Hilltop’s 1stGraders have been exploring Thanksgiving. In learning about its origin with the pilgrims and why it is celebrated today, students use reading, writing and social studies classes to learn more. Students were enthralled about what it was like to be a pilgrim coming to America and building a new life in a distant land. Students were intrigued by the Mayflower, with it’s tight quarters and meager rations for a trip across the Atlantic Ocean. It was hard to imagine only packing the things they needed to help them live, and not luxuries, both big and small that we take for granted each day.
In writer’s workshop, Hilltop’s 1st graders pretended to be pilgrim girls and boys and wrote about the type of clothing they wore, the chores they did each day and the games they played. They were intrigued by the differences between their lives and those of the pilgrim children. Students listened to stories about the relationship between the Native Americans and pilgrims. The local Native Americans were key to the survival of the pilgrims as they taught the newcomers how to grow food and survive in the land. The first graders finished their learning by completing a booklet about all the things they are thankful for in their lives. Take some time this Thanksgiving to appreciate all that you have in your lives, especially your amazing children!
