Mail from...Massachusetts (Happy Thanksgiving)

My first job away from home was on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, south of Boston.  While there I fell in love with New England.  Fortunately I still have all my photos from then because we haven't received our Massachusetts postcard.  It was fun this week looking through them with Beck.  And, of course he wanted to know if I saw a Black-Headed Chickadee (the Massachusetts State Bird) while I was there.  I can't say that I remember specifically that I did...

Sorry I'm not posting my own photos here,
 my scanner is being temperamental

Plymouth Rock
Have you been there?
 It's one of the most disappointing landmarks I've been to,
but still a cool part of history.

Since the 1st Thanksgiving took place in this great New England state, I decided to go ahead and study it without a postcard to go along with it.  Somehow I am always too slow to get the fun popular seasonal books at the library, but this time it worked out okay.  Instead of silly picture books, we ended up with three non-fiction books that tell the real story of Thanksgiving.  Beck & Peyton have been so quiet and patient while we look through them, and I've caught them pretending to be Indians that help the Pilgrims find fish and food and arguing over whether there was turkey at the 1st Thanksgiving.  This time being to slow at the library has worked out for me.

To go along with our stories, I printed out some Thanksgiving printable crafts at artistshelpingchildren.org.  I've provided the links to each one below...

Pilgrim Boy Foldable Paper Craft

(They also had a pilgrim girl)

Indian Boy (and Girl)

Turkey

(This one was not worth the stress, 

and now I can't find the link, so I think it must be a sign)

Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

For In Between the Turkey and the Pie

Thanksgiving Week & A New Focus

I like school weeks right before a holiday when we put the normal workbooks away and do something a little different.  This week we're using the Thanksgiving Pre-K pack I found at Over the Moon.

Beck especially loves the puzzles.

For today's craft/activity Beck & Peyton painted Indian Corn (an idea I saw at I Heart Crafty Things). 

 

And to make the week even more exciting, we've started a new chapter in Teaching Your Children Joy.  The last of the Physical Joys, this month we're focusing on Nature.  With all the other busy things going on this week, we're just going to take it easy.  Maybe we'll...

~ Look at picture books of animals, habitats, and plants

~Make an extra effort to point out things we're seeing outdoors

~And even though it's getting really cold, bundle up and take a nature walk around our neighborhood

What adventures are you having with your kids this holiday week?