As I put the finishing touches on this week's newsletter, CNN is on in the background with election coverage blaring. I feel compelled to watch state by state,
electoral vote by electoral vote, as if that somehow makes the process more real. I expected the evening to drag out a bit, but three minutes after the polls closed here in California, CNN declared Obama the winner. Of course I knew he was going to win, but I was a bit surprised at how quickly (early in the evening) he garnered enough electoral votes to win.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it revolves around family, good food, and an attitude of gratitude. Here are some resources for sharing the Thanksgiving vibe in the classroom or around the dinner table with rhymes, songs and poems for all ages.
Apples 4 Teachers: Thanksgiving Poems and Rhymes for Kids
Apples 4 Teachers houses a collection of seventeen Thanksgiving poems, some of them modern, others from the nineteenth century. A few (such as "The First Thanksgiving" by Margaret J. Preston) come with short bios of the poet, and discussion questions for classroom or living room. "Margaret J. Preston (1820-1897) was one of the leading poets of the South. She wrote many poems and sketches. 'The First Thanksgiving Day' gives a good picture of the life in the old Pilgrim days."
DLTK: Thanksgiving Songs
"Five little turkeys standing at the door, one waddled off, and then there were four." For lower elementary grades and preschoolers, DLTK has songs, rhymes and printable Thanksgiving crafts. The Thanksgiving poem posters are printable in color or black-and-white (which then can be colored.) The songs are cute rhymes sung to well-known melodies, such as "I'm a Little Pumpkin" sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot." The songs are also available in ad-free printable versions.
Poem Source: Thanksgiving Poems
Joanna Fuchs is a talented greeting card poet, and her Thanksgiving poems are sure to please. She suggests they be used on Thanksgiving cards, or framed and given as Thanksgiving gifts. Additionally, I see a wide range of possible classroom uses, including recitations and Thanksgiving crafts. But please respect her copyright and do not post these poems on the Web or distribute them via email. For more specifics, read the Poem Source Terms of Use.
Surfnetkids Printables Club Members also get the following printables to use in the classroom, the computer lab, the school library, or to send home with students:
Thanksgiving Poems Printable
Printable Thanksgiving Word Search
Thanksgiving Crafts Printable
First Thanksgiving Printable
"If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." ~~ Bob Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) American actor and comedian.
Dear Reader,
