Giving Thanks

The last week and half has been full of learning, fun, and giving thanks. We have focused a lot on the Pilgrims and Indians as well as the First Thanksgiving. To start our week, we discussed various events and people we celebrate throughout the year, and we learned the importance of why we celebrate these important events and people. Then, after defining and discussing what the word "celebrate" means, we began researching and reading about the Pilgrims. We read aloud a book that explained about the Pilgrims voyage and their eagerness to find freedom. After reading together about the Pilgrims, the students read in partners "A Pilgrims Day." Then, as a class we discussed the similarities and differences of life as pilgrim child long ago and the life as a child today. By using a venn diagram students were challenged to think even more on their own of how food, houses, toys, and clothing long ago compared to those things we have today. We also wrote an informational writing piece about Pilgrims and focused more specifically on improving our topic sentences. After learning about the Pilgrims, we focused on the Wampanoag Indian tribe. The students were intrigued by this group of Indians and their role in helping the Pilgrims as they came to America. In addition to reading various non-fiction texts about the Native Americans, we also played a trivia game. This opportunity brought about good discussion and teamwork as the kids had to work together in their teams to agree upon if the various statements about the Wampanoag Indians were facts or opinions. The kids loved getting to learn about the Indians and really enjoyed making their vests and headbands for the feast using the Native American symbols and signs.

The last two days we have focused on The First Thanksgiving and why it was celebrated. Not only did students use the read aloud text to help them build their knowledge of this event, they also used their background knowledge of Pilgrims and Indians to help them make inferences about the First Thanksgiving. After reading and learning about the First Thanksgiving, the students each created their own web about this event and used their web to write a topic sentence with 3 details. After much discussion, questioning, reading and writing the students definitely understood better the significance of Thanksgiving. Finally, to end our week each student reflected on what they were thankful for, and then they wrote about one specific thing using details to support their reason.

On that note, I want to express to you how blessed I am by your kiddos. I consider it a privilege to teach your child each day, and I am so grateful to have such a rewarding and fun job that doesn't feel like work at all. Thank you for trusting me with your most precious gifts and giving me the chance to love, inspire, and teach them. I appreciate your confidence in me and your support. Your children have already left a special mark on my life, and I have realized I need them more then they probably need me. I consider it great honor having the opportunity to teach your child, and I count it as one of my greatest blessings this Thanksgiving. My heart is full!

  

P.S. - We did do other stuff the last week and half like reading and writing "l" blend words, making patterns using shapes, and using ordinal numbers, but the highlight has been our theme, The First Thanksgiving.