A DAY OF BLESSINGS

I am grateful for you! I am not sure who wrote this or where it came from, but it just seemed appropriate on this Thanksgiving Day.

Today is a day of blessing.

I bless you.

I bless your heart.

I bless your life.

I bless your health.

I bless your home.

I bless your family.

I bless your work.

I bless your spiritual life.

I bless your finances and all your projects!

May your day overflow with blessings!

With love,

Jean

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

Here is a song "memory" from when I was little girl many, many years ago. It's still a great song and a meaningful way to compare/contrast and talk an about the "olden days."

Over the River
(Traditional Tune)
Over the river and through the woods (Pretend to hold reins of a sleigh
To grandmother’s house we go. and drive as you bounce up and down.)
The horse knows the way (Put hands behind back and nod
To carry the sleigh like a horse.)
Through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the woods, (Pretend to drive sleigh.)
Oh, how the wind does blow. (Wrap arms around self and shiver.)
It stings your toes and bites your nose (Touch nose and point to toes.)
As over the ground we go.

Through the country and cities far (Pretend to drive a car.)
In sun or wind or rain.
We might go by train (Pull down on train whistle.)
We might take a plane. (Fly hand like a plane in the air.)
Or maybe a bus or car. (Hold out right hand, then left.)
Through low valleys and mountains high (Look down low and then up.)
Now, grandmother’s house I spy. (Hand over eyes.)
Hurrah, for the fun! (One fist in the air.)
Is the turkey done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! (Cheer with other fist.)

https://bit.ly/drJRiver

Comparisons

Use a Venn diagram to compare what it would be like to visit grandmother a long time ago and how we visit now. How are things the same? How are they different?

Graphs 

Make a graph of how they will travel to their Thanksgiving dinner. Car? Plane? Train? Bus? Boat? Stay at home!

Olden Days
Bring in a rotary phone, typewriter, record player, and camera. (A note to parents might help you find one of these.) Talk about how they were used when their grandparents were kids. What do we use now instead?

*Hint! I think it's important for children to know what these items are because most of the books copyrighted before 2000 have pictures or reference them.




Family Celebrations
Holidays are a good time to talk about diversity. Not all families celebrate Thanksgiving, but most families do celebrate something. Ask children to bring in photos of celebrations they have in their home. Put their pictures together to make a class book.

THANKFUL WRITING

Do you need a few more activities to do this week? These books are a "timely" way to nurture nonfiction writing and gratitude!

Thankful Journal
Make a special journal for each child to use during the month of November. Several times a week ask them to draw, list, or write sentences about things they are grateful for. You can use napkins, paper plates, or a fork as shown.

Thankful Board
Designate a bulletin board or poster in the hall as your “thankful board.” Children can attach sticky notes or draw pictures of things they are thankful for.


Thankful for Friends
Jane Lake shared this idea with me several years ago. Fold 3 sheets of paper in half and staple. Children use one of the prompts below on each page of their book.

1. A good friend is…
2. I’m a good friend when…
3. What friends like to do together…
4. Symbols of friendship…
5. Names of my friends…

Thankful Song
(Tune: “Are You Sleeping?” Children repeat each line.)
I am thankful.
I am thankful.
Every day.
Every day.
For my friends and family.
For my friends and family.
Thanks I say!
Thanks I say!

TURKEY TIME JOKES

Who's there today? Waddle, Gladys, Harry, Aida, Dewey, and Arthur with some jokes for you.

You might want to write one each day on the board and discuss it at morning meeting. It’s also good to tell these multiple times because it will take some of your kiddles a while to “get it.”

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Waddle.
Waddle who?
Waddle I do without you?

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?

Gladys.Gladys who?
Gladys Thanksgiving, aren’t you?

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Harry.
Harry who?
Harry up, I’m hungry!

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Aida.
Aida who?
Aida let you in if I knew it was you.

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Dewey.
Dewey who?
Dewey have to wait long to eat?

Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Arthur.
Arthur who?
Arthur any leftovers?

What kind of music did the Pilgrims Like?
Plymouth Rock

What key won’t open any door?
A turkey.

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims

Why was the turkey the drummer in the band?
Because he had drumsticks.

Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken’s day off.

Why did the chewing gum cross the road?
It was stuck on the turkey’s foot.

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside.

What do you find at the end of Thanksgiving?
The letter ‘G.’

What always comes at the beginning of parades?
The letter ‘P’.

THANKSGIVING STORY BRACELET

This has been one of the most popular posts on my website. Anyone who has made this story bracelet will attest to the fact that it is a BIG HIT with children and families. It's also a natural way for children to practice retelling a story.

Hint! It's going to be an "investment" when you buy the beads, so this might be a project to hand over to a parent. You can buy individual bags of beads or just buy a large container of beads at Walmart and let the children pick out the colors they will need. The only color I had difficulty finding was brown, so I just bought a little package of brown wooden beads.

Materials: white, blue, green, black, brown, red, orange, yellow beads, pipe cleaners

Directions: Say the poem and demonstrate how to insert the beads when the appropriate color is mentioned. Model this several times and encourage the children to recall the colors and fill in words that rhyme.

Write the colors in order and put the pipe cleaners and beads in a center for the children to construct independently. You could also do this as a small group activity with younger children. Practice telling the story as the children touch the beads for a prompt. Make sure to send home a copy of the poem with the bracelet so parents can reinforce this activity at home.

Thanksgiving Story Bracelet
With this bracelet you will know (Start with 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 a 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 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 the turkey and dressing,
They all held hands for a thankful blessing.
(Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner to make a bracelet.)

Grateful Bracelet
Here's a new idea for those of you who teach at a faith based school.

Last year I ordered a "grateful" bracelet (aka blessing bracelet) online and I wear it every day. You are suppose to touch each bead daily and say something that you are grateful for. I adapted this for the girls in my Sunday school class by using a pipe cleaner and some beads I got at Walmart. I let the girls choose 4 large beads for the "grateful" beads and smaller beads for in between. It's a tangible way for us to count our blessings!

TURKEY TALES

Here's a video where you can watch me tell this story.

http://bit.ly/drjeanTurkeyTalk

Many things go in and out of style, but a good story is everlasting. I've got two of my favorite turkey tales for you today. I first heard Timmy Turkey about 50 years ago. In the original story grandmother turns Timmy into a color that "everyone will like" and you pull out a picture of a brown roasted turkey on a platter. I thought that might be a little too graphic for the kiddles, so I adapted it to be "kinder and gentler." The alliteration and oral language, as well as the sequencing skills, are perfect for engaging children. I guarantee they'll want to hear the story again and again.


Directions: Download the pattern and cut the turkey's body out of the front of a file folder. Insert colors of construction paper inside the file folder according to the story. (brown, blue, red, green, yellow, purple, and multi-color) Glue the words to the back of the folder so you can just read it and remove one sheet of paper at a time.

*Encourage the children to join in on the chorus!

TIMMY TURKEY
Once upon a time there was a beautiful brown turkey named Timmy. One day as he strutted down the road he heard a bluebird say:

Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey I ever did see.
Timmy Turkey replied: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The bluebird answered: You should be blue like me. It’s such a peaceful color.
So Timmy went home a dyed himself blue. (Remove the brown paper to reveal a blue turkey.)

The next day as Timmy strutted down the road he heard a red hen say:
Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey I ever did see.
Timmy replied: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The redbird answered: You should be red like me. It’s such a bright color.
So Timmy went home and dyed himself red. (Remove the blue paper to reveal a red turkey.)

The following day as Timmy was strutting down the road he heard a green frog croak:
Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey I ever did see?
Timmy sadly replied: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The frog croaked: You should be green like me. Green is the color of life!
So what do you think Timmy did? That’s right! He went home and dyed himself green.
(Remove the red paper to reveal a green turkey.)

Timmy was strutting down the road a beautiful shade of green the next day when he heard a yellow cat say: Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey I ever did see!
Timmy answered: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The cat laughed and said: Who ever heard of a green turkey?
You should be yellow like me. It’s such a happy color.
Yes, you’re right! Timmy went home that night and dyed himself yellow. (Remove the green paper to reveal a yellow turkey.)

The next day Timmy was strutting down the road again when he heard a purple parrot squawk:
Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey I ever did see!
Timmy said: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The parrot squawked: Yellow’s no color for a turkey.
You should be purple like me. Purple is the color of royalty.
Timmy went home immediately and dyed himself purple. (Remove the yellow sheet of paper to reveal the purple turkey.)

Once again Timmy was walking down the road when he heard his turkey friends laughing. They said: Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the funniest turkey we ever did see!
Timmy cried and said: Oh, dear, oh, dear! Oh, me, oh, me!
Why am I the funniest turkey you ever did see?
The other turkeys replied: Who ever heard of a purple turkey?
You look so silly!
Timmy slowly walked home and as he walked he thought to himself, “I have dyed myself blue, red, green, yellow, and purple, and I have pleased no one.” Then he got a brilliant idea! He got all the bottles of dye and made all his feathers different colors. (Remove the purple sheet of paper to reveal the turkey with the colorful feathers.)
The next day as Timmy Turkey strutted down the road everyone laughed and cheered!
Ha, ha, ha! He, he, he!
You’re the most beautiful turkey we ever did see!
And that’s why you always see turkeys with beautiful tail colors!

Timmy Turkey Download
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljdVlScjd2UlZzdGc/view?usp=sharing

Note! To make the final turnkey I cut little feathers and glued them to make a collage as shown.



OWATAGOOSIAM
This next story is a tell and draw story. After you do it several times invite the children to retell the story and draw along with you.

Once there was a little old lady who lived out in the country.

Her house was shaped like an oval. (head)

It had a little window that was a circle. (eye)

She had a garden beside her house. (beak)

And she planted seeds there.

Near her house there was a lake. (body)

And there was a little island in the lake. (wing)

Campers from the city would come and pitch tents by the lake. (feet)

They would walk to the lake to look at the fish in the water. (legs)

They would also watch the geese on the island.

But the people made so much noise they scared the geese and away they flew. (feathers)

The little old lady heard all the commotion and went down to the lake to see what was going on. (neck)

What do you think she saw?

When she got home she laughed and said, “OWA TAGOO SIAM!”

Say this faster and faster and it will sound like, “Oh, what a goose I am!”

LET'S TALK TURKEY

What?  How can it already be November 1st?  

Time to take down those pumpkins and put up some turkeys.  

My webmaster (Alex May) had a special play list to get you started.

https://bit.ly/drJSeasonal

Albuquerque Turkey(Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Albuquerque is a turkey (Put hands on hips like wings.)
And he’s feathered and he’s fine.
And he wobbles and he gobbles (Strut and wiggle.)
And he’s absolutely mine.

He’s the best pet you can get, (Pretend to stroke a turkey’s head.)
Better than a dog or cat.
He’s my Albuquerque turkey,
And I’m awfully proud of that.

Albuquerque is a turkey,
And he’s happy in his bed. (Lay hands on palms as you smile.)
Cause for our Thanksgiving dinner,
We’ll have pizza pie instead! (Palm up in the air like a pizza.)

Here's the link so you can download the book. Make four copies of the song and put it in the listening center so children can follow along.
http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/11_Nov/1booksNov/albuTurkey.pdf

You can also follow-up with this YouTube video:
http://bit.ly/drjeanTurkey


Mr. Turkey and Mr. Duck Finger Play
Mr. Turkey went for (Start with hands behind your back.)
A walk one day (Bring right thumb out in front of you.)
In the very best
Of weather.
He met Mr. Duck (Bring left thumb out in front.)
Along the way
And they talked (Have thumbs look at each other.)
Together.
“Gobble, gobble, gobble.” (Wiggle right thumb.)
“Quack, quack, quack.” (Wiggle left thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow right thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow left thumb.)
And they both walked back! (Wiggle thumbs behind your back.)

Handprint Turkey

This idea is old as the hills, but it will be new to the children in your classroom. Have children place their hand on a sheet of paper extending all the fingers. Trace. Children turn the thumb into the head of the turkey and color the other fingers to look like feathers. Add legs, and there’s your turkey! 

*You can also do this with paint. Paint brown paint on the child’s palm, red on the thumb, and a different color on each finger. Press firmly on a sheet of paper. Add legs and other details.

Turkey Glyph
What a fun math project for a small group of a center. Each child will need a cut out of a turkey's body. Provide them with paper feathers in the following colors. Children can add feathers to their turkey according to the foods they plan to eat for their Thanksgiving Dinner:
green – beans or peas
yellow – corn
white - mashed potatoes
orange – pumpkin pie
red – cranberries
purple – gravy
blue – dressing
brown – turkey
black – roll

*Challenge children to identify what their friends will eat from their turkeys.

GOOD OLD DAYS

Teachers all over the USA are thankful that this is a short week! Forget "skills" and give your children some special memories. Here is a song memory from when I was little girl many, many years ago. It's still a great song and a meaningful way to compare/contrast and talk an about the "olden days."

Over the River
(Traditional Tune)
Over the river and through the woods (Pretend to hold reins of a sleigh
To grandmother’s house we go. and drive as you bounce up and down.)
The horse knows the way (Put hands behind back and nod
To carry the sleigh like a horse.)
Through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the woods, (Pretend to drive sleigh.)
Oh, how the wind does blow. (Wrap arms around self and shiver.)
It stings your toes and bites your nose (Touch nose and point to toes.)
As over the ground we go.

Through the country and cities far (Pretend to drive a car.)
In sun or wind or rain.
We might go by train (Pull down on train whistle.)
We might take a plane. (Fly hand like a plane in the air.)
Or maybe a bus or car. (Hold out right hand, then left.)
Through low valleys and mountains high (Look down low and then up.)
Now, grandmother’s house I spy. (Hand over eyes.)
Hurrah, for the fun! (One fist in the air.)
Is the turkey done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! (Cheer with other fist.)

Comparisons – Use a Venn diagram to compare what it would be like to visit grandmother a long time ago and how we visit now. How are things the same? How are they different?


Graphs – Make a graph of how they will travel to their Thanksgiving dinner. Car? Plane? Train? Bus? Boat? Stay at home!


Olden Days
Bring in a rotary phone, typewriter, record player, and camera. (A note to parents might help you find one of these.) Talk about how they were used when their grandparents were kids. What do we use now instead?
*Hint! I think it's important for children to know what these items are because most of the books copyrighted before 2000 have pictures or reference them.

                                               

                           

THANKFUL BOOKS

Are you working on lesson plans today? Here are some books to encourage the "authors" in your classroom this week. These are a good example of what I call a "rabbit trap." Children will want to write in them, read them, and then take them home and share them with their families.

Napkin Book
Purchase seasonal napkins at the dollar store. Cut paper (4-36 sheets) the size of the napkin and staple it inside. Children can draw pictures and write about what they are thankful for.

Paper Plate Book
You'll need paper plates, blank paper, and pipe cleaners (cut in half) to make this book. Cut 8" circles out of the blank paper. Put 4 sheets of the blank paper between the two paper plates, punch a hole at the top, and bind with a pipe cleaner. Children can draw favorite foods or write what they are thankful for in this book.
*Younger children could cut out foods they like from magazines or grocery store flyers.

Thanksgiving Journal
Children can make this book and then use it over the holidays to record what they do. For each book you will need 2 sheets of white paper, a sheet of construction paper, a plastic fork, and a rubber band. Place the white paper on top of the construction paper and fold in half. Punch two holes 3" from the top on bottom on the creased side as shown. Insert the rubber band in one whole and loop the end of the fork through it. Insert the other end of the rubber band through the other hole and secure the fork.
Hint! Large plastic forks and skinny rubber bands work best.

We Give Thanks
(Tune: “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore”)
We give thanks for food we eat.
Hallelujah.
We give thanks for food we eat
Hallelujah.
We give thanks for families…
We give thanks for friends so dear…
We give thanks for all the earth…

*Let children suggest other things they are thankful for and insert the words in the song.

Here is a link to run off the above book.
drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/11_Nov/1booksNov/weGiveThanks.pdf

THANKSGIVING STORY BRACELET

This has been one of the most popular posts on my website. I have done this countless times with different age groups and they always love it. (A big craft distributor "borrowed" this idea and sells a kit - and you'll see countless adaptations on Pinterest.) But, if you want the original REAL deal with the poem my daughter wrote, here it is! It's a craft that reinforces oral language, sequencing, and retelling a story.

Hint! It's going to be an "investment" when you buy the beads, so this might be a project to hand over to a parent. You can buy individual bags of beads or just buy a large container of beads at Walmart and let the children pick out the colors they will need. The only color I had difficulty finding was brown, so I just bought a little package of brown wooden beads.


Materials: white, blue, green, black, brown, red, orange, yellow beads, pipe cleaners

Directions: Say the poem and demonstrate how to insert the beads when the appropriate color is mentioned. Model this several times and encourage the children to recall the colors and fill in words that rhyme.

Write the colors in order and put the pipe cleaners and beads in a center for the children to construct independently. You could also do this as a small group activity with younger children. Practice telling the story as the children touch the beads for a prompt. Make sure to send home a copy of the poem with the bracelet so parents can reinforce this activity at home.

Thanksgiving Story Bracelet

With this bracelet you will know (Start with 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 a 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 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 the turkey and dressing,
They all held hands for a thankful blessing.
(Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner to make a bracelet.)

LET'S TALK TURKEY!

Let's Talk Turkey Today!

Albuquerque Turkey(Tune: “My Darlin’ Clementine”)
Albuquerque is a turkey (Put hands on hips like wings.)
And he’s feathered and he’s fine.
And he wobbles and he gobbles (Strut and wiggle.)
And he’s absolutely mine.

He’s the best pet you can get, (Pretend to stroke a turkey’s head.)
Better than a dog or cat.
He’s my Albuquerque turkey,
And I’m awfully proud of that.

Albuquerque is a turkey,
And he’s happy in his bed. (Lay hands on palms as you smile.)
Cause for our Thanksgiving dinner,
We’ll have pizza pie instead! (Palm up in the air like a pizza.)

Sing with me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQoMbLaHM8A


Turkey Handshake

One child makes a fist and sticks out her thumb to make the head and body of a turkey. The other child opens his palm, spreads the fingers apart, and puts it next to their partner’s fist to make tail feathers.

Handprint Turkey

This idea is old as the hills, but it will be new to the children in your classroom. Have children place their hand on a sheet of paper extending all the fingers. Trace. Children turn the thumb into the head of the turkey and color the other fingers to look like feathers. Add legs, and there’s your turkey! You can also do this with paint. Paint brown paint on the child’s palm, red on the thumb, and a different color on each finger. Press firmly on a sheet of paper. Add legs and other details.

Turkey Glyph
What a fun math project for a small group of a center. Each child will need a cut out of a turkey's body. Provide them with paper feathers in the following colors. Children can add feathers to their turkey according to the foods they plan to eat for their Thanksgiving Dinner:

green – beans or peas
yellow – corn
white - mashed potatoes
orange – pumpkin pie
red – cranberries
purple – gravy
blue – dressing
brown – turkey
black – roll

*Challenge children to identify what their friends will eat from their turkeys.


Mr. Turkey and Mr. Duck
Mr. Turkey went for (Start with hands behind your back.)
A walk one day (Bring right thumb out in front of you.)
In the very best
Of weather.
He met Mr. Duck (Bring left thumb out in front.)
Along the way
And they talked (Have thumbs look at each other.)
Together.
“Gobble, gobble, gobble.” (Wiggle right thumb.)
“Quack, quack, quack.” (Wiggle left thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow right thumb.)
“Good-bye.” (Bow left thumb.)
And they both walked back! (Wiggle thumbs behind your back.)

Gobble, Gobble
Gobble, gobble. (Teacher says.)
Who is that? (Children respond.)
Mr. Turkey (Children and teacher say together.)
Big and fat!

He is big and fat and he (Spread arms wide.)
Gobble, gobble, gobbles. (Wiggle from side to side with hands on hips.)
He spreads his tail and he (Fan arms behind you.)
Gobble, gobble, gobbles. (Wiggle from side to side with hands on hips.)
But when Thanksgiving Day is here, (Point finger.)
Then it’s our turn to
GOBBLE! GOBBLE! GOBBLE! (Pretend to spoon food in your mouth!)

GRATEFUL

Some of you are cooking, some of you are traveling, some of you are sleeping, but I hope you all take a moment today to pause and count your blessings. I'm not sure who wrote this, but I hope you are all BLESSED today and every day!

Today is a day of blessing.

I bless you.

I bless your heart.

I bless your life.

I bless your health.

I bless your home.

I bless your family.

I bless your work.

I bless your spiritual life.

I bless your finances and all your projects!

May your day overflow with blessings!

A Special Blessing!

We've all had parents who have caused us stress and frustration.  (Yes, even Dr. Jean had parents she couldn't please.)  However, this is such a beautiful story about what a positive impact one teacher had on a child's life...so powerful that little girl's mother is donating a kidney to that teacher.  I'll let Jamie Sunderland tell  you more about it:

I wanted to share my story with you because you have inspired so many, and my hope is my story will inspire you. I am a teacher at a small private school in Chattanooga, TN. I am receiving a kidney transplant on January 3, 2023 from a former student’s parent. I taught that student in Pre-K 4. I also taught that student last year, virtually, because she had been diagnosed with cancer and was unable to attend school in person. She’s doing amazingly well now. She’s thriving and is back in person. She is on an oral maintenance chemo for the next two years, but overall is doing great! Her mom is selflessly donating her kidney to me. I’m attaching a news story that was done about our transplant, it was done prior to confirmation of transplant date. Now we have everything scheduled and in less than two months, I will have a second chance at life. I’m also attaching our gofundme, not to get a donation, instead my hope is you will read the entire story there. That sums up everything that fell into place and why we feel so strongly that this is God at work. Thank you for who you are and the joy you put into teaching. 

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Mother of local student makes life-saving donation to child's former teacher local3news.com

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Kidney Shaped Love..., organized by Jennifer Robinson gofund.me

P.S.  Here's a delightful video that Jamie made with her family during the pandemic.  Yes, that's why we are BFF's!

https://youtu.be/alDYM7sAt8U 

TURKEY WIGGLES

I don't know about you, but I've got the Turkey wiggles this week. (That means I'm ready to get the Thanksgiving party started!!!) Here are some ideas that might help your children move, learn, and release their Turkey wiggles!

Jump
Jump as you read the words on the word wall, count to 100, and repeat other information.

*Children can also march or do other movements as they repeat skills.

Phonercise
Put your hands in the air and say the letter "A." Put your hands on your shoulders and make the /a/ sound. Touch your toes and say a word that starts with that sound. Continue going through the alphabet.

*Ask older children to say words that are nouns, verbs, or other parts of speech.

Stand Up
Simply asking the children to stand up gets blood going to the brain. They can stand up when they read, count, or review other information.

Air Writing
Ask children to make numerals, shapes, letters, or write words in the air with their "magic" finger.

Foot Writing
Use feet to write words, letters, answers to math facts, etc.
 

Pantomime
Have children stand and dramatize spelling words or vocabulary words.


Balancing Review
Have children stand. Can they balance on their right foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.

*Can they balance on their left foot and read word wall words?

*Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg as they say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?

*Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg and read big books and classroom print?

*Can they balance on their toes and read big books and other classroom print?