4

-Discussion - Thanksgiving words - students will brainstorm a list of words associated with Thanksgiving.  Remind students of the chart completed on day 2.  Record responses on chart paper.

-Thanksgiving Bingo:  Using the list, students will fill out their bingo cards with Thanksgiving words.  Play bingo!

Day 5

-Discussion - Pilgrims - complete the cloze story about Pilgrims.  

-Draw and color a picture to go along with the Thanksgiving story.  Include details.

Day 6

-Cooking Project - Turkey Toast - toast bread, cut out a turkey using a turkey cookie cutter.  Spread with butter or peanut butter.  Enjoy!

-Turkey discussion - http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/turkey.htm Use information from this page.  Check out the on-line turkey puzzles.

Day 7

-Tree of Thanks: Using 2 brown large grocery bags cut out a large tree with branches.  On fall colored leaves children write what they are thankful for and glue them to the tree branches.