New! 2014 Thanksgiving Day Books

Every parent I know tries to teach gratitude and appreciation to their children all year long. Most of them model appreciation every time they can. Some blow me away with their volunteer efforts that surely show their kids how to give back. 

No matter what you do to help raise children who will grow up to be thankful for other's small gestures or great kindness, it is always nice to have reminders around the house. Our family always turns to books to teach us of course, but also to help me emphasize any given point I need to make. Books help us express our feelings a little better, see how characters deal with situations like ours, and to inspire us to dream big!

Right now, the theme of gratitude is everywhere! We are quickly approaching the holiday season and it shows. On a recent trip to the bookstore, we noticed rows and rows of Thanksgiving theme books. I thought, "Why not keep some of these books out and on full display all year long?" They could be little reminders to us and to children to count our lucky stars.

While there, I also started to compile a list of the latest books on gratitude for you and your little ones. All of the books listed below were published this year. Some are available on paperback and for Kindle.

Enjoy!

Pinkalicious: Thanksgiving Helper by Victoria Kann

Thanksgiving Stories by Uncle Amon

The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing

The First Thanksgiving for Kids: How Thanksgiving Came to Be  by Ian D. Fraser

Thanksgiving for Emily Ann by Teresa Johnston

El pavo de accion de gracias by Cassie Willows

Junie B, First Grader: Turkey's We Have Loved and Eaten by Barbara Park

What is Thanksgiving? by Michelle Medlock Adams

The Fantastic Gifts of Fall by Dandi Mackall

We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season by Wendy Pfeffer

Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over

at MyFriendBettySays.com.

MommyMaestra's Thanksgiving Resources

I'm ending this week with a recap and reminder of all the Thanksgiving resources I've already shared here on MommyMaestra (and a few other places) over the last few years. This way you don't have to go digging around the blog trying to find them. Good stuff coming up next week!

PRINTABLES

Bilingual Thanksgiving Mobile - This mobile has proven to be one of the most popular fall printables that I've made. It is a lot of hands-on fun and preschoolers can even put it together with just a little help from an adult.

Bilingual Fall Activity Pack - Perfect for keeping your preschooler, kindergartner or first grader busy one day this week while you're working on Thanksgiving preparations.

Bilingual Bookmarks - Download this set of three bilingual bookmarks for free at my TpT store.

The Muppets' Road Trip Game - If you're driving long distances to visit los abuelos this holiday, check out this fun set of printables created last year for the premiere of the last Muppet movie.


HISTORY

Top 5 Thanksgiving Myths - How many of these myths did you believe were true?

Bilingual Resources for Thanksgiving - A great list of awesome resources, some in English and some in Spanish.

10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Thanksgiving - 10 great ways to spend staying busy with your kids Thanksgiving week on Mamiverse.


BOOKS & CRAFTS

MommyMaestra's Thanksgiving Pinterest Board - Have you seen my board, yet? It's FULL of Thanksgiving goodness!!

Bilingual Thanksgiving Books - The giveaway is now closed, but the books are still wonderful!


RECIPES - Check out these Thanksgiving Week Specials...

Guavalicious...Turkey?

Pumpkin Empanadas

Butternut Squash Tamales

Top 5 Thanksgiving Myths

Graphics by Maree Truelove

Like most legends, the story of America's first Thanksgiving has changed over time to include some not-so-accurate details. Is it a big deal? Meh. To be honest, I don't think it matters really if my kids go around drawing pictures of Pilgrims wearing big hats with buckles, or Native Americans with feathered headbands.  

I do try to take the time to research what we're studying, and I try to present the whole truth - with consideration as to what is appropriate for my kids' ages. They are 5 and 7. At this stage, I'm not making them memorize dates and other cold facts. I'm simply sharing the stories so that when they study the history in greater detail later, they'll be able to proceed with confidence knowing that they already know some of the story, and that they (hopefully!) enjoyed learning about it the first time!

Here, then, are five Thanksgiving myths we were surprised to discover...

5) Sorry - no sweet potatoes or pumpkin pie! The Pilgrims didn't have a clue about sweet potatoes at this point. And since there was no sugar, pies and (cranberry) sauces were out of the question. (PS - Did you know the Spanish word for sweet potatoes is "camotes?")

4) Los peregrinos, or the Pilgrims, did not walk around in black clothes wearing hats with buckles. According to History.com, "Buckles did not come into fashion until later in the seventeenth century and black and white were commonly worn only on Sunday and formal occasions. Women typically dressed in red, earthy green, brown, blue, violet, and gray, while men wore clothing in white, beige, black, earthy green, and brown."

3) The Pilgrims first landed at Plymouth Rock. Actually, they first landed at Cape Cod. But they didn't like the area, so they kept looking until they found a good harbor, land, and a freshwater river.

2) The Native Americans lived in teepees. The Wampanoags actually lived in wetus ("WEE-toos"), rounded structures covered with woven grasses.

1) America's first true Thanksgiving actually occurred 56 years prior to Plymouth Rock, in the town of St. Augustine, Florida. (I mean, it makes sense, no? Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492. You'd think someone would have had a feast of thanksgiving in the 100+ years that followed, wouldn't you?) The event in St. Augustine took place between a group of Spanish conquistadores - led by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés - and the Timucua Indians. The preferred language at the historic event was actually Spanish, not English! And the main dish? Why frijoles, of course!


From the MommyMaestra family to yours...may you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Un abrazo fuerte,

Bilingual Fall/Otoño Activity Pack {PRINTABLE}



For those of you who need a little distraction today to keep the nenes busy while you are in the kitchen - a gift from MommyMaestra. A 20-page, fall-themed, activity pack for kids PreK-1st.  Includes 20 pages of educational goodness:

• Number recognition (1-10)
• Finish the pattern
• Find the difference
• Size sequencing
• Montessori nomenclature cards (English & Spanish)
• Beginning sound recognition (Bilingual)
• Graphing
• Alphabet (English & Spanish)
• Bingo cards
• Reading recommendations
• And more...

This fall activity pack is now available in my TpT shop.

This is my first zip file. I always welcome feedback, so please let me know if you experience any difficulties or find any mistakes so I can correct them for everyone.

Enjoy!

Bilingual Thanksgiving Mobile {Printable}

Technically, this week is dedicated to CHOCOLATE (Yay!), but I am going to sneak in a few Thanksgiving printables that I've created for my kids and thought you might enjoy as well.

The first is a bilingual mobile that we created as a Thanksgiving decoration. It includes six Thanksgiving/Fall-themed images in both English and Spanish. It is a simple mobile, a good activity for small hands. You can download it by clicking on the image below.

Feliz Día de acción de gracias!

Spanish Thanksgiving Books {GIVEAWAY}

Today's giveaway is part of MommyMaestra's collaboration with authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy.

For Spanish-speaking families and classrooms, we have two amazing books on the subject of Thanksgiving: Celebra el Día de Acción de Gracias con Beto y Gaby by Ada and Campoy, and ¿Pavo para el Cena de Gracias? -¡No, gracias! written by Ada and illustrated by Vivi Escrivá.

I want to thank Santillana publishing company, as they have graciously offered a copy of each book as a giveaway for MommyMaestra readers.

Celebra el Día de Acción de Gracias con Beto y Gaby is part of the authors' Cuentos para celebrar collection. It is the story of Beto and Gaby who are disappointed when their family members begin calling to say they can't make it to Thanksgiving dinner because of a snow storm. But Abuelita has an idea...You can read a more detailed description here.

¿Pavo para el Cena de Gracias? -¡No, gracias! is an excellent companion book to Charlotte's Web. This book follows the story of a turkey who is worried about being Thanksgiving supper and the spider who sets out to save him. You can see/read a few sample pages here.

Teachers and parents who are looking for Spanish-language children's literature for the upcoming holiday will appreciate these books.

THE GIVEAWAY

One lucky MommyMaestra reader will win both books.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, November 20th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! Open to United States residents only.

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post in the comments below.

2.) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following: Win 2 Spanish-language children's books about Thanksgiving! http://bit.ly/uAiGWV @LatinMami Spanish #reading #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This giveaway is offered in collaboration with the authors. I have not been compensated in any way for offering this giveaway, and it results from my contacting them and asking for a contribution to our Music in Education series.

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Panamama!

The Muppets' Road Trip Game {PRINTABLE}

Are you headed out of town for Thanksgiving? We're not, but I'm doing a lot of shopping this next week which means a lot of time in the car and stores with my kids. And I thought, well, since we ALL KNOW what's coming out exactly one week from today, maybe I'd go ahead and share the following printables that Disney sent me (and if you've seen them before, then you are apparently reading the same blogs I do! Lol.). Simply click on the pictures below to download each activity.

The funniest one, I think, is the Muppets' Road Trip Game, which includes hilarious challenges to keep the kids busy, such as seeing if they can spot:

• 1 Person who looks like a relative of Gonzo’s?
• 4 Miss Piggy fans (people singing to themselves, fixing their hair in a mirror, etc..)
• The letters of Disney’s "The Muppets" in license plates

You can also print up a couple of 3D Kermit and Fozzie Bear papercrafts.

Are you planning to go and see the new Muppet movie when it comes out? I am a die hard Muppet fan. I grew up watching the characters and I even have the series on MY Christmas wish list.

Download all these files here

When Jim Henson died, I felt such an incredible sadness for the whole world. I guess that was because I felt like he had had such a profound impact on my childhood that who knows how many other children found comfort and friendship in his beloved characters. As a child I fell in love with all of the Muppets, and I mourned the loss of such creativity and comedic genius.

It makes mi corazón so happy to know that his legacy will continue and that children today (especially my own!) will have a chance to come to know and love and laugh with the same special characters - Kermit, Miss Piggy, Foz, Gonzo, and so many more - as I did.

I want to make sure you all know that I received Disney promotional material all the time, but I'm pretty selective about what I share. Mostly, I choose those things that I know my own children will love. I am not paid to talk about the films, but I simply share the activities and photos that I think may interest you all. And I am grateful to Disney for providing me the opportunity to offer these materials on MommyMaestra.

Wishing you all the happiest of weeks! (Thanksgiving is almost here - YAY!!!)

Bilingual Resources for Thanksgiving - Lesson Plans, Activities, & More

Looking for bilingual resources for Thanksgiving? Here's a list of lesson plans, activities, and videos - some in English and some in Spanish for you to use at home or in the classroom.

UPDATE: The last few years have seen more and more bilingual resources being published to the web. I've been keeping track and here's an updated list for teachers and parents to use with their kids.

LESSON PLANS & ACTIVITIES

English

• By far, I think the best lesson plan I've found is from Hubbard's Cupboard. We've enjoyed reading and doing many of the activities listed. In fact, we downloaded the Pilgrim, Pilgrim Emergent Reader Booklet and I had the kids memorize one of the poems to recite on Thanksgiving. This entire site is in English only.
  
  
• Scholastic also has an incredibly informative site (shown above) on the "first" Thanksgiving that includes a virtual field trip of Plimoth Plantation. 
  
  
• Heart and Soul Homeschooling has this great post of Thanksgiving Morning Basket Ideas
  
  
• Adventures in a Messy Life has a wonderful outside-of-the-box Lego history of Thanksgiving that is sure to delight your children.
  
  
• Rock Your Homeschool has this fun list of 10 Free Thanksgiving Printables Pack Full of Fun Activities for Kids and also this easy activity: Free Thanksgiving Toilet Paper Roll Figures for Holiday Fun
  
  
• Humility and Doxology has the non-crafty mom in mind, as well as those traveling for Thanksgiving, with this post on Easy Thanksgiving Activities for the Whole Family 
  
  
• Homeschool Share has this great Turkey Math Mat for PreK - 1st and includes a free printable.
  
  
• The Purposeful Nest has these FREE Thanksgiving Coloring Pages for Kids
  
  
• Blessed Homeschool has this comprehensive list of 40 Unique Thanksgiving Creative Writing Prompts for Pre-K through high school.

Spanish

• Primera Escuela has a few activities and handouts in Spanish for the holiday. And likewise, their English counterpart, First School, has the same downloads in English.
  
  
• Srta Spanish has these great Day Before Thanksgiving Break Activities for Secondary Spanish Students. She also has this excellent post on Thanksgiving Movie Talk, which is excellent for boosting conversational skills in Spanish.
  
  
• Mis Clases Locas also has an excellent post on Thanksgiving in Spanish Class 2023. I love her Música Indígena activity!

Printables

Here is a list of my bilingual printables for Thanksgiving. They are for a variety of ages and come in both English and Spanish.

You may also enjoy these Free Día de Acción de Gracias Printables for Elementary 

Don't forget that our sponsor Spanish for You! offers a sampling of their wonderful program with these free downloads that you can find here on MommyMaestra:

• Thanksgiving Lucky Roll Game in Spanish
• Thanksgiving Fun Freebie in Spanish
• Día de acción de gracias Printable Game Cards & Audio
• Fall & Thanksgiving Word Search in Spanish

Audio & Video

We also really enjoyed listening to the following:

• Thanksgiving stories from Short-Story-Time.com. They offer a handful of free audios that captivated my children. English only.
  
  
• Thank you, Gracias: A Thanksgiving Song by Canticos. Bilingual song w/video.
  
  
• Dia de Accion de Gracias- Thanksgiving Day Bilingual Song by Music with Sara. Bilingual song w/video.
  
  
• "Doy Gracias" (Thanksgiving Short Spanish Story) by Mi Camino Spanish. Spanish only.

MommyMaestra's Thanksgiving Week

Welcome to Thanksgiving Week on MommyMaestra. I have some wonderful bilingual resources lined up for you and another giveaway, so be sure to check back often (and share MM with your amigos!). 

There are already so many incredible activities, decorations, and crafts described on the internet. My Pinterest Thanksgiving board is filling up! If you haven't been following it, feel free to go and take a look and see if you find something wonderful to do with your kids.

Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday of the year because all I have to do is do a little cooking, show up, and eat.

But most importantly, I love the reminder to be thankful. I spend these few weeks reflecting on and remembering what it is I hold closest to my heart. I think about my family and I take time to think about the things I love most about them.

I also wonder how it is I can help teach my children about being thankful and how can I help them learn to express that gratitude. I've been trying to think of some sort of action or gift we can create ourselves to give to those we appreciate. Something we can easily do each year.

Does your family have a special tradition that you reserve for this time of year?