Thanksgiving Themed Preschool Activities: Preschool Co-op Week 10

We will not be having Preschool co-op next week, so this week I thought it appropriate to mesh our friendship theme with Thanksgiving.  After all, it was the friendship, kindness, and generosity of the Wampanoag Indians that helped the Pilgrims so much.  What a great example of sharing and friendship for preschoolers.

Theme: Friendship/Thanksgiving

I Can Give Tree – After reading The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, we had a short discussion about how the tree was a good friend.  Students commented about how the boy and the tree played together and I asked the students how to tree helped the boy.  Then, using our felt tree and silk leaves from my autumn unit, students shared ways that they help others and placed a leaf on the tree for each comment.

Our “First Thanksgiving” Trail Mix – After reading a few books about Thanksgiving, the students helped me make trail mix for out “first Thanksgiving” snack.  Parents sent with their child a food item to contribute to the trail mix.  I set out a large bowl and students took turns adding their food item, and then we took turns mixing the snack.  Then, of course, we enjoyed everyone’s generosity.

I’m Thankful Turkeys – Students shared things they were thankful for with this fun turkey craft.  It was very fun to hear with the students said.  Some students shared they were thankful for a washing machine, or for trucks and trains, or for cozy quilts.  Most all the students shared they were thankful for their homes and for food (or treats).

Just a note about this turkey.  He is made of construction paper, and with the extra weight of the feathers, he tends to tip over backward.  So, I had to add a little support to the back of each turkey.

Friendship and Thanksgiving Themed Books

This week we read the following friendship and Thanksgiving themed books:

Reading

Phonemic Awareness: Identify Rhyming Words – Students learned that rhyming words are sets of word that sound the same at the end, like friend and bend.  I said a set of two words and the students told me if those words rhymed.

Phonics: Letter Cc – Students learned to identify the letter Cc and it’s sound.  I printed and laminated several color photos beginning with the /c/ sound.  Examples: cat, camel, car, cow, corn, carrots, canal, and cliff.  Students practiced saying each picture name, emphasizing the /c/ sound.  Students practiced identifying if a word began with the /c/ sound or with another sound.

Initial Sound Matching Cc and Pp, Cc and Nn – Once students had learned the new letter and it’s sound, we played a “listening” game.  I showed a familiar phonics picture and said its name, emphasizing the initial sound.  Students held up a letter card that matched that sound.  Our activity looked like this:

Me: (Holding up a photo) This card is carrots.  I hear /k/, /k/, /k/ at the beginning of carrots.  What letter does carrots start with?

Students picked one of the two letter options in front of them (c and p, or c and n) and held up the matching card.

Once students became familiar with the activity, I changed my dialogue to this:

Me: (Holding up a photo) This card is piano.  Which letter does piano start with, c or p?

 

Math

One to One Correspondence – This was such a fun game!  I made felt turkey bodies with googly eyes and students rolled a die for the number of felt fathers they were to give the turkey.  The key is to use a die that has numerals on it, not dots, so students learn number recognition while practicing one to one correspondence.  This game can also easily be played with two dice to practice adding and subtracting, too.

Thanksgiving Themed Memory – I found another excellent bag of holiday stickers and had to make a Thanksgiving themed memory game.  (William now loves memory so much we play nearly everyday).  I put stickers on paint chip samples cut to size, then backed them with autumn themed scrapbook paper and laminated them.

 

 

Writing

Hand Shaped Turkeys – Students practiced fine motor skills by carefully gluing various sized and colored dried beans onto a hand outline to make a turkey.  I tweaked the original idea I saw at The Idea Room.

Friendship Notes – Students wrote notes friendship notes again and placed their cards in the appropriate friendship bag.  This time, instead of drawing a picture, the students practiced scissor cutting and tearing (of old finger paintings) and used those scraps to make a collage.

Coming Up

Due to the upcoming holiday, we will not be having Preschool Co-op next week, so no post.  The last week in November, however, you can expect the following:

• More rhyming practice
• Letter Aa
• Basic decoding and word building
• more friendship activities

November is the last month where I will be teaching Preschool Co-op out of my home.  The remainder of the year will be taught out of another participating mom’s home.  I will continue to post lesson plans and theme related ideas, however it may be more “round-up” style.