Kindergarten Harvest Theme Lesson Plans : A Fun and Easy Pilgrim Activity

This is the final installment of an ongoing series of harvest lesson plans created for the kindergarten classroom. In this lesson the class will be completing the study of Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. Here is a list of the things that you will need to present this lesson:

Three Young Pilgrims by, Cheryl Harness

Assortment of construction paper

Liquid glue

Popcorn kernels

Turkey hunting decoy (found in the hunting aisle of your local sporting goods store)

Rulers or measuring tape

Read the last section of the book, Three Young Pilgrims by, Cheryl Harness.

Finish the last section of the book, beginning where the discussion stopped in the previous lesson (when the Pilgrims met Samoset).

Discuss the events that happened in the book.

Discuss the children's own Thanksgiving plans.

Who cooks the turkey? The ham? Where does their family dinner take place?

Happy Thanksgiving Sign

On a piece of construction paper, write the words, "Happy Thanksgiving".

Instruct the children to trace over the letters with liquid glue.

Cover the glue with popcorn kernels.

Tall Turkeys

Display a turkey hunting decoy.

Allow children to take turns analyzing and measuring the turkey. How tall is the turkey around different parts of its body? How tall is it when measured from the top of its head (height)? How tall is it when measured from its back (width)? Define the terms, height and width.

Instruct children to find other things in the classroom that are the same height, shorter, or taller than the turkey.

On a piece of construction paper, instruct children to create a Thanksgiving Day menu.

Children should decorate the menu.

On a chart, make a list of the favorite dishes that children have included on their menus.

Allow children to explain how certain dishes are prepared.

How long does it take to cook a turkey?

Inquire if anyone's family eats something other than turkey.