Thanksgiving Unit Study

Okay, this is the first time that Rooster Hill Academy is journeying of the beaten path to do a Mom planned unit study on "Thanksgiving" including a lapbook or notebook. It will include the , Mayflower, Indians and finally Thanksgiving traditions. Normally, I would want to have it all planned out in fact this was my planning weekend but instead of planning I spent the weekend in bed and in the bathroom with a stomach virus. So there are not neatly typed plans for the next week much less the next two weeks. I have a general idea of what we are doing and I will keep you appraised on our progress and what we learn as we go through this. I think it's kind of appropriate that just like the pilgrims had to rely on the Lord in their journeys we will be relying on his guidance in our schooling.

The one thing all of the little planner pages I have found keep emphasizing is to have listed out what you want the kids to learn. Since my kiddos do not know anything about this time in history I am going to give them a pretest and then at the end I will have them do the same test and see what they know. Now my test I am just going to ask them some questions and then record their answers and I'll add these to their lapbooks. At the end of the unit I will have Peyton write a paper about what she knows about Thanksgiving, Parker can dictate one to me and Pearson can dance sing and twirl all around the homeschool room.

I am really excited about a book I picked up at Cavitt Corner a little resale store in Bryan for .89 I didn't know if it was any good then I saw it listed in a couple of my Charlotte Mason books as great resource...Pilgrim Stores by Margaret Humphrey's. This will be the spine of our study and we will read a little each day for the three weeks.

The first week we will read "Three Young Pilgrims" by Harness. The second week we will read The second week we will read Squanto friend of the Pilgrims . Then we head into the third week with another book I am really looking forward to that is great for the elementary ages is by Alice Dalgaleish ...The Thanksgiving Story. I picked that up at the Local Homeschool Store for $3 (1/2 price!!!). This week we will also read portions of Turkeys, Pilgrims and Indian Corn as we discuss the symbols of Thanksgiving.

History/Literature (often overlaps in CM Studies): The 4-6 books scheduled to be read see above. Label the Mayflower and perhaps build a replica of the Plymouth settlement, maybe an Indian village for the second week, Food preparations for the third week. (Misc books used: Nature Study the Easy way by Cindy Rushton, If you sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, Time Travelers CD from Homeschool in the woods)

Readers for Peyton: Dear America The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple & Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern

Now for Science I found..... Levers , growing food "Indian Style", pilgrims warmth

Geography...Obviously the voyage and a discussion of the weather and land forms. We discussed Holland and looked at pictures of canals, windmills & clogs. Map of the route from Plymouth England to Plymouth, Mass in America.

For Language Arts : Proper Nouns (introduce & reemphasize), Copy work (Thanksgiving themed lined paper)& Memory: A Prayer for Thanksgiving by Robert Luis Stevenson Peyton & Thanksgiving Prayer by Edna Mae Busch for Parker & Descriptive Writing assignments at the end. We will also discuss poetry and write a poem.

I wanted to provide everyone with some links for Thanksgiving studies that I found over the past few weeks:

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/across_the_wide_dark_sea.php - Lists about 6 books that cover Thanksgiving and provides an outline for what the woman says will take a week it looks like two weeks of work to me. We will use a lot of the great stuff she has laid out for us here.

Enchanted Learning a McVay favorite has lots of miscellaneous stuff for Thanksgiving. I just remember when I was in school how much I loved to color the holiday color sheets and I want my kids to have those memories too.

Treasure Box's Harvest of Science: Has the Fishy Science & Keeping Warm Science activities.