Thanksgiving Preschool Theme
(updated 10/2023)
Thanksgiving is here! A great time to be reminded of all the things in our lives that we have to be thankful for. As for as schooling, it can be a controversial subject, so as with everything in my preschool themes, take what works for you and leave the rest. This is what I will be choosing to do this week along with many themed books from the library. These are some of our favorites: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Turkey – Lucille Colandro; Give Thanks to the Lord – Karma Wilson; Thankful – Eilleen Spinelli
I also have 3 videos with fun ideas for Thanksgiving!! Here are some crafts, here are some activities, and here are some ideas for fine motor skills and sensory play. We will be working on making an American Indian headdress from the activity video throughout this week. I will also have a ‘thankful pumpkin’ on which everyone can write what they are thankful for throughout the week.
| M | T | W | Th | F | |
| Religion | Read Daniel & the Lions Den | Comprehension Questions* | Daniel & the Lions Den worksheet painting* | Make Lion puppet* | Sequencing activity |
| Language (2) | Indian Sign Language* | Write some review letters in whipped cream and practice them | T is for turkey | Sandpaper letters (whichever you want to review) | Help pilgrim to the mayflower |
| Language (4) | Indian Sign Language* | Use whipped cream to write HAD | Match the beginning sound page of this printable | Turkey rhymes (first part of this printable) | Turkey rhymes 2 (second part of printable) |
| Math (2) | Use math beads to make 9 | Thanksgiving Shadow matching v1 & v2 | Dot sticker feather sort* | Roll & Cover game pilgrim hat | Count 9 on an abacus |
| Math (4) | Use math beads | 10 frame addition We will only do a handful of problems | Find & Tally – I will just do the find and tally part of this printable | Skip count by 100s to get to 1000 | Use abacus to discuss 100s and 1000s |
| Art/Sensory | Draw American Indian signs | Whipped cream play – after language lesson (can add paint for another sensory dimension) | Turkey playdouhg – brown playdough, google eyes, feathers, pipe cleaners, orange triangle cutouts | Learn about totem poles & make your own | Make a paperbag Indian vest |
| Science Geography History | Parts of a cornucopia | Read Squanto & use character cutouts to retell story | Cut out a picture of the mayflower and follow it’s route on a map | Learn about the parts of a ship | Native American Fashion – I will also show pictures |
Comprehension Questions:
Why did the men not like Daniel?
Tell about a time that you were jealous of someone else because they had something that you wanted.
Did Daniel stop praying when he learned that he would be put in the den of lions for praying to God?
Daniel & the Lions Den Painting – Crumble a ball of aluminum foil and dip it in paint to paint the worksheet
Lion Puppet Cut out Lion Head worksheet and glue to a paper plate. Color the head and add brown yarn for the mane. Glue a large craft stick to the back of the head. Cut out the eyes to make a mask for the child.
Indian Sign Language – Look at the chart of signs and talk about the Native Americans language. Since it’s a review week for my 2-year-old, I will just emphasize beginning word sounds with her. And since we’re working on rhymes this week, I will have my daughter try to tell me a rhyme of each word.
Dot sticker feather sort – print feathers in the color of dot stickers you have, then have child place the dot stickers on the corresponding colored feather
2023 Thanksgiving Lesson Plan
This is designed for a 3 turning 4 year old 🙂
Religion focus: Learn the prayer before meals
2 Yr Options: Pumpkin pie filling & whipped cream sensory bin, turkey play-do – brown playdough, google eyes, feathers, pipe cleaners, orange triangle cutouts, turkey dot sheets, glue feathers to paper, paint a pumpkin
| Language | T is for turkey | Introduce N; sandpaper letter; write the letter N on this worksheet and color in the hidden pictures | Practice tracing P words –pilgrim, pumpkin & pie | Match the beginning sounds |
| Math | Feathers on a turkey* | Totem pole shape counting | Pie math* | Find & Tally – I will skip the addition section – can do this free one instead (easier) |
| Art/Sensory | Turkey handprint* | Make your own totem pole | Pumpkin pie play-do | Fine motor turkey |
| S/G/H | Learn about the first Thanksgiving | Learn about totem poles | Figure out which river the Mayflower crossed to get to America | Learn about Native American symbols & sign language; can draw some |
Feathers on a turkey – Cut a large circle from cardboard and make a slit in the center. Cut out a neck and head shape for a turkey, insert it into the slit and tape it on from the back. Divide the circle into 8 pie shapes. Put number words and dots in each section (2-9). Write corresponding numbers on clothespins (you can use colored clothespins to make them look more like feathers). Have your child clip the clothespin feather on the correct number dot space on the turkey.
Pie math – Cut 2 large circles out of a brown and orange piece of construction paper. Divide each circle into 8 pie shapes with a marker. On the brown paper, put dots of different numbers that you choose (make sure they are between 0-9). On the orange paper, write the corresponding numeral and number word in each pie space, then cut the orange paper into individual pie pieces. Have the child place the pumpkin pie slice on the correct number dot ‘pie pan’ space.
Turkey handprint – Paint child’s palm and 4 fingers brown, and their thumb red. Stamp their hand on a piece of paper and when it tries, decorate with a googly eye, beak, legs, and feet with marker.