CLICK HERE ---> Thanksgiving Fun from Colonial Williamsburg

CLICK HERE ---> More Thanksgiving Learning Fun!


There are 4 other great video's about the First Thanksgiving at this link.  <---CLICK THERE

Props List

LINES
Do you have your lines memorized yet? If not, you need to work hard on it today. Be sure to have someone read the line before yours also so you know your cues (definition: cues - means when to say your lines).

PROPS
Here is a list I came up with. You may have some of your own ideas that I haven't though of. Feel free to bring items you feel confident we could use.

• Pretend Fire Pit
• Indian Corn / Squash / Pumpkins
• Baskets
• Animal Skins / Furs
• Wooden Bowls, Cups
• Stuffed Animals (turkeys, squirrels, forest animals, fish, seaside animals)
• Bow and Arrows
• Pretend food ANY (ideas include eggs, vegetables, turkey, bread, meat, pitchers)
• Plymouth Rock (cardboard ? paper mache?)
• Fake Trees
• fabric / fake needle & thread (sewing)
• Bible
• Pretend tools for building homes
• Solid colored blankets (grey, brown, black, blue)
• fishing items
• guns

BACKGROUNDS
If anyone is interested in bringing anything for the background, here are some ideas. I may decide to make some if I have time, so if you are going to help out by making some of these, please email me at cmahmhprz@aol.com .

I really like the cornstalks in the background of these pictures. It would be nice to have a 3 sisters representation.
 You could make this out of poster board glued to cardboard for strength. If you decide to make this, please email me.
 I also really like the wheelbarrow.

I love this Mayflower! Be sure to include a mast. 

Keep Practicing!

Remember your pledge... Practice your lines for at least 10 minutes everyday. Memorize, memorize, memorize. Be sure to look at the line before your line so you know when to speak. Have someone in your family or a friend practice your lines with you. They simply read the line before yours and then you recite your lines.

Once you have your lines memorized, start thinking about what you are really saying. Think about how your character would be feeling or what they would be doing with their body while they are speaking. Begin acting our your lines, not just reciting them. Practice in front of a mirror.

Costuming Ideas

How to Make a Pilgrim Costume -- powered by ehow

Here is a boy's Indian costume headdress hat that you can make yourself. Buy some craft feathers or cut them from colored paper. Then cut a stiff paper strip, long enough to fit around your head. Cut notches at each end that fit into each other. Line up the feathers in a row on the inside and tape them down.

Here's another no-sew costume. Get a large tan or brown t-shirt and fringe the bottom. Wear this with khaki pants. Cut a strip of tan or brown felt to fit around the head. (I used hot glue to make my headband.) Hot glue some feathers to the back of the headband on the inside of the band. 

Week 9 Assignments 11/2

This week I would like the kids to work on memorizing their lines for the play we will be performing in two weeks. I gave everyone their assigned parts and scripts to take home. I don't have any extra copies so if your child needs a new one, you can download it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7gobpl9a8z8dl5o

Also, don't forget to visit the link below and watch all the wonderful virtual tours of Plimoth Plantation! Just click the picture.

Week 7 Assignments 10/19

If you are getting your updates via email, be sure to visit the website to get full access to videos and more!

No assignments this week except to finish up reading their books and get going on their book reports. If anyone is already done, we can do some presentations this week. Please let me know ahead of time by emailing me at cmahmhprz@aol.com.

We will be learning about the Wampanoag Indians this week and you may like for your child to view this wonderful video produced by Plimoth Plantation at http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/webcast.htm This week have them watch the Wampanoag Indian video and save the other videos for  upcoming weeks.

The next 4 weeks we are going to be focusing on a Thanksgiving theme. There are two things I would like to do. First of all, I would like to have the children perform a Thanksgiving play the last week before co-op (11/16) during the lunch hour. We will be practicing this play from 2:30-3:00 the next 3 weeks. I will be inviting the younger kids to participate as well. Costumes will be simple and I will have more information about that next week.

Secondly, I wanted to see if there was any interest in doing a special lunch on November 16th, either bringing treats to share, having a potluck or something else. Let me know your thoughts and ideas on this. We could have the children each bring something for the church's food bank that week.

Please email me with your thoughts. See you Friday!

Week 6 Assignments

Be sure to look at the art blog as there is a supply the children need to bring this week.

Last week the kids learned about the Iroquois Indians. If you and your child would like to learn more, I found this great website that will teach them more.

http://www.bigorrin.org/iroquois_kids.htm

You're child may wish to come to class with a drawing, projects or information to share with the class. I like to start each class giving the kids a chance to show more of what they learned at home.

We learned about the homes the people lived in called longhouses. Here is a short documentary (12 minutes) that teaches a lot about their homes and lifestyles. Please preview it as it does contain information about their belief system.

Assignment: This week have your child start thinking about how they will share the book they have read. They will be presenting the projects so they will need to be prepared to speak in front of the class. Here are some ideas to get them started. 

• Book in a Box  Decorate a box to represent the book and fill it with objects that sybolize different aspects of the story. 
• Book Timeline  Use words and pictures to make a timeline of important events  from the book. 
• Write a diary that one of the story's main characters might have kept before, during, or after the book's events. Remember that the character's thoughts and feelings are very important in a diary.
• Construct puppets and present a show of one or more interesting parts of the book.
• Dress as one of the characters and act out a characterization.
• Design costumes for dolls and dress them as characters from the book. Explain who these characters are and how they fit in the story.
• Write and perform an original song that tells the story of the book.
• Design a book jacket for the book. I STRONGLY suggest that you look at an actual book jacket before you attempt this.
• Create a newspaper for your book. Summarize the plot in one article, cover the weather in another, do a feature story on one of the more interesting characters in another. Include an editorial and a collection of ads that would be pertinent to the story.
• Book Mobile  Create a mobile using the four story elements (setting, character, plot, theme).
• Shoebox Diorama  An oldie, but a goodie, create a diorama of an important scene from the book.
• Book Collage  Create a collage using pictures that represent different parts of the book.
• Movie Poster  Pretend the book is going to be made into a movie and create a poster to promote the movie.
• Main Character  Make a 3-D model of the main character and write an interview with that character.
• Setting  Make and label a detailed map of an important setting from your book.
• Scrapbook  Make a scrapbok with items and pictures athat are important to the life of the main character and to the story.
• Interview a character from your book. Write at least ten questions that will give the character the opportunity to discuss his/her thoughts and feelings about his/her role in the story. However you choose to present your interview is up to you.