Alphabet Cards

Here are some alphabet cards to print out on card stock.  You can print them out on some different colored card stock and have multiple sets.  I use my cards for many, many games.  I included some blank ones in case you want to add sharps or flats.

Alphabet Cards Google Docs
Alphabet Cards

Group Lesson Thanksgiving Style

We had a great time at group lessons this past week.  I decided to review the games we had played recently which included Jenga, Uno, Tough Turkey and Eight is Enough in a Station format.  I have included the directions to these games below.  I go over the rules of the game and at each station there are directions for the students if they need help.  I plan on posting more about Jenga later so stay tuned.

I had a multi level group, so I had to modify some of the games to accommodate the different levels.  I have some students in the "My First Piano Adventure" by Faber and Faber so they haven't learned any notes on the staff so here are the modification I made.

For Eight is Enough, I had them make stacks of Alphabet Cards.
For Uno, we matched the bass and treble clefs using line and space notes.

We had a lot of fun as you can see in the pictures below.

Some other fun Thanksgiving games you can play are

Pilgrim, Pilgrim, Turkey:  Played just like "Duck, Duck, Goose"  I have my students keep a rhythm pattern going as the player goes around the circle saying "Pilgrim, Pilgrim, Turkey"  Whoever is touched on the head when the player says "Turkey" chases that player around the circle trying to tag them.  If the player gets back to his/her seat in before being tagged, they win.

Turkey Rhythm: You can use Thanksgiving words to say simple rhythm cards.


Pass the Turkey: If you have a stuffed turkey or a foam turkey (found at most craft stores) you can play pass the turkey.  Students pass the turkey saying the alphabet, intervals and or chords.  You pick a alphabet letter to start on and the students pass around the turkey going through the chord, alphabet or interval.  Try going backwards.  You could also recite the lines of the bass clef, the flat order, etc . .

Tough Turkey Directions

UNO Directions

Eight is Enough Directions

Tough Turkey Scales

This is a fun activity where student write the name of the scale on the turkey's feathers.  I laminated my cards and students wrote on them.  You could also stick them in a sheet protector and have students write on them with a dry erase marker.  Another option is to use Bingo Chips with the letters on them and have the students arrange the chips in the correct order.

I also have a Tough Turkey Worksheet that has students write the alphabet and intervals.

Tough Turkey Scales
Example of how to complete a Turkey Scale:

Tricky Turkey

These worksheets have students fixing Mr. Tricky Turkey's mistakes.  I find students love correcting things and pretending to be the teacher.

  Tricky Turkey Level 1

Tricky Turkey Level 2

Thanksgiving Songs

Celebrate  Sung to: The Ants go marching one by one 

The pilgrims are coming to celebrate  Hurrah Hurrah
The pilgrims are coming to celebrate Hurrah Hurrah
The pilgrims are coming so don't be late
They'll sing and dance to celebrate
And we'll all have fun so hurry and don't be late! 

The Natives are coming to share their food Hurrah Hurrah

The Native are coming to share their food Hurrah Hurrah

The natives are coming so don't be late

They'll sing and dance and celebrate

And we'll all have fun so hurry and don't be late.

Other Verses:

The children are coming to play some games

The mothers are coming to cook the food

The fathers are coming to trade their goods

Idea # 1: Choose children to represent the different people in the song and act out the story.

Idea #2: Talk about the games children might play in those times, what the fathers might trade, how the mothers cook the food.

Sail The Mayflower Sung to:  Row Row Your Boat

Sail, Sail ,Sail the Mayflower 

Gently across the sea Merrily , Merrily , Merrily 

Pilgrims now are free. 

Chop Chop Chop the wood

Put in a pile

Build a little log cabin

That will make you smile

Children find a partner and sit facing each other.  They stretch arms and hold hands with their partner as they rock back and forth to “Sail Sail”  

During “Chop Chop” they pat each others hands and then make a house by reaching their hands up and putting them together with their partners.

Another Ten little Natives
1 little, 2 little 3 little Natives,
4 little, 5 little, 6 little Natives,
7 little, 8 little 9 little Natives,
10 little Native boys and girls.

They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
They jumped in a boat and the boat flipped over,
10 little Native boys and girls.

They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
They swam and they swam and they swam to their mother,
10 little Native boys and girls.

She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
She hugged them, kissed them, and sent them to bed,
10 little Native boys and girls. 

Idea #1: Have the children pop up while you count the Natives.  

Idea #2: Act out the songs motions.

Idea #3: Count backwards 10 little, 9 little, 8 little Natives

Turkey in the brown straw (Sung To: Skip To My Lou My Darling)

Turkey in the brown straw, Ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw Ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw, ha, ha, ha, ha

Turkey in the brown straw

Turkey in the white sleigh, hey, hey, hey

Turkey in the blue sky, hi, hi, hi

Turkey in the red barn, harn, harn, harn

Turkey in the yellow corn, horn, horn, horn

Turkey in the green tree, hee, hee, hee

Turkey in the purple plum, hum, hum, hum, hum

Turkey in the pink bow, ho, ho, ho

Turkey in the black show, hoo, hoo, hoo

I have the children guess what 'H' word will rhyme. 

Driver Driver

  This old road is hard and bumpy (Alternate pat on legs)

  Five fat turkeys wild and jumpy (Hold us fingers, wiggle on 'wild', hands up on       
            'jumpy')

   Driver driver not so jerky (Pretend to drive)

   Or you'll make us loose a turkey (Wag finger)

           Driver! Driver! Stop I say! (Pretend to drive, hold up hand on 'stop')

   One fat turkey got away! (Hold up number of turkey)

   Repeat each verse until just one turkey is left and say:

             Driver! Driver! stop I say!

   Let's save this turkey for Thanksgiving Day!

Idea #1: Count down from 10, taking two away each time for skip counting

Idea #2: Count down form 12 taking different amounts away each time for subtraction

Ten Days of Thanksgiving

On the first day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me.
A pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the second day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me
Two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.
On the third day of Thanksgiving the natives gave to me

Three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the fourth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.
On the fifth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the sixth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the seventh day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the eighth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the ninth day of Thanksgiving, the natives gave to me
Nine ears of corn, eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

On the tenth day of Thanksgiving, the Natives gave to me.

Ten loud tom-toms,nine ears of corn, eight woven blankets, seven Native teepees, six pairs of moccasins, five bows and arrows, four cornucopias, three Chief headdresses, two turkey gobblers, and a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch. 

I make up motions for each one of the days and talk about how the Native Americans used these items.


Use these pictures for "Turkey in the Brown Straw" and "Ten Days of Thanksgiving"
Turkey in the Brown Straw

Ten Days of Thanksgiving