Let’s sing together our song “Rise and Shine – Welcome to School Today” by Dr. Jean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyAD2OoFuoY and our greeting song “Hello to all the children of the world”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nYjGy_ZUG8
My favorite Closing Song sung on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” tune with movement: Twinkle, twinkle little stars! Time is over and we say goodbye. (Open and close hands)
We had fun with all our friends. Let’s come back and do it again! (Arm moved up and back)
Twinkle, twinkle, little stars! What a wonderful bunch you are! (Blow kisses)
For the writing/reading process, have your child trace or copy (advanced skill) daily his/her name on paper/dry eraser board/ mini blackboard (kindergarten handwriting page) starting at the top of each letter (you could draw 🙂) either in all uppercase letters or just first letter in capital/uppercase and the rest in lowercase. If your child is starting to write on paper, you can write your child’s name with a highlighter and your child can use a crayon to trace it.
I realize that you might have to survey other members of your family for the question of the day so that your child have enough tally marks to count or have your child put more than one tally mark.
What is your favorite dish at Thanksgiving?
POTATOES 🥔/ PIE 🥧/ CRANBERRIES/ CORN 🌽/ SALAD 🥗
If you have My First School Book from Handwriting Without Tears methodology https://www.lwtears.com/hwt. Have your child complete page 40 and 41.
A whole week activity:
For the phonetic part, have a big yogurt container with a lid filled with small objects or pictures that start with the letter G (gerbil, giraffe, goat, goose, gorilla, grasshopper, groundhog.) You might want to add a picture of an Queen, so that your child can say that Queen does not start with G! Here is a book of G word pictures: https://twistynoodle.com/my-letter-g-minibook/ Also, you can add new objects/pictures starting with the letter G every day and let your child explore the container all through the week.
Science
While a Thanksgiving meal is prepared , your child can play with a kitchen staple: cornstarch. For the Cornstarch Experiment, you need (1)small bowl, (2) 1 cup of cornstarch, (2) 1/2 cup of water, (3) plastic toys, (4) spoon, and (5) newspaper.
Directions:
1. Pour water and cornstarch in bowl. Ask your child, “What will happen?” (Hypothesis)
2. Mix ingredients with spoon. Ask your child, “What do you observe?”
3. Have your child play with the mixture. Toys in it are fun too!
4. Enjoy cooking and playing! (You might want to cover the surface under the bowl with newspaper and dump mixture outside or in your trash at the end)
Cornstarch goes from a solid to a liquid when tiny starch molecules are disturbed! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biAOOJgvRYI
On the tune of “Oh, my Darling Clementine”, we can sing: what’s the weather, what’s the weather, what’s the weather like today? Is it cloudy, is it rainy, is it sunny, is it cold? (You can also change the weather words).
Let your child check the weather and tell you about it. You might want to ask your child to do a weather drawing that you can label. Some activities will be repetitive to create a routine that brings comfort to your child.
Kitchen Science
In previous pages, you have made applesauce with your child. Now, it’s time to make cranberry sauce with fresh berries. Wild cranberries were shared at the First Thanksgiving Celebration. For the Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe, you need (1) 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries, (2) 1 cup of sugar, (3) pot, (4) spoon, and (5) 1/2 to 1 cup of water.
Directions:
1. Pour water, then fresh cranberries, and finally 1 cup of sugar in pot.
2. Let it simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. The longer cranberries cook, the more natural gelatin is released and the thicker the sauce will be.
3. Your child will hear cranberries pop during the cooking. Why is it popping?
4. Yummy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Language Arts
More Thanksgiving fun books:
1. One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbqnOe5J9jk
2. Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIEszmK5s5s
After viewing a story, help your child to sequence the story: what came first, second,… and at the end. Brainstorm with your child what you are going to do for your Thanksgiving celebration and encourage your child to express how your child will participate.
”Simple Gifts” Song (Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aQXvbjfAGE)
‘Tis the gift to be simple
‘Tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down
Where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves
In the place just right
‘Twill be in the valley
Of love and delight
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend
We shall not be ashamed
To turn, turn
Will be our delight
‘Till by turning, turning
We come round right.
”Five Little Pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day” Fingerplay.
Five little pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day,
The first one said, “I’ll take cake if I may.”
The second one said, “I’ll have Turkey/squash roasted.”
The third one said, “I’ll have chestnuts toasted.”
The fourth one said, “I’ll have pumpkin pie.”
The fifth one said, “I am no shy.”
The pilgrim stood up and said out loud to all , “Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day!”
“If You Are Thankful and You Know It” Song (“if you are happy and you know it” tune)
If you are thankful and you know it, clap your hands. (2x) (Clap twice)
if you are thankful and you know it, then your face will surely show it.
If you are thankful and you know it, clap your hands. (Clap twice)
Other verses: stomp your feet, say ”I am”, jump up high,……
Math
You child can help set the Thanksgiving table for each person (https://twistynoodle.com/my-thanksgiving-dinner-3-coloring-page/) and count all things as a math challenge. And Thanksgiving Placemat https://twistynoodle.com/thanksgiving-placemat-coloring-page/ with Tic-Tac-Toe games can also help your child develop math strategies in a fun way during your celebration.
November is still here! The calendar is a daily activity to do with your child that develop number and pattern recognition. Here is the link to print a calendar to update daily with your child. The set has a weather component, if you like. https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/november-calendar-setbr4-pages/november-calendar-set-2
Daily counting of tally marks and show your child a number card or write the number down to show your child. The numbers of the tallies will be different every day. Extend the concept by comparing numbers: which has more? Which has fewer? Which are the same? How many more (count with fingers)?
Art
For the Thanksgiving Placemat and Poem, you need (1) sheet of white construction paper, (2) tempera paint with brush, (3) red and black marker, and (4) Poem:
”This isn’t just a turkey,
As anyone can see.
It’s made with my hand,
Which is part of me.
I made it with lots of love,
Especially to say:
I hope you have a
Wonderful
Thanksgiving Day!”
Directions:
1. Take sheet of white construction paper and write “Happy Thanksgiving!” at the top.
2. Paint your child’s hand, brown for palm and different colors for each finger.
3. Print hand on white sheet. It will be your child’s hand turkey.
4. Print and cut Poem to glue next to handprint.
5. Use red and black markers to draw turkey’s beak, eye, wattle, and feet.
6. Picture http://preschoolcrafts101.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-place-mat.html (You can laminate it or make more to give to family members)
For Glowing Turkey Art Project, you need (1) empty baby glass food jar (lid) or small glass jar, (2) brown paint, (3) 2 googly eyes, (4) scissors, (5) colored construction paper, (6) glue, and (7) tea candle.
Directions:
1. Drop brown paint into jar, close with lid, and shake it to spread paint or use brush if no lid. Take off lid and let it dry.
2. Trace your child’s hand on different colored construction paper 3 to 5 times and cut. They are feathers!
3. Cut an orange triangle for beak and a red wattle out of construction paper.
4. Glue paper hands, orange beak, red wattle and googly eyes on jar.
5. Put candle in it. Picture https://temeculablogs.com/easy-thanksgiving-crafts/ (I refrain from using unhealthy glitter, and glue gun, used by an adult, will have a stronger hold for paper on a glass jar.)
Small Motor Skills
Thanksgiving Dot Book https://twistynoodle.com/thanksgiving-dot-2-minibook/
ABC’s of Thanksgiving Book https://twistynoodle.com/abcs-of-thanksgiving-2-minibook/
Thanksgiving Color by Number https://twistynoodle.com/thanksgiving-color-by-number-coloring-page/
Gross Motor Skills
Outside time with climbing, jumping, bicycling, running, walking are great ways to develop the whole child.