Reading: Family Literacy

Thanksgiving Tales

 

            Today's Snack: Have a hot turkey sandwich that you eat with a knife and fork. Toast two pieces of bread. Heat slices of leftover turkey in the microwave. If you have leftover mashed potatoes and gravy, or have some storebought turkey gravy in a jar, heat them, too. Build your sandwich and pour gravy over it. A tall glass of milk goes well!

 

--------------------

Supplies:

Half-sheets of lined writing paper

and pens and pencils for each person

 

 

            Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for schools, where kids learn to read, since reading is so important for a successful future.

 

            It's also a time when families can support children in their reading. This fun family activity can help families do just that.

 

            If you would like to practice with your after-school group first, that would be fine.

 

            But on Thanksgiving Day, give a half-sheet of paper to each person at your Thanksgiving gathering. Ask him or her to write a paragraph about what he or she is thankful for. Be sure to tell each person that you will be reading these tributes aloud for all to hear.

 

 

 

It will be fascinating to see how different or the same everybody's thoughts are. Some will be funny; some will make you see family members in a whole new light; some may be so sweet that they bring tears to your eyes.

 

            After everyone has had a chance to write, collect them. Then find a good time to read them aloud, either at the dinner table or while you're waiting for the little dealie in the turkey to pop up, signaling that it's done.

 

            You can practice a little leadership by leading a brief discussion after each paragraph, and see how family members respond to the various ideas. Get the ball rolling by asking a question of the group, such as: "Did you know that?" or "Are you surprised to hear that?"

 

            You might want to keep these Thanksgiving tributes in a special notebook and do this same activity year after year, re-reading old ones and adding new ones. It will be a record of all of your family's blessings over the years. The thicker it gets, the more blessed you will realize you are.