1-2-3 Come Learn About Pilgrim Children With Me!

Happy TBT (Throw Back Thursday!) Here are a few "Oldies" but "Goodies" that I think you'll enjoy.

Having taught about the first Thanksgiving and Pilgrims for years, I thought I was pretty knowledgeable.  My husband and I also visited the outstanding Plimoth Plantation, in Plymouth Massachusettes, which made me appreciate the hardships these people endured even more.   If you've never been to this historical place, I highly recommend it!

I thought it would be fun to delve into the life of a child during 1620.  I felt students would find it very interesting to compare themselves with a Pilgrim child's life. 

After over 30 hours doing research, visiting countless websites and perusing 20+ books, I learned so many interesting facts, and truly enjoyed this journey of discovery.  I hope you will too.  Click on the link to view/download the Pilgrim Children Packet.

Start with the KWL to see where your kiddo's are at.  I've included one in color to do as a whole group, and another in black line for students to fill in on their own. 

Afterwards, introduce your study, by reading several non-fiction as well as fictional books.  I've included a bibliography of 25 of my all-time favorite Pilgrim books.  Later, ask your students if they think that the Pilgrim children who lived during that time period, were really different than the children of today.

I feel there is no better way to launch children into comparison and contrast, that's easy and understandable, than to use Venn diagrams.  I've included 12 different Venn diagrams in the packet, so that children can compare & contrast clothing, chores, homes, and education, as well as games and toys.

Students can work independently, with a partner, or you can do the Venn diagrams as a whole group activity. 

Personally, I'd start as a whole group and use the partially filled-in Venn diagrams, so that students can learn more interesting facts about the Pilgrim children.

Each Venn diagram has a blank template, as well as a partially filled in one. The circle for present day children can be filled in via a discussion.  Choose a different Venn diagram each day, so interest remains high and the amount of content is not overwhelming. 

After you have completed all of the Venn diagrams as a whole group, have children pick a partner, and choose a blank Venn diagram to fill in together.  This not only reinforces facts, but becomes a tool for you to assess comprehension as well.

Now that students have quite a bit of knowledge about Pilgrim children compared to the children of today, have a discussion where students process this information and come to some conclusions.  There's a writing extension for this.

I've also included 4 graphic organizers for even more writing practice + several interesting writing prompts that I think your students will enjoy. 

I made a list of the 31 children who were aboard the Mayflower and included their ages.  Your kiddo's will find some of the names rather odd, like Truelove, Humility, and Wrestling. 

Have students choose a Pilgrim child and write a letter to them.  Based on their new knowledge, they could also write a letter back written from the Pilgrim child's point of view! 

Besided writing, I wanted to toss in a bit of math.  Finding interesting measurement activities is not always easy, but the Mayflower as well as the Pilgrims' homes, provide great segways.  I've given the dimensions and converted square feet for you, so that you can chalk off the hold of the ship, where the Pilgrims were crammed for 65 long days, as well as the measurements of the Pilgrims' 1-room homes. 

When your students stand inside the chalk lines they will truly understand size and the cramped conditions these children experienced!

Finally, I know your kiddo's will enjoy learning about the games Pilgrim children played, as well as what toys they had.  You can start out by asking students if they think that the games they played were different than what some children of today play. 

They may be surprised to find out, that some of the games that the Pilgrims played are still around today, and that many common games, were derived from days of old. 

I've listed directions of how to play a dozen games, including the popular Nine Man's Morrice (pictured), which is available as an APP.  I hope your personal little Pilgrims will enjoy them. 

All of these activities can be found in the Pilgrim Children Packet click on the link to view/download it.  Now that your students are familiar with the life of a Pilgrim child, scroll down to the next article, and have your kiddos write letters to their classmates, as if they were really a youngster living during this tiime period.  

Thanks for visiting.  Now that some of my computer work is done for the day, it's time to make a big pot of vegetable beef barley soup.  The frost is indeed on the pumpkins, so it's the perfect day for a nice hot bowl of mmm mmm good!

"Be thankful for what you have and you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." -Ophra Winfrey

1-2-3 Come Do Some Pilgrim Activities With Me!

I'm always open to suggestions for 10-frames templates.  They are such a wonderful vehicle for teaching all sorts of math concepts, so it's nice to revisit them each month. 

By changing the theme and manipulatives for the cards, you keep things fresh and interesting; so when Kathie, over in Montana, asked for a Pilgrim set, I whipped some together and thought others might enjoy them too.  Click on the link to view/download the Pilgrim 10 Frames packet.

The easy reader 1-2-3 Count Pilgrims With Me is a wonderful accompaniment.

• Students read, trace and write the number and number word.
• They see a pilgrim in a sentence and say it.
• They spy the number in a sequence and circle it.
• They X-out that many boxes or use a bingo dot marker or stamp.
• They cut and glue the set/group of pilgrims to the matching numbered box.

The packet also includes:

• 3 graphing extensions
• 30-word wall word/number flashcards
• Covers for the flashcards to make Itty Bitty Books
• A "Plus one more" math skill sheet &
• A certificate of praise.

As long as I was diddling around with my master templates, I decided to make a Pilgrim Shape Game packet too.  I've included a shape spinner in the newer shape game packets. 

You can continue to use the laminated shape cards in a math center, or you can have students pick a partner and take turns spinning.  

Whatever shape they land on, they place the matching shape tile on the twin Pilgrim card.  Make extra sets, and reinforce colors too.  Using a dry erase marker, students color in whatever shape they spin with that matching color.   Click on the link to view/download the Pilgrim Shape Games.

In another Pilgrim-themed math game, students work on their addition skills.  They take turns rolling dice to come up with an answer, and then color the sum that they find on the Pilgrim coloring sheet.   Click on the link to view/download the Pilgrim additon coloring game.

I See "Sum" Fall Puzzles includes some Pilgrim/Thanksgiving  templates and is also a math activity that can be set up as an independent center or played as a game. 

You can print, laminate and cut the puzzles to use in your math center, or run them off and have students cut and glue them together.  There are blank templates so that you can do subtraction as well as addition. Click on the link above to view/download it.

Thanks for visiting.  As always feel free to PIN away. The "Pin it" button is located at the top, on the burgundy menu bar.  I design and blog daily, so I hope you can pop on by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES.

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving." -W.T. Purkiser