Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Books

Thanksgiving Music

Thanksgiving Literacy Activities

Gobble Gobble Game


You can make this game yourself using turkey shapes from the teacher store. This game is also available {black and white or color} in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below.
Setting: Small or Large Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: Alphabet Recognition
Materials: Carson Dellosa turkey cut-outs, ABC stickers OR Sharpie marker, plastic tub or basket to put die-cuts in.
Directions: Write one letter of the alphabet on each turkey using the Sharpie marker or place one letter sticker on each turkey. On the 27th turkey write the words “Gobble Gobble!” with the Sharpie marker. Place all the turkeys in a basket or plastic tub. This game can be played in large or small groups. Have the students sit in a circle and pass the basket around. Each student closes his eyes and removes one turkey, then “reads” the letter on the turkey aloud. If the student can read the letter he keeps the turkey. If not, then he may ask a friend to help read the letter. If a student gets the turkey that says “Gobble! Gobble!” all the students stand up and gobble like turkeys. After the gobble turkey is chosen the person who selected it must put all of his turkeys back in the basket.

Turkey Clothespin Letter Matching

You can download the free turkey clothespin printable and read more about the activity at this blog post.

Turkey Feather Matching Letters

You can download a free turkey printable and read more about the activity at this blog post

Thanksgiving Beginning Sounds Game

This activity helps students isolate beginning sounds while playing a fun, whole group game. This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below. Included are the playing cards and an original poem.

Thanksgiving Rhyming Game

Students roll the picture cube and give a word that rhymes with the picture. They mark their recording sheet when they give a correct rhyme. If students need help generating a rhyme they can ask a friend. This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below. It includes the recording sheet and a printable picture cube you can cut out and assemble or you can print out the cards and attach them to a square box or use a pocket die.

Thanksgiving Syllables

Students attach clothespins to the cards to identify the correct number of syllables. The Thanksgiving syllable clothespin activity is available in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below.

Thanksgiving Concepts of Print Printable Pocket Chart

The predictable text in this pocket chart set will help your students learn concepts of print such as left to right directionality, return sweep, one-to-one correspondence, and more. This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie


Setting: Small Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: Oral language, storytelling, sequencing
Book: I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie
Materials: blackline master of Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, construction paper, blackline master of foods the Old Lady eats in the story, crayons or markers, X-acto knife, tape, Pringles can.
Directions: Tape a piece of construction around a Pringles can. Copy, color, and cut out a blackline master of the Old Lady from the story. Attach the old lady to the can with tape. Use the X-acto knife to cut a hole through the blackline and the can where the Old Lady’s mouth is. Next, copy and color the pictures of the food the Old Lady eats in the story. Cut the pictures out and have students re-tell the story by “feeding” the old lady the pictures through the hole in her mouth.

Feed the Turkey


Setting: Small Group, Literacy Centers
Objective: Alphabet Recognition
Materials: Turkey Beanie, magnet, glue (hot or E6000), magnet, magnetic letters, recording sheet (not pictured), Do-A-Dot markers.
Directions: Glue a magnet to the turkey’s nose using a glue gun, E6000, or similar. Give each child a recording sheet with the alphabet on it. Next, place the magnetic letters in the middle of the table, you could use a bowl or plastic container to hold them. Students will take turns holding the turkey and helping him “eat” the magnetic letters as pictured at left. When the turkey “eats” a letter the students may locate it on their recording sheet and mark it with a Do-A-Dot marker. You can find the upper and lowercase turkey alphabet recording sheets in the Thanksgiving Literacy Packet located in the printables section below.

Thanksgiving Math Activities

Thanksgiving Board Game


Make your own Thanksgiving board game using stickers and clipart.
Over the River Board Game

The Over the River board game pictured above is available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below.

Thanksgiving Feast Counting

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1, number sense
Materials: one paper plate per child, crayons, scissors, grocery store flyers, glue stick.
Directions: Give each child a paper plate, scissors, glue stick, and a Thanksgiving grocery store flyer. You can pick them up for free at your local grocery store. Have each child cut out the food items they think they will be eating on Thanksgiving day and glue them to their plate. In the picture to the left we were learning about the number 4 so I asked the children to find 4 things they wanted to eat at their feast. Have the child write the number of the items in the middle of plate.
These also make a great bulletin board display. Using your glue stick, attach each plate to the middle of a large sheet of construction paper. Glue plastic knives, forks, spoons, and paper napkins to the paper to make it look like a place setting. Attach the placemats to the wall to create your bulletin board display and title it “Mrs. ______’s Class is Having a Feast” or similar.

Turkey Counting Book

The Turkey Counting book is available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below. Easy assembly, no cutting required.

Thanksgiving 1-5 Counting Grid

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1, Number Sense
Materials: Thanksgiving 1-5 stamping grid, Thanksgiving thematic stamps (Oriental Trading)
Directions: Give each student a Thanksgiving 1-5 stamping grid. Have students stamp the appropriate number of stamps next to each number.

Turkey Tail

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Number Sense
*Crossover Activity* This activity incorporates fine motor skills
Materials: Thanksgiving paper plates, clothespins, Sharpie marker
Directions: Write one number in the middle of each paper plate with a Sharpie. Have students attach the correct number of clothespins to each plate.

Thanksgiving Patterns

This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below.

Feed the Turkey

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: Number Sense
Materials: empty Pringles cans, tape, brown construction paper, Sharpie marker, X-acto knife, colored construction paper for feathers, scissors, glue stick, unpopped popcorn kernels.
Directions: Cover each Pringles can with brown paper and secure with tape. Cut turkey bodies from the brown paper and attach to the front of each Pringles can with tape. Cut feathers from the colored construction paper and attach to the back of each turkey with glue stick or tape. Cut through the turkey’s mouth and can using the X-acto knife. Write one number on each turkey with a Sharpie. Place the un-popped popcorn in a pie pan or bowl. Place the Pringles can turkeys and the pan of popcorn at a table and have students count the correct number of kernels into each turkey’s mouth.

Thanksgiving Sorting

These sorting activities are available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below.

Turkey 1:1 Game

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence, number sense
Materials: one ice cube tray per student, foam die, turkey manipulatives (from Scholastic), OR brown pom-pom’s.
Directions: Give each student in the small group an ice cube tray. Place the turkey manipulatives or brown pom-pom’s in the center of the table in a bowl or other container so they are easily accessible to all students. Each student takes a turn rolling the die and putting the corresponding number of turkeys/pom-pom’s in their ice cube tray.

Thanksgiving Graphing

This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below.

Turkey Roll ‘N Stamp

Students will roll the die and mark the number on their recording sheet with a bingo dot marker. This activity is available in the Thanksgiving Math Packet located in the printables section below and includes a printable die.

Counting Turkeys

Setting: Small Group, Math Centers
Objective: 1:1 correspondence, number sense
Materials: 5 Thanksgiving cups, number stickers, brown pom-pom’s or turkey manipulatives
Directions: Have students place the correct number of turkeys or brown pom-pom’s into the cups.

Where is the Turkey Positional Book

Setting: Large Group
Objective: Positional Words
Materials: Computer, printer, paper, stapler, scissors, popsicle stick, tape or glue
Directions: Print the Where is the Turkey? book on your printer (available in printables section below). Cut out the farmer and attach him to the popsicle stick with tape or glue. Assemble the book and staple, read to class.

Fun Thanksgiving Activities

Pumpkin Pie
Materials: pumpkin pie spice, orange construction paper, scissors, glue, cotton ball.
Copy circles on orange construction paper and let the children cut them out. Next, “paint” glue on the circle and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top of the glue. Finally, glue a cotton ball to the middle of the pie to represent the whipped cream and pull it out a bit to puff it up. If you cannot find pumpkin pie spice you can mix nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.

Coffee Filter Turkey

Materials: one regular coffee filter per child, regular Crayola watercolor markers, brown construction paper, white construction paper, glue, water.
Have each child color the coffee filter using the Crayola watercolor markers. Next, spray the coffee filters gently with water. The colors will bleed together to create a beautiful tail for your turkey. Next, cut large brown circles of construction paper for the turkey’s body. Cut another smaller brown circle for the head. When dry, glue the coffee filter on the white paper, then the body, and finally the head.

Handprint Turkey
Materials: brown, yellow, orange, and red paint, white construction paper, and the following poem printed on each piece of paper:

This isn’t just a turkey
As anyone can see
I made it with my hand
Which is a part of me
It comes with lots of love
Especially to say
I hope you have a very
HappyThanksgiving Day!

Paint each student’s palm and thumb brown and brush red, yellow, and orange across the other four fingers. Press the painted hand onto the white paper and you have an instant gift that parents will treasure for years to come.

We Are Thankful Class Book
Materials: white construction paper, crayons.
After reading Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks have each student write/draw something they are thankful for on their paper. When everybody is finished, bind the pictures into a class book.

Turkey Family Project
Materials: cardstock, picture of turkey, letter to families.
You can find details about this project and others like it here.

Favorite Thanksgiving Food Graph
Materials: large piece of butcher paper, clip art of various thanksgiving foods, glue, markers, instant mashed potatoes, instant stuffing, pumpkin pie, turkey, plastic spoons.
This is a great activity to do after reading The Little Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie. Prepare the mashed potatoes and stuffing at home the night before, buy one cheap pumpkin pie, and use sliced deli turkey for the Thanksgiving “turkey”. Glue the clip-art of each food at the top of the graph and divide the rows using the markers. Heat the potatoes and stuffing in the microwave. Have the students come individually and taste the items. “Taste” is the key word here, just one small bite per child will make your supplies last and you won’t go broke, especially if you have two classes. If you have any vegetarians in your class have them skip the turkey, and make sure not to use chicken broth in the stuffing or mashed potatoes. Have the children write their name on the graph under the picture of the food that was their favorite.

Pumpkin Pie in a Cup

The pumpkin pie in a cup printable recipe and directions are available here.

Friendship Mix

The recipe for the Friendship Mix can be found in the Thanksgiving Math packet located in the printables section below.

Sharing Salad
Ingredients: brown sugar cones or waffle cones, raisins, Cheerios, grapes, apples, bananas, Chex cereal *optional* strawberry yogurt*.
Directions: Cut the apples and bananas into bite size pieces. Mix the Cheerios, Chex, raisins, and fruit in bowl. Have the children come to you in small groups and help you stir the “Sharing Salad”. Put a scoop of the salad into each “cornucopia” (cone) and place on a plate. If you think your students won’t eat the salad you might want to try mixing it with strawberry yogurt first. I have found that most of my students will eat it if the fruit is covered in strawberry yogurt. If your students are able to bring the ingredients for the salad it is even more meaningful. We use this activity in place of the more traditional and controversial Thanksgiving Feast.

Thanksgiving Printables
Thanksgiving Literacy Packet {49 pages} $4

Thanksgiving Math Packet {59 pages} $5




1-5 Counting Grid- FREE

Pattern Strips- FREE

Thanksgiving Mini-Word Wall- FREE

Turkey Positional Word Book- FREE

Thanksgiving Resources

Thanksgiving Links
Prekinders
The Virtual Vine
Teaching Heart