Do You Know Sarah?

Do you know Sarah Josepha Buell Hale? I didn't until this week.
As a part of our Thanksgiving studies I checked out the beautifully illustrated picture book "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" by Laurie Halse Anderson. ( A study guide can be found here.)

It was Mrs. Hale's 38 year letter writing campaign to make a National Day of Thanksgiving that finally landed on President Lincoln's desk during the Nation's unrest of the Civil War. Wow! 38 years. Mrs. Hale was not only an advocate for Thanksgiving but a teacher, writer, and one of America's first women editors. She published writers such as Poe, Hawthorne, and Emerson. And most importantly, she penned Mary Had A Little Lamb!!! The poem was based on a real day when a lamb followed one of her students to school and waited outside all day.

How did I not know about this amazing woman? Because my history education stink, stank, stunk Mr. Grinch, that's why. This is just the kind of thing I hope to overcome with G's education. I hope to give him a memorable, interesting, and thought provoking history education.

Gobble Gobble Up!

We made these adorable cookies for G's reading group at the Library. They turned out really sweet. I found the directions in my November teaching binder when I was searching for Thanksgiving activities.

2 wafer cookies
1 Reece Cup
1 Nutterbutter Cookie
2 mini M&Ms
3 yellow jelly beans
1 red jelly bean
5 candy corn
icing

Inspiring Literature

"Nobody Notices Minerva" but you can't miss G! LOL

Around the World in 180 Minutes

We had a fabulous time this weekend at the International Festival. This is the first time we have attended this event and it did not disappoint. We explored several counties as G filled out his mini passport. G's favorite was Taiwan. We visited this booth several times throughout the afternoon. It had drums to play, lions heads to wear and shadow puppets to dance. We also enjoyed building a marshmallow & toothpick Eiffel Tower, dancing, and window shopping. The International Festival was so great and brought our obsession with Amazing Race alive. OOh OOh, next year we can not only map the Amazing Race countries, which we are doing now, but make a point to visit those booths at the festival!

Carnival of Homeschooling

I am so thankful for the Nerd Family hosting this weeks carnival.

Thanksgiving Resources

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth.
By Jennie A. Brownscombe (1850-1936).
Painted in Honesdale, PA, or New York, 1914.
Material : Oil on canvas.

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/hpbrowns.htm

As I set out to plan this months activities about Thanksgiving I am overwhelmed by the need to be accurate. As a teacher, I always tried to teach my students the truth and I have learned more about this holiday since I have left the classroom. So, when you know more you do more. I have also learned this year that it is possible that my family tree links to one of the original Mayflower passengers so I really want G to learn more truth than myth.

Here is the pile of the links and books I will be wading through while I plan...

Links
The Pilgrims' 1621 Thanksgiving
The First Thanksgiving: A Feast of Activities
Are You Teaching the Real Story of the "First Thanksgiving"?
Pilgrim Hall Museum
Thanksgiving Resources for Teachers (K-2)
The Pilgrim's First Thanksgiving (variety)
Life at Plymouth Plantation

Books
Resources
Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters
Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy by Kate Waters
On the Mayflower: Voyage of the Ship's Apprentice & a Passenger Girl by Kate Waters
Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times by Kate Waters
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson
Our Thanksgiving Book by Moncure
The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward
N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims text by Robert San Souci
Who's That Stepping on Plymouth Rock? by Jean Fritz
The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross

Stories
Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen
Fried Feathers for Thanksgiving by James Stevenson
Arthur's Thanksgiving by Marc Brown
Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner by Lillian Hoban
The Know Nothings Talk Turkey by Michele Sobel Spirn
A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

Hands On


An American Adventure Play Set: Susanna White Winslow and her Pilgrim Family

Along with my overflowing 2 inch binder of resources from my classroom and what's a holiday without Snoopy & Charlie Brown (A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and The Mayflower Voyagers). LOL

Aqua Dots Recall

One of G's favorite toys is being recalled, Aqua Dots.
Please click on the link if you have not read the reason for the recall or need to return some.
If you know anyone who has these please tell them about the recall because they may not have heard. We are on our second box and have a third that is waiting to be "earned". I was also going to ask for some for him for Christmas. Unlike his Easy Bake Oven which Hasbro wanted back even after they send us replacement parts this is not a recall that can be ignored.

Under Construction

I have wanted a 3 column format from the beginning and just found some... so bear with me as I rebuild and play with the site.