PreschoolFirst Curriculum Connections

Thanksgiving is a time of family gatherings and food celebrations. Young children know that Americans eat turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie at a traditional Thanksgiving feast to celebrate the harvest in a new land. However, on the voyage to the new land - food was not so plentiful!

One fun way to learn about food the Pilgrims ate on the voyage is to set up a mock Mayflower in the classroom and to reenact the voyage.

Here's what you'll need:

Brown craft paper
CD-DieWalküre: Ride of the Valkyries, by Wagner or Weather/Water (ISBN: B00008FWVT)
CD Player
Dress Up items such as colored shoes, hats, dresses, colored fabric scraps, old sheets
Paper bags
Sheets of colored tissue and craft paper
Different color crepe paper streamers
Thick colored markers
Glue sticks
Scotch tape
Leaves and natural found objects
Full length found objects
Any color paint & paint brush

Here's what you'll do with your oldest toddlers and preschoolers:

Prior to the activity, set up a "Mock Mayflower" in a large area of the classroom. Push the tables aside and arrange the chairs to create the large shape of a hull. Place the chairs side by side, with the seats all facing inside, and leave an opening the size of one chair on one side of the hull. Use a roll of brown craft paper and wrap it around the backs of the chairs to create the sides of the ship. Paint the word "Mayflower" in large red letters on the brown paper stern (back) of the boat. Get a CD recording of storm sounds such as DieWalküre: Ride of the Valkyries, by Wagner or Weather/Water (ISBN: B00008FWVT) from the library or store. Place the CD and a CD or tape player near the mock Mayflower where you can easily turn it on and off.

Create an attractive "Pilgrim Dress Up Place" dress-up area by arranging several neutral colored shoes, hats, dresses, folded colored fabric scraps, old sheets, paper bags cut to make vests, sheets of colored tissue and craft paper, different color crepe paper streamers, thick colored markers, glue sticks, tape, leaves & natural found objects, along with any other interesting items you can think of in the housekeeping area. Make a large "Pilgrim Dress Up Place" sign and place a full-length safety mirror in the area. Place a few books nearby that show the typical dress from the early 1600's. Ask one teacher to take photos during the entire activity.

Prior to the activity, invite those children who want to dress up to the "Pilgrim Dress Up Place." Point out that the Pilgrims wore simple colored clothing, not the type of bright colored clothing we wear today. Station one teacher in this area during the activity to help children create their own costumes and write any signs or messages needed to complete the look. Once everyone who wishes has dressed up as a Pilgrim, invite the children to line up and board the ship. Help the children "on board" and ask them to sit down; the ship should feel cramped and crowded. Point out that the Pilgrims had to live, eat, sleep, and even be sick all in a tiny boat much like this one. The entire inside of the ship was not much bigger than the average classroom! Allow of the children to lie on the chairs and pretend to sleep, while others will have to sit or lie on the floor.

Say, "Let's start the voyage!" Play the storm tape and say, "On the sea voyage there were many storms. Large waves rocked the Mayflower from side to side. What do you think happened to the Pilgrims inside?" Listen to the children respond to the question. Sit in the middle of the boat and lean from left to right. Ask the children to lean with you as you call out the direction "left" or "right." Dramatize the rocking motion and ask the children how it feels to be cramped in a small ship on a rough sea. Explain that the ship had very little food, much of it spoiled so the Pilgrims were very hungry. One food they did have was hard biscuits. As the children sit in the ship, serve the Mayflower Hardtack Biscuits, and watch as they discover the surprise inside. Point out that the Pilgrims didn't have any other food to eat, so they ate the biscuits - worms and all! After the snack, allow the children to help you return the tables and chairs to their proper places.

Develop the photographs taken during the Mayflower Creative Play Time activity and ask each child to describe their costume and explain what happened on the voyage. Write the child's words on a blank index card. Create a class display by mounting each photo on a large piece of construction paper with the child's name, and comment card.

Mayflower Hardtack Biscuit Snack:

Create a special realistic snack for the hungry Pilgrims on your Mayflower! Make a batch of plain biscuits and allow the biscuits to cool. Slice the biscuits in half-sideways, place a gummy worm inside, and carefully press the biscuit back together. For true authenticity, bake a few biscuits again and cut them into small pieces. Allow the children to try to eat the hard pieces of biscuit.

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