The Values We Learn from Thanksgiving

The beginning point for any study of a holiday for us at Zimmer, is what are the values we want our children to understand? Examining the Thanksgiving holiday from this perspective allowed our kindergarten children to engage in meaningful dialogue and gain a thoughtful understanding about Thanksgiving, one that became relevant to their own lives.

Specifically, kindergarten examined the values of communication, gratitude and perseverance from the Thanksgiving holiday. As we explored the idea of communication, we talked about how the Pilgrims had to find ways to communicate with the Native Americans when they first came to America. We spoke about the idea of "non-verbal" communication and how we often use non-verbal ways to communicate. We role-played together various scenarios when we can use our bodies to express how we are feeling or to communicate an idea. We used facial expressions, body movements, hand motions...etc. This process lead us to talking about our "attitude", and that our "attitude" makes up all of these non-verbal and verbal messages we put out in to the world. Our friends and people who come in contact with us "read" our attitude and it affects the way they act towards us. This really helped the children understand why their friends react to them in certain ways. Throughout the weeks preceding Thanksgiving, we could often be heard asking in kindergarten, "what is your attitude saying now?"

Naturally, our study of Thanksgiving involved reading stories. Over the course of a week, we read the chapter book, The Pilgrims at Plymouth, by Lucille Recht. As we learned more about the Thanksgiving story, the children came to understand that the Pilgrims had a strong desire to leave England and start a new life, and so they were willing to work really hard to overcome the hardships they found in America. They persevered despite the difficult journey and the barren land they came to call home. In fact, the children discovered many ways that they thought the Pilgrims were grateful even with all the hardships they endured!

"The pilgrims got help from the Native Americans...they helped them grow crops and catch fresh fish!" "That they did not sink!” "That they had food on the boat." "The Native Americans did not hurt them" "Just for getting to land" "That the Mayflower held a lot of people" "For freedom" "They could pray as they wanted in America" "They could learn new things" "That they could leave England" "In England, you could go to jail or be killed if you got caught praying the 'wrong way', so they were grateful to be alive" "That the Mayflower did not catch on fire!"

We then discussed that the Pilgrims were grateful for the very basics of life...because they were happy to be alive, safe and free. Their attitude was one of gratefulness...and so they shared their harvest meal with the Native Americans who helped them. So, we said, we have so many wonderful blessings in our lives, (parents, family, health, etc.) and so many material things too. (toys, clothes, homes, etc.) It would be so nice, if like the Pilgrims, we could express an "Attitude of Gratitude!” Each child spoke about something that made them feel grateful (we specifically tried to think of the Pilgrims being so happy for very basic things...) and we then illustrated our idea. We put them all together in a wall hanging, to demonstrate our "class' collective ideas of demonstrating an attitude of gratitude!

The children really enjoyed our discussions about communication and the importance of communicating effectively. Next, we explored the Native American symbols and how they use them to communicate. During centers the children really enjoyed copying them, and talking about their meanings. We made rainmakers to use at our special music program, and after painting them, the children added the Native American Symbols they liked best!

Our yearlong mission of becoming "our best self" has often been a topic during our study of Thanksgiving. As we learn to communicate effectively, and think about our attitude, this helps us become "our best self". As we come to appreciate our blessings, this too, helps us become our "best self". When we become frustrated we sometimes need to reevaluate our emotions, take a deep breath, and keep trying...All of these things help us work towards becoming our best self!