Lesson Plan

Make an "I'm Thankful For..." Placemat

Teach young children the Thanksgiving story through poetry.

Overview

Students will learn that Thanksgiving is a holiday about being thankful. They will be able to name some things for which they are thankful. Students will also become familiar with the Thanksgiving story.

Objective

Students will:

  1. Compare and contrast what the Pilgrims were thankful for their first year in America and what we are thankful for today.
  2. Memorize the poem I'm Thankful For...
  3. Make a beautiful, laminated, landscape placemat that depicts the poem and has a picture of the student and the poem on it.

Materials

For each student:

  1. turquoise blue 12"X18" construction paper
  2. green 2"X18" construction paper
  3. brown 2"X18" construction paper
  4. royal blue 3"X18" construction paper
  5. two to three 2"X3" green rectangles
  6. two to three 1" X 2" brown rectangles
  7. two 3" purple/tan squares
  8. one 3" yellow square
  9. copy of the poem:
    I'm Thankful For...
    The grass so green,
    The earth so good,
    For oceans, lakes, and water to drink,
    For beautiful trees and the good food they bring,
    For mountains tall and beautiful,
    For the sun that gives me heat and light,
    For the sky so blue and the air we breathe!!!
  10. photo of the student
  11. white glue
  12. laminating film
  13. scissors

Set Up and Prepare

  1. Have all paper cut to appropriate size
  2. Have all materials divided up for use by table groups

Directions

Step 1: Teach the poem I'm Thankful For...

Step 2: Explain that a landscape is a picture that shows a natural scene with land and sky.

Step 3: Tell the students that they are going to make a landscape placemat that they will use on the Feast Day at school and can also use at home.

Step 4: Read the poem again showing an example of a completed placemat. Recite the poem and point to the area depicted in the poem.

Step 5: Recite the poem adding the fourth line, "For beautiful trees and the good food they bring." Make trees out of the green rectangles and small brown rectangles. Cut green tops wiggly around the edges to look like a treetop. Glue brown trunk onto the treetop (don't glue onto the landscape yet). Practice the poem.

Step 6: Recite the poem adding the fifth line, "For mountains tall and beautiful." Take the purple or tan squares and have children cut them diagonally in half. Glue them behind the water. Glue the trees behind the grass. Practice the poem.

Step 7: Recite the poem adding the sixth line, " For the sun that gives me heat and light." Take the yellow square and cut the corners and points off so that it turns into a round sun. Glue the sun in the top corner of the landscape. Practice the poem.

Step 8: Glue on poem and student picture. Let dry and then laminate.

 

Lesson Extensions

Find landscapes of mountain areas, prairies, woods, and farms using a variety of picture books. Explain that cities are called cityscapes and oceans and beaches are called seascapes. Compare and contrast the different elements in each.

 

Assignments

  1. Draw a landscape picture of your house.
  2. Make a list of foods we get from trees.
  3. Make a list of foods that grow from the ground.

 

Evaluation

  1. Was there enough time?
  2. Were the students successful or frustrated?
  3. Could the students recite the poem?
  4. Can the students describe a landscape? Can they vary the elements depending upon the location of the landscape?

Assess Students

  • Can the students recite the poem?
  • Can students define what a landscape is?
  • Does everyone have a completed landscape?

  • Subjects:
    Arts and Crafts, Literature, Literature Appreciation, Photography, Thanksgiving, Teacher Tips and Strategies
  • Duration:
    1 Class Period
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