Thanksgiving feast a month-long preparation for CCS second graders

Instead of rushing from Halloween to Christmas, second grade uses November as a month of observing traditions and showing thanks to properly prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas.
One well-loved and educational tradition we include is our annual Thanksgiving feast.
We begin our festivities early in the month with a study of the pilgrims and their voyage to America. We learn the history of the holiday and how they made their new life here.
The students enjoy exploring the lives of the Native Americans and how they helped and taught the pilgrims to survive their first winter in America. Comparing the lives of children then and now is surprising to the students.
Our early days are also filled with arts and crafts. Each child prepares decorations for their table. They make individualized placemats, name place cards and centerpieces to help create a festive area for a Thanksgiving feast.
During reading we enjoy reading and preparing short Thanksgiving plays that are shared with others during the week. The students enjoy applying what they have learned.
Etiquette lessons including proper grooming, nice dress, table setting, table manners, pleasant dinner conversation and escorting our guests to their seats are discussed prior to the big day.
The final activity is preparing and enjoying the Thanksgiving feast. Students experience planning, shopping, food preparation, decorating and, finally, enjoying the feast.
Students are randomly drawn to select and purchase supplies during a trip to a local grocery store. A hands-on experience exploring the thawed turkey introduces us to a week of fun and educational experiences.
We bake homemade bread, cook fresh strawberry jam, shake real butter, grind cranberry relish, bake corn casserole, peel white and sweet potatoes, cut fresh veggies, bake turkey and mixed up pumpkin dessert. We learn how to measure, follow directions, use cooking tools, work as a team and the needs of hosting a special event.
Special guests within the school are invited by handmade invitation to join us for tour feast. We enjoy letting them know how thankful we are that they are part of our educational system. They receive a small token of appreciation prepared by the students.
Each classroom prepares songs and poems to entertain our friends and guests. Then, of course, the clean up includes all hands on deck.
Lifelong memories of our Thanksgiving feast are formed and cherished for years to come by Chase County students.
This traditional and very special event helps us meet many required Nebraska Standards, as well.