1st Grade Thanksgiving at Roanoke


(November 2006) Roanoke first graders enjoyed a celebratory Thanksgiving luncheon provided by their families and served by the first grade teachers and volunteers.

"Holiday celebrations are a great teaching vehicle," explains Roanoke first grade teacher Keri Stromski, who helped coordinate the Thanksgiving Feast Day. "Studying about and celebrating Thanksgiving is actually part of first grade curriculum. First graders study families, traditions, family holidays and how families have changed over the years. It's part of their social studies curriculum. It's also a great opportunity to introduce a nonfiction unit into the reading curriculum, and the food is great," she concluded.

The celebration started with a song with drum accompaniment by Catherine Kent's first graders entitled "The Earth is our Mother."

"The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of her," her first graders sang.

During the meal, conversation to discover what the students had learned about the first Thanksgiving revealed that they had been reading and listening carefully.

"It took the Pilgrims two months and three days on the boat trip over to America," explained Jessica Huber, after swallowing her mashed potatoes.

"The first Thanksgiving lasted three days," explained Kadarus Gainey, who particularly enjoyed the rice and beans. "We read a book about The First Thanksgiving," he explained.

The Feast included the traditional Thanksgiving fare of turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn bread, and pie, but it also included turkey tamales wrapped in a spiced corn husk, rice and beans, pupusa, perogies and other wonderful dishes. Jamie Chicaspaiz declared that the turkey tamales were her favorite because her mom had made them, but then asked Mrs. Kent for another serving of mashed potatoes and gravy.