STORY BRACELETS

This is a special project that will be remembered by children and their families for many years.  It’s a unique way to develop sequencing skills that will help children retell the story of the first Thanksgiving.  (Core Standards- get it?)

I found all of my beads at Walmart, and it ended up costing a pretty penny.  (I do have enough beads for the state of South Carolina!)  To save yourself some time and money, ask a parent volunteer if they’d like to do a Thanksgiving project with your class.  Give them the list and maybe you’ll get lucky!

Each child will need a pipe cleaner and a white, blue, green, black, brown, red, yellow, and orange bead.

Thanksgiving Story Bracelet

With this bracelet you will know  (Give each child a pipe cleaner.)

The first Thanksgiving that was long, long ago.

The pilgrims set sail from far away

On the Mayflower with tall, white sails.  (Insert the white bead.)

They sailed many days across the ocean blue.  (Add a blue bead.)

The seas were rough, but the ship came through. 

At last they spotted land so green.  (String on a green bead.)

They were so happy they cheered and screamed.

The first year was so hard and black.  (Now add a black bead.)

Many died and wished that they could go back.

But the Native Americans gave them a hand

And helped them survive in the strange new land.

They decided to celebrate in a special way

And that became the first Thanksgiving Day.

They prepared a feast with turkeys brown (Add a brown bead.)

And red cranberries that they had found.  (Time for a red bead.)

Yellow corn that they had learned to grow  (Insert a yellow bead.)

And orange pumpkin pies, don’t you know!  (Last an orange bead.)

But before they ate any turkey and dressing,

They all held hands for a thankful blessing.  (Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner to make a bracelet.)

Here are some other story bracelets that will help children retell stories in sequence.

Three Pigs

Once upon a time there were three little pigs.  (3 pink beads)

The first little pig built a house of straw.  (1 yellow bead)

The second little pig built a house of sticks. (1 brown bead)

The third little pig built a house of bricks.  (1 red bead)

One day a big bad wolf came along.  (1 black bead)

He went to the house of the first little pig and said, 

“Little pig, little pig, let me come in.”  (Touch yellow bead.)

The little pig said, “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.”

“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in”…

The wolf climbed up on the chimney so he could get the pigs.

But the pigs put a big pot of boiling water in the fire place.  (1 blue bead)

When the wolf hit the hot water he jumped out of the fire place and was never heard from again.  And that’s the story of the three little pigs!   (Twist ends of pipe cleaner to make a bracelet.)

Three Billy Goats Gruff

3 white beads for the billy goats

1 brown bead for the bridge

1 green bead for the grass

1 purple bead for the troll

Little Red Hen

1 red bead for the hen

1 pink bead for the dog

1 black bead for the cat

1 orange bead for the duck

1 green bead for the seed

1 yellow bead for the wheat

1 white bead for the bread

3 yellow beads for the chicks

Gingerbread Boy

1 white beads for the old lady and man

1 brown bead for the gingerbread boy

1 purple bead for the cow

1 blue bead for the farmers

1 black bead for the dog

1 red bead for the fox

Brown Bear, Brown Bear  (By Bill Martin, Jr.)

1 brown bead for the bear

1 red bead for the bird

1 yellow bead for the duck

1 blue bead for the horse

1 green bead for the frog

1 purple bead for the cat

1 white beat for the dog

1 black bead for the sheep

1 orange bead for the goldfish

1 clear bead for the mother

*Let each child choose 5-10 beads and create their own stories!