A Heart Full of Thanks Lesson Plan

What We Are Learning

Thanksgiving

social awareness

gratitude

letter recognition

My Heart Fills With Happiness, by Cree, Lakota, and Scottish-Canadian author Monique Gray Smith and Cree-Métis illustrator Julie Flett, is a wonderful book about gratitude. The book melds details of Indigenous culture with universal experiences. Whether you read before or after the issue, it is a perfect accompaniment. paired text

Math: Count on Thanksgiving

Materials: paper plates, play food or cut-out pictures of Thanksgiving food

This yummy game gets your students counting.
In advance, write numbers on paper plates. Create a center with the plates and the play food or cut-out pictures.
Have children look at the numbers on the plates. Then ask them to put that number of pieces of food on their plate. If you’d like, you can also work on language and vocabulary by asking children about the foods they’ve chosen. Do they know the names of the foods? Have they eaten them before? What do they taste like? counting/language

Materials: Leaf Template printable from website, scissors, watercolor paints, paintbrushes, markers, glue, string

Decorate your classroom while helping children reflect on what they’re thankful for.
In advance, make enough copies of the leaf template from the website so each child will get a leaf. Cut out the leaves.
Give each child a leaf to paint with watercolors. When the leaves have dried, ask each child to name something they are thankful for. It can be something they read about in the magazine or something else they think of. Record each child’s answer on their leaf. Later, during circle time, have children share their responses.
Then use the leaves to make a garland. Fold each stem in half to make a loop and glue or staple it in place. Then have children slide their leaves on the string. Hang the garland in the classroom for a colorful—and meaningful—decoration. gratitude