Provide a clear rubber glove, colored tissue paper and popcorn for each child. Show the children how to stuff red tissue into the glove's thumb and assorted colors of tissue paper into the glove's fingers. Assist the children with filling the glove's palm with popcorn and tying the glove off at the bottom with string. Let the children add wiggly eyes to the glove's thumb with glue.
Let the children complete pilgrim coloring pages and talk about the clothes the pilgrims wore. Discuss the pilgrims' religious beliefs and why they were unhappy. Show where the pilgrims lived and how far they journeyed with a large globe. Ask the children what they would pack to take on a long, dangerous trip. Read selected pages from, "If You Sailed on the Mayflower," by Ann McGovern. Let the children make a class picture book of items they would take on the Mayflower.
Encourage the children to talk about things they are thankful for. Let the children use magazines to cut or tear out pictures representing what they are thankful for. Tell the children to glue the pictures on construction paper to form collages and ask them to talk about their pictures. Write down the children's thoughts about the collages.
Ask the children to sit in a circle. The first child begins the game by saying, "At Thanksgiving dinner I like to eat turkey." The next child repeats what the first player said and adds another Thanksgiving dish. For example, the second player can say, "At Thanksgiving dinner I Iike to eat turkey and sweet potatoes." The game continues around the circle with each child repeating the preceding dishes in order and adding a new dish. A child who does not repeat the menu in order leaves the circle. The game continues until one child is left who can recite the menu correctly. Let the children complete a worksheet related to the game. Ask the children to circle Thanksgiving dinner menu items and place an "X" on items that are usually not part of Thanksgiving dinner.